Tesla Inc. launched its much anticipated electric pickup truck known as the Cybertruck on Friday last week. According to a recent tweet by the company’s Chief Executive Elon Musk, the new Tesla vehicle has managed to rake in over 200000 orders since its unveiling.
The Cybertruck received mixed opinions on its overall look from journalists and netizens alike – with some expressing concerns on its blocky design, while others praised the vehicle’s nod to retro-futuresque cyberpunk look found in sci-fi films such as Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. If you were to ask us, the Cybertruck looks like a low polygon vehicle ripped right out of a classic PlayStation 1 game. Regardless, it’s a bold and interesting move from Musk’s automotive company to employ such a design.
200k
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 25, 2019
Its questionable design aside, the vehicle’s exterior proved to be extremely sturdy after receiving a heavy blow from a sledgehammer, as demonstrated on stage by Tesla’s head of design Franz von Holzhausen. However, not all went exactly as planned during the Cybertruck’s showcase of durability. During the truck’s “armoured glass” demonstration, von Holzhausen not only managed to break just one, but two of the Cybertruck’s supposed heavy duty windows with a metal ball – much to Elon Musk’s surprise. It’s speculated that the blunder was intentional, but Musk’s terrified reaction to the incident suggests otherwise.
However, Tesla’s chief executive managed to maintain his composure and commented that there’s more room for improvement for the vehicle’s glass. “We’ll fix it in post”, joked Musk before continuing on the Cybertruck’s presentation.
Tesla’s new electric pickup truck is equipped with a self-levelling suspension which compensates for variable load, on-board power inverters for supplying both 120 and 240-Volt electricity which also allows the use of power tools, Tesla Autopilot for autonomous operations, and constructed from stainless steel and titanium. The Cybertruck is estimated to have a range of 400km to 800km and could reach from 0-100km in 2.9 to 6.5 seconds, depending on the model.
Speaking of which, the vehicle is available in three variants: Single Motor Rear-Wheel Drive priced at US$39900 (~RM166580), Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive at US$49900 (~RM208330), and Triple Motor All-Wheel Drive at US$69900 (~RM291830). The Tesla Cybertruck’s production is slated to start in late 2021, while the Triple Motor AWD variant is expected to begin in late 2022. The new Tesla electric pickup might not see a release in Malaysia, but for those interested to find out more about the vehicle should check out its official website page.
[ Source: Elon Musk (Twitter), Reuters // Top image: Reuters ]
