It might look like a vehicle from a 1980s sci-fi movie, but this is Tesla’s latest model, the Cybertruck.
Announced at the LA Motorshow, Tesla surprised the motoring world when it took the wraps off this futuristic, angular, BEV, which claims to have ‘better utility than a truck with more performance than a sports car’.
With concept car styling that’s said to be inspired by cyberpunk (hence the name) and the Lotus Esprit from The Spy Who Loved me James Bond movie, the striking features of the Cybertruck is its ‘exoskelton’, which is designed to be rugged, durable and offer increased protection to passengers.
It’s made from ultra-hard 30X cold-rolled a stainless-steel, which is harder to dent, damage and also is less corrosive. Meanwhile, it also features armored windows made from glass and polymer-layered composite. Tesla claims they are strong enough to stop a bullet from a 9mm handgun, however during the reveal a stunt saw Elon Musk throw a ball at the window and shatter them.
The trunk section of the Cybertruck provides the vehicle with a vault-like storage section intended for tools and equipment. With up to 3,500 pounds of payload capacity and adjustable air suspension, it is engineered with 100ft3 of exterior, lockable storage — including a magic tonneau cover that is strong enough to stand on.
Underneath all this is an all-electric drive system that has the ability to propel the Cybertruck from 0-60mph in just 2.9 seconds.
Tesla is offering a choice of three different motors – a single RWD option, dual-motor AWD, or tri-motor AWD. Each offers a claimed driving range of 250, 300, and 500-miles respectively.
Prices are expected to start from around US$39,000 and is slated to go into production by 2021. The Cybertruck will sit alongside Tesla’s offering of the Model S, Model 3, its SUV the Model X, and also SUV Model Y, which is to be on sale as of next year.
