Series production of Tesla Cybertruck will begin in 2024
The long-delayed Tesla Cybertruck is finally on track to go into production as early as mid-2023, but won’t ramp up until next year.
The timing was outlined by Elon Musk in the regular quarterly Investor Questions and Answers, answering a question about when we’ll finally see the roadworthy version of the radical electric truck that debuted as a concept in 2019.
“We expect production to start, I don’t know, maybe sometime this summer,” Musk said, adding that he usually downplays the importance of early production.
For more driving news and videos, visit Driving >>
“The start of production is always very slow. It increases exponentially, but it is always very slow in the beginning. So I wouldn’t stock too much at the start of production. It’s kind of when does mass production actually happen? And that’s next year,” he added.
At that point, Drew Bagliano, Tesla’s senior vice president of powertrain and energy engineering, provided more details on the state of affairs at the Texas plant responsible for Cybertruck.
“Just to emphasize, we’ve started installing production equipment here in Giga, Texas, castings, GA, general assembly, body shops. We’ve built all of our beta vehicles, with a few more coming over the next month, but like you said, the ramp is really coming in 2024,” he added.
These latest comments build on what Elon said in August last year when he warned that some price and spec changes should be expected.
“Cybertrucks pricing was unveiled in 2019 and the reservation was $99. So you know a lot has changed since then,” Mr Musk said. “Specifications and pricing will vary.”
“I hate to break a little bit of bad news but I think there’s no way to predict the inflation that we’ve seen and the various issues, but what I can say is the Cybertruck is going to be a stunner product and it’s going to be like a damn fine machine.”
The road to production of the controversial electric pickup was marked by delays as competitors such as Ford, General Motors and Rivian brought Tesla to market with their own electric pickups.
Earlier this year, the option to post a $150 refundable deposit on the Cybertruck in markets like Australia was removed.
“We have more orders for the first Cybertrucks than we could possibly fulfill three years after production began,” Musk said in May.
At its unveiling, Tesla had said it would go into production in 2021.
Since its unveiling, Tesla has made some major changes to prototypes, including adding a large windshield wiper and wing mirrors.
In April, Tesla unveiled a Cybertruck with different wheels, although there were no door handles – Mr Musk cryptically said the car “can just say you’re there and know to open it”.
MORE: Tesla is investing $3.6 billion to triple battery capacity in Nevada
