Tesla's Cybertruck Is Finally Here, But Will It Live Up to the Hype?

After years of delays and anticipation, Tesla has finally started producing its Cybertruck, the futuristic electric pickup truck that CEO Elon Musk unveiled in 2019.

The company announced the news on Twitter on Saturday, July 15, with a photo of the first Cybertruck surrounded by hundreds of employees at its Gigafactory Texas, which will be the main production facility for the vehicle.

The Cybertruck is Tesla's attempt to break into the lucrative pickup truck market, which is dominated by Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler. The truck features a stainless steel body, a triangular design and a glass roof. It also promises to have impressive performance and capabilities, such as a range of up to 500 miles, a towing capacity of up to 14,000 pounds and a starting price of $39,900.

However, the Cybertruck has also faced skepticism and criticism from some analysts and consumers, who question its practicality, aesthetics and safety. The truck's debut event in 2019 was marred by an embarrassing mishap, when Musk tried to demonstrate the strength of the truck's windows by throwing a metal ball at them, only to see them shatter.

The production of the Cybertruck has also been delayed several times due to supply chain issues caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and other challenges. Tesla originally planned to start delivering the truck in late 2021, but pushed back the timeline to late 2022 and then to late 2023. According to Reuters, mass production will not start until the end of next year.

Meanwhile, Tesla faces increasing competition from other electric vehicle makers that are also launching their own pickup trucks. Ford has already unveiled its F-150 Lightning, which is expected to go on sale in spring 2024 and has received over 200,000 reservations so far. Rivian, a startup backed by Amazon and Ford, has also started delivering its R1T truck to customers this month.

Tesla has not revealed how many reservations it has received for the Cybertruck, but Musk said in May that demand was "no issue" and that there was "far more demand than production capacity." He also said that he expects some customers to cancel their orders once they see the final product.

It remains to be seen whether Tesla can deliver on its promises and meet customer expectations with the Cybertruck. The company has a history of overcoming challenges and surprising skeptics with its innovative products. But it also has a reputation for missing deadlines and encountering quality issues.

The Cybertruck is arguably Tesla's most ambitious and controversial project yet. It could either be a game-changer for the company and the industry, or a flop that tarnishes its brand image. Only time will tell.

Additional reading: