According to the company’s CEO, Elon Musk, the highly-anticipated electric pickup truck, Cybertruck, which was first unveiled in 2019, won’t enter mass production until 2024. During a recent earnings call, Musk stated that while the company is set to begin production “sometime this summer,” it will be slow in the beginning as assembly equipment is still being installed.
This is not the first time Cybertruck’s release has been delayed. The final specs and pricing have also changed, and the company is no longer promising specific configurations as before. Various factors, including the global pandemic, economic downturn, and supply chain issues (due to the pandemic), are expected to influence the final product.
Cybertruck poses unique challenges in production, as its cold-rolled steel body requires manufacturing approaches not commonly used in the current automotive industry. Most of the production is set to take place at Tesla’s Giga Texas factory near Austin, which only opened last year.
The extended timeline for the Cybertruck’s release may prove to be a challenge as the electric pickup market is becoming increasingly competitive with new models such as the Ford F-150 Lightning, GMC Hummer EV, and Rivian R1T entering the market. By the time the Cybertruck is in full production, it will likely have to contend with the Ram 1500 EV and Chevy Silverado EV, as well as more affordable versions of existing trucks. Cybertruck will need to offer significant advantages over its rivals to stand out in this crowded market.
Let’s see if Elon Musk’s Tesla will be able to hold its promise this time. The EV motor fans are eagerly waiting for the release of Tesla’s Cybertruck.