Elon Musk Unveils Tesla Cybertruck Pickup Truck A Future Ready Electric Vehicle

Elon Musk unveiled the Cybertruck today and we have questions. But more on that later. Tesla, Inc. has been building a portfolio of electric vehicles and has the Model S luxury sedan, the Model X SUV and Model 3 compact sedan in the line-up. But as all car makers know, you need a pick-up truck in the showroom if you want to be taken seriously in America. Hence the Tesla Cybertruck.

Tesla Cybertruck launch

Unveiled in a dystopian punk theme event with Matrix vibes, the Cybertruck left the audience shocked. Compared to the curvy, air-cleaving shape of the current Tesla Motors electric cars, the Cybertruck is a mix of straight lines and hard angles and jagged edges. But then even the F-117 flew despite the weird angular shape so we hope even the Cybertruck is slippery enough not to adversely impact the aerodynamics of the vehicle.

Aerodynamics and pickups are two words that are rarely used together, but then Elon Musk stressed on the performance of the Cybertruck that we just had to. The presentation involved a video of head to head comparison of straight line acceleration between the Cybertruck and Porsche 911! Yes, the Tesla won. It¡¯s claimed to have a 0-60 mph (96 km/h) time of 2.9 seconds.

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Tesla Cybertruck specs

Other thing that Elon Musk stressed on was the utility of the Cybertruck. The Tesla pickup truck is the same size as the Ford F-150, the most popular pickup in America. But unlike the F-150, the Cybertruck is not a body-on-chassis design. It also has six seats, three at the front and three at the back, though the interiors look a bit spartan. Of course there¡¯s a flat-bed that is covered when not needed, and the truck can carry 1.5 tonnes of cargo. And unlike other pickup trucks, there¡¯s a luggage space under the bonnet.

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The Cybertruck also boasts of an ultra strong body that doesn¡¯t dent. Not even when you hit it with a sledge hammer and that too was a part of the demo. In fact, Tesla even claims that the Cybertruck is impervious to a 9mm round shot ¨C it¡¯s bullet-proof. This is thanks to the ultra hard cold rolled steel used in construction, same as the SpaceX Starship. Then there¡¯s the Tesla Armor Glass which Musk referred to as ¡®transparent metal¡¯. It¡¯s claimed to be much stronger than regular car glass and though it did shatter during the demo, it didn¡¯t disintegrate.

The Cybertruck also looks like it has the ground clearance that a truck owner would want. And those wheel arches look very Lamborghini. The Cybertruck can be raised thanks to the adaptive air suspension that is standard across the range. Which brings us to the range of the Cybertruck. There are three range options ¨C 250miles ( 400 kms), 300 miles( 482 kms) and 500 miles ( 800 kms). And it¡¯s not a Tesla unless there¡¯s Autopilot self driving system.

Tesla Cybertruck Price

The Cybertruck prices start at $39,900 (Rs 28 lakh) for the single motor rear wheel drive model. The dual motor rear wheel drive model is priced at $ 49,900 (Rs 35 lakh) and tri motor all wheel drive model is priced at $ 69,900 (Rs 50 lakh).

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While the Cybertruck promises a lot and may even deliver on those promises, there¡¯s one thing that you just can¡¯t ignore ¨C it looks a bit too outlandish. The Cybertruck doesn¡¯t look anything like a Tesla, or for that matter a pick-up truck. It¡¯s far too extreme a design going by what Franz von Holzhausen has churned out at Tesla Motors. The Model S, Model X and Model 3 are all his handiwork. And all these cars were accepted by the buyers because they resemble traditional cars. The Cybertruck doesn¡¯t!

Of course design is a matter of personal preference, history tells us that deviating too far away from the template hasn¡¯t worked out for manufacturers. Remember the Pontiac Aztec? You don¡¯t because it flopped. And though one might argue that the Cybertruck has Lamborghini LM002 vibes, the latter was the epitome of cool, while Cybertruck is yet unproven.

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But we still hope that the Cybertruck goes on to become a big seller, because the future is electric and this Tesla may be the one to change it for the better.