Tesla's Cybertruck has been one of the most popular vehicles in recent years, having landed like an asteroid on extinction levels amidst a largely static and boring truck market in 2019. This was before the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Ram 1500 Rev, or GMC Hummer EV either launched or went on sale. Since then, all of these trucks have debuted and reached the driveways of paying customers. Meanwhile, the stainless steel body and doorstop-shaped Cybertruck experienced many challenges and production delays, even changing from its original design as the realities of making pickup trucks in this century loomed ever closer to one that seemed sent back from a dystopian future.
Finally, the Tesla Cybertruck is complete, production is underway, and the truck is starting to be shipped to customers. First announced almost the same week four years ago, the Cybertruck has been both praised and criticized throughout its long and highly public launch for its controversial looks and big promises. So, what actual production of the Cybertruck will look like,
While we knew the first Cybertruck would get all-wheel drive, we didn't know its actual layout until now. The pickup will use a three-motor setup with one 300 hp motor up front with an electro-mechanical locking differential, plus a pair of motors on the rear axle (each driving one wheel, so no need for a differential), for a total of up to 845 hp.
The electronic locking front diff is a first for Tesla, and we wonder if it will allow the driver to lock it selectively when needed or if it will be fully automatic. Dual rear motors are nothing unusual—Tesla's Model S sedan and Model Again, this is a welcome if not new feature; we've seen it on the GMC Hummer EV and Rivian R1T.
That maximum output of 845 hp is reserved for Beast mode, the most powerful setting made for off-road and performance driving, in the top-end Cyberbeast trim. At full power, this allows the Cybertruck to accelerate to 60 mph in less than 3.0 seconds, according to Tesla, and helps it beat the Porsche 911 in the quarter mile "while towing the 911 [behind it]," said Tesla CEO Elon Musk. If true, that's an impressive figure for the Cyberbeast's claimed specs of 6,843 pounds, which makes it about 50 pounds lighter than a 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum (6,900 pounds) and significantly lighter than a 2024 GMC Hummer EV which weighs 8,976 pounds. SUT with its tri-motor setup.
Tesla says the Cybertruck will also have a towing capacity of up to 11,000 pounds with Cyberbeast and AWD specs, while the standard RWD version is only capable of towing up to 7,500 pounds. The standard AWD spec will weigh 6,603 pounds and produce a maximum output of 600 hp with a 4.1-second 0-60-mph time. Tesla says these trucks also offer a payload capacity of up to 2,500 pounds. Towing and payload figures for the entry-level rear-drive model will be announced soon, as the model won't appear until 2025 at the earliest.
It remains to be seen how towing will affect the range estimates quoted by Tesla for various Cybertruck models. The upcoming $60,990 rear-drive base model is expected to go 250 miles per charge and go from zero to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. The all-wheel-drive model is claimed to go 340 miles per charge and hit 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, while the Cyberbeast is said to hit 60 mph in 2.6 seconds (on prepared surfaces, without a launch) and go 320 miles per charge. charging.
The battery is also capable of producing 11.5 kW of two-way power, so you can use the Cybertruck as a rolling generator for your home. If you're away from home, you can use the integrated 120-volt and 240-volt outlets thanks to its new battery architecture. The Cybertruck will use a new V3 Supercharger capable of producing 250 kW of power, and you'll get an additional 128 to 136 miles of range in just 15 minutes. If you need more power, it looks like Tesla will offer a mysterious range extender, which adds more than 120 miles of range on the Cyberbeast configuration and more than 130 miles on the standard AWD. On
The first thing we noticed is that the actual production Cybertruck is much smaller than the prototype we saw in 2019 and the early examples displayed during the Tesla exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum. The prototype was a larger truck with a taller suspension and taller tires. Production trucks are not only lower to the ground but also physically smaller. It's even more in line with the Ford F-150, at 223.7 inches long, 70.5 inches high, and at most 80.0 inches wide (without the rearview mirrors, even when folded it still makes the width 86.6 inches). Why "most?" Federal regulations dictate that anything wider has additional marker lights on the roof; The Cybertruck doesn't have one, so we'd say it's the same 80 inches wide as most other full-size pickups.
The suspension consists of an adaptive air suspension system, just like other top-tier Tesla models, but Beast mode will give the Cybertruck "up to 17 inches of ground clearance," according to Tesla. Based on the Cybertruck order page it looks like it's only for Extract mode, but still. The tires have unique Goodyear sidewalls on larger wheels. We also see that 18-inch wheels will be optional for the Cybertruck, potentially providing more sidewall for off-road tires. The stock tires will be made by Goodyear with an overall diameter of 35 inches and 20-inch rims.
One of the main storylines that emerged in the Cybertruck production reveal was the poor build quality of many of the prototypes spotted in the wild. In the context of Tesla's past problems with fit and finish on other models, as well as the obvious challenges that stainless steel bodywork poses for manufacturing, this seems especially damning. Additionally, most other automakers' test models and prototypes are not continually dissected for indications of build quality and are teased, and only the final product matters.
This being the final product, it appears that Tesla made great progress in fitting and finishing the Cybertruck, although it is unknown whether the trucks shown at the debut event were specially prepared or made in a new model typical of the next customers who will see them. We just don't know. From what we can see on the first trucks delivered to customers, there are still some wavy panels and odd seams between body panels, but again, much better than the prototypes we've seen over the years. On the Cybertruck that we inspected in person at a local Tesla showroom, some of these imperfections were quite glaring. We also found panel misalignments and gaps around the A-pillars where they meet the fenders, between the fenders and the front nose panel, and many other panels.
The Cybertruck is also equipped with a monoblade wiper mounted on the driver's side windshield. This is one of the largest wiper blades your writer has ever seen, including when they were technicians and serviced used Mercedes-Benz cars with the famous single-center wiper. The windshield needs to be large enough to wipe across the entire windshield, and the good news for Tesla technicians is that you don't have to remove and replace the glass to replace the wiper motor, as there is a panel to access it. That means there's a round cutout on the driver's side of the windshield with a matching cutout on the passenger side, potentially allowing the RHD model to place the blade there—if there is one, that is.
We're also curious how well these triangular mirrors will work on the Cybertruck. From what we could see on the L.A.-based truck, the steep angle formed when stopping outside the rearview mirror could potentially be a blind spot when using it. Yes, we know Tesla uses a camera system for FSD and Autopilot, and you'll be able to see what's around you when looking at the screen. But if rearview mirrors are going to be there (as required by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards), at least make them useful. These rearview mirrors will also extend outward and increase the standard maximum width of 86.6 inches to 95 inches for towing.
Speaking of useless rearview mirrors, the interior rearview mirror is very small. We wonder how useful it will be considering the Cybertruck is meant to be driven with the tonneau cover closed. The rearview mirror may be a screen like GM trucks opt for interior rearview mirrors. With cameras on the Cybertruck's rear doors, this isn't out of the question. If you think an angled skylight can be used as a traditional interior mirror, think again. It ends in the same line of sight as the interior rearview mirror.
It appears a roof and cargo rack are also planned for the Cybertruck. We can see removable panels on the outer edges of the roof and bedside, marking provisions for rack mounting. Roof and bed angles can be difficult to adjust, especially when trying to make something visually functional with its slanted surface or when the surface needs to be straight to accommodate a load or tent.
Under the floor of the bed, there is a storage area like the one on the Honda Ridgeline. This gives you an additional 67 cubic feet of storage. The bed will also have a 2,500-pound payload capacity for whatever can fit in the 4-foot-wide, 6-foot-long bed. The bed also doesn't have wheel protrusions like a regular truck bed, so that's the actual usable size, and cargo capacity with the tonneau cover in use is still 120.9 cubic feet, according to Tesla.
While it doesn't follow in the Model S Plaid's footsteps with its odd airplane-style yoke, the Cybertruck does feature squircle-shaped wheels. The rim is flat on top and bottom, while the sides remain rounded. At least it gives you something to hold on to when making sharp turns, unlike a yoke wheel. We expect a round steering wheel will be an option on the Cybertruck, as it is on other Teslas. That yoke-ish wheel shape still isn't as easy or intuitive to use in the 2.5-turn lock-to-lock ratio that standard rack-and-pinion steering has, so it's good news that Tesla is using variable steering. -by-wire system here, which should work more like an implementation of the Lexus yoke idea and require less hand stroking.
Tesla is not the first to market a steer-by-wire system, as Infiniti has had the system since 2014, although it is unclear if there is a mechanical backup for emergencies such as an over-clutch steering column on the Infiniti. The good part is that it will have a four-wheel steering system for good maneuverability.
