Almost exactly four years ago Cybertruck presented for the first time – it would take a very long time until the first customers were allowed to receive their car. Now Tesla has finally delivered the first vehicles – and only now are there any solid details about the car.
It is all the more astonishing that at the so-called “delivery event” one customer after the other actually jumped into the respective vehicle with joy – until that moment it was neither clear what the car can really do nor what it costs.
Elon Musk could not keep the price promise
And there are certainly setbacks, especially when it comes to prices and range: In 2019, Elon Musk said that the Cybertruck base model with rear-wheel drive would start at $39,900 and that a range of 400 kilometers could be expected. In top models it even promised enough power for 800 kilometers.
The reality is different. It starts with the price. The rear-wheel drive Tesla Cybertruck will cost $60,990 before government subsidies. The first all-wheel drive version costs $79,990 and the top model called “Cyberbeast” costs $99,990. And that’s not all: If you choose the smallest truck, your patience will be taxed for at least another year. The entry-level model will not reach customers until 2025.
Musk’s promise also turns out to be too full-bodied when it comes to range. According to the manufacturer, even the “Cyberbeast” only manages around 515 kilometers. Only with an additional range extender, which is supposed to take up a third of the loading area, would it be more than 705 kilometers.
Tesla’s Cybertruck is faster than a Porsche – and still has a towing capacity of 5 tons
According to Tesla, the performance should be similar to a Porsche 911. As a demonstration, the truck was pitted against a sports car from Zuffenhausen in the quarter mile – and won. Little bonus: In the video, the truck was pulling a trailer that also had a Porsche on it. Musk: “The Cybertruck pulls a Porsche faster than the sports car can drive itself.” A successful marketing stunt – you have to give him that.
On paper, the power of the three-engine “Cyberbeast” is 630 KW, the equivalent of 857 HP. It goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.7 seconds. The all-wheel drive version also offers enough power with under 4.3 seconds and 607 hp. The entry-level model is expected to accelerate to 100 km/h in under 6.7 seconds; the performance is currently unknown.
As far as the trailer is concerned, the Cybertruck obviously pulls quite a lot. It has to, because that also plays a big role in a truck. According to the manufacturer, the Cybertruck can handle a towing load of 4,990 kilos.
For the coming year, Tesla only promises to deliver the more expensive variants – which ones were issued as part of the “Delivery Event” are not known. We can only hope that the cyber pioneers were at least told in advance how high the bill would be – Tesla has really come a long way from the $39,900.
Even though the car’s product page has returned in German with delivery of the Cybertruck, it remains questionable whether the stainless steel monster will ever make it to Europe. “In our opinion, the Tesla Cybertruck in its current form cannot be approved in Germany without major modifications,” explained Barend Wolf, head of the vehicle technology department at the German Road Safety Council, to “Spiegel”. The Cybertruck in its current form is already failing in terms of the mandatory pedestrian protection.
Learn more about the Tesla Cybertruck’s performance and notable events during the event in the gallery.
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