Tesla officially launched the Cybertruck back in 2019. The cyberpunk electric truck will be the most striking vehicle on the road. But we're still discussing it in the future tense because — more than two years after its debut — Tesla still has not launched the production version. Even the more optimistic Cybertruck timelines could still have us waiting another year.
Piecing together reports, rumors and Elon Musk tweets — the closest thing Tesla has to an official PR department — it's clear the production Cybertruck will be markedly different from the initial release. Here's what we know about it as of this writing.
The idea of the Cybertruck arriving in 2023 could mean anything from full-scale production in January to delivering one token truck on December 31. What we can say with certainty is: it's clear the Cybertruck won't arrive in 2022.
The Cybertruck will have electric truck competition
Ford
Tesla has set the paradigm with its past launches of cool, high-performing electric cars. But the Cybertruck will be different from the Model 3 or the Model S. Tesla will be entering an established electric pickup market — and facing off directly against some heavy-hitters.
Don't expect a dramatic aesthetic departure from the first version. It will still have the same angular, Blade Runner-inspired silhouette. Tesla will still build the "exoskeleton" from stainless steel and leave it unpainted (though there should be third-party wrap options).
We have seen some practical tweaks come to the project— the latest prototype, for example, has conventional side mirrors. And Musk has suggested at various points the production Cybertruck may be smaller than the prototype, as it would be a tight fit in garages and Boring tunnels.
The Tesla Cybertruck will have an adaptive air suspension
ROBYN BECKGetty Images
Tesla says the Cybertruck will have an adaptive air suspension. The truck will be able to raise or lower four inches in either direction. It will also offer a self-leveling function.
The Tesla Cybertruck will borrow a cool feature from the Hummer EV SUT
More importantly, the rear wheels will be able to turn the opposite direction from the front wheels, allowing the Cybertruck to make tighter turns and, like the Hummer be more maneuverable than it should be in tight spaces given its size.
The Tesla Cybertruck won’t have traditional door handles
ROBYN BECKGetty Images
Recent Cybertruck prototypes show no physical door handles. Musk has said the doors will open automatically in the presence of the phone or key fob. It's not clear yet whether there will be some sort of physical override for emergencies.
Can you buy the Tesla Cyberquad, at least?
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For the initial Cybertruck launch, Tesla built the Cyberquad, a quad-bike ATV that could fit in the Cybertruck's bed. The initial plan was to sell it as an option with the Cybertruck. And that plan may still happen.
For now, Tesla is selling a scaled-down Cyberquad for Kids. It can accommodate riders 8-year-old and up who is under 150 lbs. The Cyberquad for Kids, has a 15-mile range and can hit a top speed of 10 mph. It's listed for $1,900 on Tesla's website, but it's currently out of stock.
2023 Tesla Cybertruck Specs (from Tesla's website)
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