Topics
late
AI
Amazon
Image Credits:Darrell Etherington / TechCrunch
Apps
Biotech & Health
clime
Image Credits:Darrell Etherington / TechCrunch
Cloud Computing
Commerce
Crypto
Enterprise
EVs
Fintech
Fundraising
Gadgets
Gaming
Government & Policy
Hardware
Layoffs
Media & Entertainment
Meta
Microsoft
Privacy
Robotics
Security
Social
blank space
Startups
TikTok
exile
speculation
More from TechCrunch
case
Startup Battlefield
StrictlyVC
newssheet
Podcasts
Videos
Partner Content
TechCrunch Brand Studio
Crunchboard
reach Us
The Tesla Cybertruck , the first of which will be surrender Thursday four years after its debut , is screw and loathed . For fan , it ’s a symbolization for what Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk remain firm for : creativity , violation , rebellion . Others see it as an act of hubris . It could be both .
Either style , the stake are gamey . The automaker has n’t produced a new passenger example — salve for refreshes or variants of existing vehicles — in more than three years , and profit perimeter have shrunk due to price cut aim at preserving its securities industry share . The Cybertruck could be Tesla ’s magnum piece or its mollymawk .
Where the Cybertruck lands in the account book ( or more potential , Wikipedia ) will count on the company ’s power to navigate production suffering and client response — specially if it is n’t sweep up lovingly once it ’s in owners ’ hands . And of course , there ’s the other vault of get a fomite at scurf that people lovewithoutlosing money .
The next significant dance step on this precarious journey begin at2 p.m. CT November 30 , when Tesla is expected to extradite the first of its long - expect Cybertrucks to patient customers . The angulate , unstained sword , futuristic - attend trucks will be revealed and turn in during the Thursday good afternoon outcome at the Tesla Gigafactory in Austin — and likely with all the pomp , circumstance and electronic saltation euphony we ’ve come to expect from Tesla .
Some Tesla stockholder , Cybertruck client and other VIP guests will attend in somebody . The result will be livestreamed for everyone else on aspecial landing pageand in all probability on itsYouTube channeland , of course , on X.
The stakes
If Tesla pull up off the Cybertruck , it might bear witness that it ’s still the malcontent kip at heart , with the vision and dedication to break the norm . It could also give its bottom telephone line a much required cost increase and forever differentiate it from legacy contender .
But the truck has face many challenges and delay in getting to output . Musk has confessed that build the Cybertruck has been difficult due to its unequaled innovation and stainless - blade body , which hasreportedlyled to issue like col in between the panels . We do n’t yet know how much the Cybertruck will cost , but Musk has warned it will take time before it ’s a profitable vehicle for the auto maker .
Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI
Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI
DuringTesla ’s Q3 net income call , Musk told investor that Tesla “ dug our own grave accent with the Cybertruck . ” He said that scaling it will be tough and it will take at least 18 monthsbefore the pick-me-up is profitable . The truck has already taken a clump out of Tesla ’s profits as the automaker ’s operating expense increased 43 % year - over - year . Musk said that Giga Texas will be able to produce about 250,000 Cybertrucks a yr start in 2025 , but his timeline are often skew and unreliable .
Stainless steel frame: A risky bet
Musk ’s goal for the Cybertruck was to be surprising , bold and to build something no one would expect because it did n’t look like any other pickup arm hand truck out there .
“ I do n’t care if anyone bribe it , ” Musk say to his design team in 2019 , according to Walter Isaacson ’s life history of the billionaire administrator . “ We ’re not doing a traditional boring truck . We can always do that later . I want to build something that ’s cool . Like , do n’t baulk me . ”
As he and lead designer Franz von Holzhausen spitballed pattern idea , they spoke about doing something revolutionary with the form and manufacturing process of the vehicle , which had n’t change for pickups in 80 years . That do them to shift their focus to the textile used to make it . Rethinking the cloth , and even the natural philosophy of the fomite ’s structure , open their minds to new innovation .
After discussing the possible action of aluminum and atomic number 22 , they settled on stainless steel , according to entropy revealed in Isaacson ’s life story . Charles Kuehmann , VP of materials applied science at both Tesla and SpaceX , had developed an ultra - gruelling unstained steel alloy that was “ cold rolled ” rather than requiring heat treatments . The team reasoned it was strong enough and chinchy enough to apply for both arugula ship and truck . The steel body would n’t want to be painted , could resist ding and would be able to hold the vehicle ’s structural lode without relying on a build .
“ Let ’s make the strength on the outside , make it an exoskeleton , and hang everything else from the inside of it , ” Musk recite his engineers .
Building with stainless steel also intend that Tesla could n’t use its stamping motorcar to sculpt carbon fiber into body dialog box with curves and bod . The motortruck would have to be sharp and angulate , which was fine with Musk , who had been inspired by vehicles like those in the video recording game Cyberpunk 2077 and Halo , as well as picture like “ Blade Runner ” and “ The Spy Who Loved Me . ” In fact , Musk bought the seventies Lotus Esprit that was used in the James Bond film for almost $ 1 million and displayed it in the Tesla pattern studio apartment .
The choice of using stainless sword created its own unforeseen problems , though , and has caused the delay of the Cybertruck ’s launch . In theory , building a motortruck body with stainless blade panels should create a smooth , angular design . In recitation , it ’s difficult to get those panels to describe up properly without exposing large gaps . It ’s also hard to flatten the brand panel , reportsThe Wall Street Journal , adduce people who have work on the pickup truck . The metal is produced in coils , like giant rolls of newspaper publisher towel , so when it ’s unrolled , it has a tendency to jump back into its roam - up form .
Once the Cybertruck is on the route , customers might encounter challenge of their own . While the metal is likely to make it more repellent to dent and scratch , if it does get dented , fixing it will belike be a nightmare . Tesla already has a defective rep for inadequate servicing , with circumscribed serve nerve center , special stock to replace parts , spoilt communications and long expect times for haunt appointments . Given the difficulty of catch the Cybertruck to production at all , fixing one will probably be equally frustrating .
A bullet-proof truck?
During Tesla ’s initial Cybertruck reveal case in 2019 , Musk asked his lead designer , Franz von Holzhausen , to demonstrate the strength of the truck ’s “ armour glassful ” by throwing a metal ball at the window . Rather than bouncing off , it crack the window importantly . They render again with the back windowpane , leaving yet another baseball game - sized shatter in the glassful .
Musk has order he want the Cybertruck to be bullet - proof . Might we get yet another , potentially louder and more grave , demo at this workweek ’s effect ? When in Texas …
Only 10 Cybertrucks delivered
Tesla ’s spheric director of product plan Javier Verdura allege at a keynote address in November that the fellowship intends to deliver 10 Cybertrucks at the event , according to Mexican newspaperMilenio . As Tesla has done before , those first 10 hand truck will probably go to Tesla employees and mayhap a high - profile individual . For instance , during the Tesla Model X event in 2015 early investors Ira Ehrenpreis and Steve Jurvetson take up the stage to take their cars .
Tesla could not be reached to sustain .
The automaker often only delivers a smattering of cars during its delivery outcome . A year ago atTesla ’s Semi delivery event , the automaker pass on out about five hand truck to Pepsi . And back in 2017 , the Model 3 ’s initial livery event saw just 30 cars being delivered , mostly to employee .
Whether 10 is an accurate number , we can also take a small number of first units to be delivered ground on Tesla ’s ordering arrangement that threatened to sue Cybertruck buyers who resell the vehicle without permission during their first year of possession . Tesla quickly walked backon that language , but automakers usually only include such clause if they have a limited amount of vehicles .
While Tesla has intelligibly go under a precedent for anticlimactic delivery events , customers who have been await for this day for years may still be disappointed in the modest offering . Musk estimated the Cybertruck has about 1 million reserve during Tesla ’s third - quarter earnings call .
Tesla first announced its Cybertruck in 2019 , claiming first deliveries would be scheduled for 2021 . The automaker continued to push out the production and delivery dates , due to supply string concern and challenges in build the unique vehicle .
