When Tesla unveiled the Cybertruck at the sidelines of the Los Angeles Auto Show last week, the collective reactions of those attending the event and watching the live-stream online were - to put it mildly - "What the hell is that?" If someone is telling you that wasn't the case, they're either lying or they must be as crazy as Elon Musk and his team.
The Cybertruck, Tesla claims, has better utility than a truck with more performance than a sports car. That it doesn't look like a truck is a different thing altogether.
With a polarizing design that sent the internet into a dizzy this past week, the Cybertruck is truly one-of-a-kind. We have never seen a truck like this. And we might never see one like this ever! The Cybertruck's beauty (Damn, we used that word!) is in not letting us decide if we like or detest the way it looks.
It's clear Tesla wanted to stand out to have a chance at success in a segment that's crowded with big, brawny, gas-guzzling, body-on-frame trucks that loyal customers bought by the millions over multiple generations. And the folks from Fremont, California have executed that to perfection. They have got the internet - and the whole world - talking which wouldn't have happened with a run-of-the-mill design that looks like any other truck. The Cybertruck's 'Indestructible Isosceles Triangle on Wheels' lacks flair, no doubt, but you really can't deny it looks rugged and tough. Tesla's newest Electric Vehicle looks ready to scale Martian landscape (Now you know why Space X wants to take people to Mars!).
Available to order in three variants - Single Motor, Dual Motor and Tri Motor, the Cybertruck can go anywhere between 250+ to 500+ miles depending on the variant. Likewise, acceleration from 0 to 60 miles per hour can take anywhere between an incredible 2.9 seconds or a reasonably quick 6.5 seconds. The newest Tesla is no slouch when it comes to towing either with a claimed ability to haul between 7,500 to 14,000 pounds behind it!
Tesla has released just one shot of the Cybertruck's interiors which shows a minimalistic cabin dominated by a 17-inch touchscreen that controls everything and ample space for six in a 3+3 configuration.
With a body shell that's made of ultra-hard, cold-rolled stainless steel and a shape that's devoid of curves, Tesla is headed an unknown path. The so-called 'Exoskeleton' might not just help customers save money by eliminating dents, damage and corrosion but also help the car-maker save millions by reducing production complexities. That's not all. The American car-maker has equipped the Cybertruck with an adaptive air suspension, Armor Glass for the windows, lockable tonneau cover for the bed and even on-board power and compressed air for those adventure outings.
As of today, Tesla has garnered over 250,000 deposits of $100 each to get in the queue to get one of these when its finally made and shipped a year or two down the line. That's a cool 25 million dollars of crowdfunding to work on the Cybertruck. If only other car-makers learnt the trick from Tesla, the automotive industry wouldn't be in the state it is right now!
