Among the "long-awaited", Musk's Cybertruck is finally coming! Today, Musk posted another warm-up message on the X platform that the Cybertruck will be delivered on Thursday. Regarding the arrival of Cybertruck, some people believe that having an "unforgettable" appearance in the market is both a selling point and its Achilles heel - the appearance is unique, but production is extremely difficult.
This has to mention the special materials used by Tesla this time. The Cybertruck body is made of super-hard stainless steel, which is ten times harder than ordinary steel and is said to be enough to withstand bullet attacks. For this reason, Tesla specially developed a patent for producing this kind of super-hard stainless steel. Some analysts pointed out that "this is a production nightmare."
The media quoted people involved in the development of Cybertruck as saying that this kind of stainless steel is challenging in terms of bending and operation, which will test Tesla's ability to install it accurately while avoiding large gaps. Subsequent repairs may also be a big problem. Some people believe that if the car body is really dented, repair may be very difficult.
With "complex manufacturing processes" and a price that may not be cheap, can Tesla convince investors to pay for its "weird" appearance?
How much will the Cybertruck cost?
Faced with such a complex process, what will be the price of Cybertruck?
Some analysts pointed out that the Cybertruck’s price and cruising range will determine the car’s fate. Edmunds director Jessica Caldwell said the Cybertruck would need a very attractive price (similar to or lower than the $50,000 starting price of the Ford F-150 Lightning) to have any chance of attracting traditional pickup buyers:
Tesla's first challenge will be to prove that the Cybertruck has the right features and then convince users to ignore the jarring design.
Dan Ives, a well-known Tesla bull and senior analyst at Wedbush Securities, said that Tesla's cost is expected to be at least US$10,000 higher than the original target, with the single-motor version priced at around US$50,000, and the dual-motor and triple-motor versions likely to be priced between US$60,000 and US$80,000.
When Tesla released the Cybertruck in 2019, the single-motor, dual-motor, and triple-motor configurations were priced at US$39,990, US$49,990, and US$69,990 respectively, but the prices were deleted from the official website in 2021.
DanIves said that although Cybertruck will not be Tesla's main sales driver, the launch of this new model is seen as important to Tesla's overall growth and may reignite Tesla's halo effect.
So how many deliveries will Tesla make this time?
The media quoted Tesla insiders as saying that this delivery is limited to 10 brand-new vehicles, and the owners of these vehicles are all Tesla employees.
Therefore, it is expected that owners of Tesla Cybertruck will have to wait for a while.
Musk also tried to lower expectations for Cybertruck. Musk has previously said that this is a great product, but financially it will take a year to 18 months for this product to become a significant positive cash flow contributor. He also said that the new technologies involved in this car will increase the difficulty of manufacturing. "We are digging our own grave in developing Cybertruck."
The Cybertruck has encountered multiple delays and significant cost overruns during its rollout. Due to the difficulty of manufacturing, Musk has previously warned that it will take at least 2025 for Cybertruck's production capacity to reach the original plan of 250,000 vehicles per year.
Cybertruck performance
Recently, Tesla App revealed relevant information about Cybertruck, updated the 3D model of Cybertruck, and displayed various details of the vehicle in detail. In addition, Tesla officials also released the acceleration animation in "Beast Mode".
Musk has said he has high expectations for the Cybertruck's "beast mode", which he hopes will enable it to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3 seconds.
Tesla claims that the single-motor model can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and can reach a top speed of 110 mph; the dual-motor model can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 120 mph; and the three-motor model can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds and can reach a top speed of 130 mph.
According to Tesla’s previous disclosures, the Cybertruck has a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds and a payload of 2,500 pounds. In terms of performance, the Tesla Cybertruck will provide dual-motor and three-motor powertrains. The vehicle’s pure electric cruising range is up to 500 miles (approximately 804 kilometers).
At the same time, Cybertruck will provide two different sizes of wheels for users to choose from, namely 18 inches and 20 inches. The two wheels have unique designs, with one being taller and flatter, while the other is lower. It is expected that these two wheels will show different characteristics in off-road performance, and users can freely choose the wheel configuration that suits them according to their personal needs.
In addition, Cybertruck has also launched a roof tent specially designed for it, which can be set up using the trunk.
Questions about Cybertruck’s stainless steel body
Cybertruck's materials focus on safety. When it was released in 2019, Tesla executives used a lead ball to smash the Cybertruck's window glass to prove the safety performance of the material. However, the market has different views on whether the Cybertruck's stainless steel body will attract buyers, or whether it will cause accidents and lead to a significant increase in the frequency of repairs.
Tesla wants the Cybertruck to use "harder and thicker" metal than other cars, in part because Musk wants the Cybertruck to be bulletproof, people familiar with the matter said.
Analysts say stainless steel is generally less malleable than the aluminum used to make car bodies, is also more expensive and heavier. In addition, people have different opinions on whether the Cybertruck's stainless steel body will attract buyers or cause accidents and require repairs.
The media quoted people familiar with the matter as saying that the stainless steel used has proven difficult to bend and manipulate, and is too hard to flatten. Produced in coils that resemble giant rolls of toilet paper, the metal easily springs back into its previous curved shape even when unraveled:
While the Cybertruck's exterior panels won't need to be painted, Tesla plans to surface treat them to give it a more uniform appearance. Similar to how the surface of jewelry is sanded and polished.
The difficulties in the actual operation of "stainless steel" are also the most important obstacle that Tesla has been working hard to overcome for more than three years. Considering the color of Cybertruck's bare metal, how to ensure color consistency has also become the focus of the development process. Media analysis believes that variables such as chemistry and processing technology will affect the appearance of stainless steel.
Once Cybertruck is launched, in addition to material issues, other greater challenges may arise. Stainless steel's hardness and thickness may make it more resistant to scrapes and scratches, but people who have worked in the metal industry say if a car body does get dented, it can be very difficult to repair.