Just when you thought Elon had run out of rabbits to pull out of his hat, Tesla has launched a Tri-Motor 4X4 with a 6.5-foot tray, cold-rolled stainless steel body and bulletproof glass. Because ‘Merica.
Meet the Tesla Cybertruck, a mental, steam-punk-esque Bladerunner-style pickup that might just be a glimpse at the future of 4X4s. And it looks nothing like the teaser image we saw earlier in the year which is down at the bottom of the page…that said, this is the guy who built and sold flamethrowers, so…
Musk promised the Cybertruck would, “out-truck an F-150, outperform a Porsche 911, be literally bulletproof, and start at under $50,000 USD”. And the bloke has delivered. It’s available to order right now in Australia with a $150 deposit – a couple of us in the office have already joined the queue for one – for a laugh. While details are still thin on the ground, what we do is mind-blowing.
The Cybertruck credentials are intriguing indeed. The air suspension can be raised by four inches, and while the tyre size is as yet unnamed, we’re guessing something like 34-inches. It can also carry a serious load, with 1.6 tonnes (3500lb) carrying capacity. Nothing else comes close in the dual-cab market. And if indeed nothing succeeds like excess, the towing capacity is a case in point. The Cybertruck can tow more than 6.3 tonnes (14,000lb). Although we’re not sure how that will hurt the 500+ mile range. A new range of Plaid engines are powering the efficiency of the new ute.
The Cybertruck comes in three models, single motor rear-wheel drive, dual-motor all-wheel drive and tri-motor all-wheel drive. The entry-level RWD can do the 0-60mph dash in over six seconds, while the top-spec tri-motor edition can do it in 2.9 seconds (around 600kW and 1350Nm) – that’s Nissan GTR territory. Oh my goodness.
Oh, and did we mention it has a vault? We would call it a ute tub. Although your fibreglass canopy probably doesn’t feature Tesla Armoured Glass, and a retractable rolltop lid that you can stand on. There is also imagery on the website of a caping edition complete with pop up tent and fold-out kitchen, but that’s probably just PR spin for now. Although we couldn’t help but notice the sharp lines of the electric quad bike in the back – that would seem to be a comparatively easy machine for the Tesla boffins to design.
From a four-wheel-drive perspective, we’re unsure as to the suspension and traction offerings, but we’ll keep you posted as details come to hand. However, with that carrying capacity, it seems likely that you could potentially (greenies block your ears!) carry a three-phase diesel gennie to take on some serious outback exploration. Canning in a Cybertruck anyone?