Better late than never. Elon Musk presented Thursday, with great fanfare, Tesla’s new electric pick-up, “the most exceptional object on the road”, according to the entrepreneur, which must position the manufacturer in a market already invested by its rival Ford . Musk has already lost the price battle: the base model of the Cybertruck, which will not be available until 2025, will cost $60,990, compared to $50,000 for the F-150 Lightning. In the meantime, Americans can afford two other versions, one at $79,990, and the other at $99,990. If the first buyers are back behind the wheel, mass deliveries will not begin until 2024, as will availability in Europe. As of Thursday evening, Tesla had not yet communicated prices in euros.
Loud music, wild crowd, the billionaire arrived like a rock star, leather jacket on his shoulders, at the wheel of his Cybertruck, for this event organized at Tesla headquarters in Austin (Texas). “I think it’s our best product,” said Elon Musk, “the most exceptional thing on the road. The future will finally look like the future. »
Between “Blade Runner” and “James Bond”
This all-angled automobile is intended to be a cross between a model from the film Blade Runner » (1982) and the “Wet Nellie”, an amphibious vehicle inspired by the Lotus Esprit, seen in “The Spy Who Loved Me” (1977), according to Elon Musk. “It’s better than a pick-up and better than a sports car, combined in one,” described the boss of the manufacturer, who did not skimp in praising the vehicle’s performance.
Machine gun fire on the doors without causing a hole, traction of a construction machine or a rocket reactor, racing with a Porsche 911 (won), Elon Musk put on a great show to promote his new creature.
Often considered a pioneer, the manufacturer is entering an electric pick-up market already occupied, notably by its rival Rivian, but also General Motors and Ford. The latter thus launched, more than 18 months ago, the F-150 Lightning, an electric version of its best-selling model in the United States. Very popular with American customers, pick-ups are cars on which manufacturers achieve some of the highest margins. At nearly $100,000, the “Cyberbeast” model offers dizzying characteristics: 0-100 km/h in 2.7 seconds, maximum speed of 210 km/h, range of 515 km and towing capacity of 5 tons.
“Historic day”
During the presentation on Thursday, customers present on site took delivery of their Cybertruck to the ovation of the public present. For Garrett Nelson of CFRA, this launch presents “a much higher risk” than for the Texan manufacturer’s other cars, even if he recognizes that Elon Musk “managed to calm expectations” after announcing his newborn in fanfare.
The entrepreneur notably estimated that sales of the Cybertruck could be significantly lower than those of other models in the range, due to its atypical appearance, even if the order book has already exceeded one million.
Elon Musk plans to reach production of 250,000 copies in 2025. “We dug our grave with the Cybertruck,” the billionaire joked last month. “The Cybertruck is a special product, one of those that we rarely see and which are very difficult to launch on the market, to sell in quantity, to make prosper,” described the fifty-year-old.
The vehicle body is made of stainless steel plates, used to ensure its strength. “It looks cool, but it’s extremely difficult to build,” according to Art Wheaton, a transportation industry expert at Cornell University.
The academic doubts that this Cybertruck will ever generate considerable sales, because of its “divisive” design. But he sees the promise of a niche product, sufficiently differentiated to enhance the image of the Tesla brand, citing, as an example, the Chevrolet Corvette. “It’s a way to attract attention. » For better or for worse, everyone will judge.