Photo: T Sportline
Tesla started Cybertruck deliveries two years later than it had planned, and the wait turned the angular pickup truck into a legend. Part of the delay was caused by Tesla's ambitions to revolutionize the way cars, especially pickup trucks, were designed and built. Although late to the table, the Cybertruck is arguably Tesla's most important model to date.
Tesla has always been a company that challenged the establishment, even when it was inches away from being crushed by it. From the very beginning, Elon Musk's company has attempted the impossible, and against all odds, it succeeded. More than once, it almost went bankrupt, but it was saved miraculously by a genius move and a lot of luck.
The hard times when Tesla struggled to ramp up Model 3 production in 2017-2019 are still fresh in Elon Musk's memory. However, Tesla has been a lot worse when the big financial crisis began in 2008. Back then, it was saved after Daimler made a sizeable investment in exchange for access to Tesla's EV technology. This helped Mercedes-Benz jump-start its EV program, culminating with the launch of the B-Class Electric Drive in 2013, using a Tesla battery and drivetrain.
Tesla is in a much better position now, on a solid growth path and expanding its lines of business at a dizzying pace. Still, the struggles to launch the Cybertruck remind me of the many times Tesla had a close call. As always, these struggles were caused by Elon Musk's obsession with the extraordinary. Think about how difficult it was for Tesla to design the Falcon Wing doors of the Model X, let alone make them work as intended. When asked, Musk admitted he would not do a Model X with falcon doors if given the chance to start again.
The Cybertruck had a similar fate, with the project modified and overhauled several times to include new features that Musk thought were cool. On top of this, the pandemic and, later, the chip crunch and the supply chain issues almost turned the Cybertruck into a Fata Morgana. Fewer and fewer people thought the Cybertruck would ever start production, even when all signs indicated that the Giga Texas production line was ready.
Still, despite all these challenges, Tesla electric pickup finally started deliveries. About 600 units have already got into the hands of their owners, but Tesla still hasn't revealed all its secrets. Even so, it's evident that the Cybertruck is Tesla's most important model to date. There are several reasons why the outlandish electric pickup has become so crucial for Tesla, and here are five of them.
To be sure, Tesla is a bizarre case in this regard, being the only car brand that manages to be both ubiquitous and yet aspirational. Usually, people don't want something that almost everyone else has. The Tesla Model Y dethroned the Toyota Corolla and Honda Accord in sales last year and is on track to becoming the most-sold car in the world. Still, Tesla is perceived as cool, and everyone dreams of having one.
With the Cybertruck, things are up one level. Besides being a Tesla, the Cybertruck is also unique in a way that no other pickup truck is. It comes with signature features that people want, although they never knew they needed. Take the bullet-proof body, for instance. Does anyone think it might come in handy sometimes? Definitely not, but it's one of the Cybertruck's unique selling points.
With the Cybertruck, Tesla signals that it's also the undisputed technological leader. Although the 4680 battery cells developed for the Cybertruck still don't live up to expectations, they will only become better and cheaper, setting a new standard. Besides that, the Cybertruck introduces many new industry-firsts that all other carmakers will copy in the coming years.
The single most significant change is the 48-volt electrical system. Tesla made another attempt at increasing the voltage of the auxiliary systems in a vehicle after legacy carmakers failed to make the change in the late 1990s. Tesla also made sure others would make the switch by offering the documentation for free to all industry leaders.
This goes for every other Tesla Model in production today, not to mention that the Model Y is almost identical to its smaller brother, the Model 3. With the Model 3 Highland, Tesla took a radically new approach, making drastic design changes. It also brought many new features, but that was expected anyway. Even so, the refreshed Model 3 is built using the same technologies as the original model.
The Cybertruck is entirely different, with the development starting from a clean sheet of paper. Tesla could reinvent the pickup truck specifically because it didn't follow any model. And everything about the Cybertruck is new, in a high-risk, high-reward kind of way. This also required a lot of work and research and raised the development costs through the roof, but everyone drooling over a Cybertruck believed it was worth it.
The Model S has lost its magic aura, a fact that is obvious as you look at the sales figures. Combined with the Model X (Tesla doesn't break down the numbers), the Model S accounts for less than 5% of Tesla sales. Many factors contributed to this outcome, but the most important is that people don't want to buy sedans anymore, let alone $100K sedans.
The Cybertruck, on the other hand, is right in the heart of the American market, attempting to conquer one of its hottest segments. Even at $120,000, the Cybertruck is perceived as good value, considering how many people want it. It has the technologies that no other car companies can offer, it has a design that is unlikely ever to be copied, and, despite being more expensive than predicted, it has the right price for current times. It's easy to understand why the Cybertruck will drive Tesla sales in the coming years, becoming the aspirational model in its lineup.
Starting with the 48-volt electrical system mentioned above, the Cybertruck will become the measuring stick for future electric vehicles. Ford's Jim Farley already thanked Elon Musk for the 48-volt electrical architecture blueprints and announced that Ford was already working on a similar change. This was probably not true, but it will happen in no time. All big EVs will need a 48-volt system in the future, and electric pickup trucks will be the first in line.
Tesla went further and integrated the higher-voltage wiring with the Gigabit ethernet interconnect in a Power over Ethernet configuration. This will lower the costs and pave the way to adopting a faster communications backbone in future vehicles, both electrical and gas-powered. And thanks to higher voltage and very low-latency interconnect, cost-effective steer-by-wire systems are possible.
It's safe to assume that steer-by-wire will at first be reserved for high-end models. With the exception of Tesla, all other carmakers lose money on EVs, and the last thing they need is a relatively expensive mechatronic system instead of a simple metal rod. However, as automated driving will catch up, having a steering shaft in the vehicle would be a waste.
The hard times when Tesla struggled to ramp up Model 3 production in 2017-2019 are still fresh in Elon Musk's memory. However, Tesla has been a lot worse when the big financial crisis began in 2008. Back then, it was saved after Daimler made a sizeable investment in exchange for access to Tesla's EV technology. This helped Mercedes-Benz jump-start its EV program, culminating with the launch of the B-Class Electric Drive in 2013, using a Tesla battery and drivetrain.
Tesla is in a much better position now, on a solid growth path and expanding its lines of business at a dizzying pace. Still, the struggles to launch the Cybertruck remind me of the many times Tesla had a close call. As always, these struggles were caused by Elon Musk's obsession with the extraordinary. Think about how difficult it was for Tesla to design the Falcon Wing doors of the Model X, let alone make them work as intended. When asked, Musk admitted he would not do a Model X with falcon doors if given the chance to start again.
The Cybertruck had a similar fate, with the project modified and overhauled several times to include new features that Musk thought were cool. On top of this, the pandemic and, later, the chip crunch and the supply chain issues almost turned the Cybertruck into a Fata Morgana. Fewer and fewer people thought the Cybertruck would ever start production, even when all signs indicated that the Giga Texas production line was ready.
Still, despite all these challenges, Tesla electric pickup finally started deliveries. About 600 units have already got into the hands of their owners, but Tesla still hasn't revealed all its secrets. Even so, it's evident that the Cybertruck is Tesla's most important model to date. There are several reasons why the outlandish electric pickup has become so crucial for Tesla, and here are five of them.
Desirability: The Tesla Cybertruck is the most coveted car in history
Sure, everyone dreams of having a Bugatti or a Ferrari, but the Cybertruck is a desire that's within grasp for so many people. More than two million reservations have been made, and independent trackers show that Tesla added about 10,000 new reservations every week after the delivery event. This is unprecedented in the automotive industry, turning the Cybertruck into the most wanted vehicle ever produced.To be sure, Tesla is a bizarre case in this regard, being the only car brand that manages to be both ubiquitous and yet aspirational. Usually, people don't want something that almost everyone else has. The Tesla Model Y dethroned the Toyota Corolla and Honda Accord in sales last year and is on track to becoming the most-sold car in the world. Still, Tesla is perceived as cool, and everyone dreams of having one.
With the Cybertruck, things are up one level. Besides being a Tesla, the Cybertruck is also unique in a way that no other pickup truck is. It comes with signature features that people want, although they never knew they needed. Take the bullet-proof body, for instance. Does anyone think it might come in handy sometimes? Definitely not, but it's one of the Cybertruck's unique selling points.
Technology leadership: The Cybertruck elevates Tesla above all other carmakers
Tesla was already the dominant EV maker in the market thanks to a unique blend of cutting-edge features, relatively affordable prices, and manufacturing capabilities. It's also on track to becoming the manufacturing leader, dethroning Toyota, thanks to its unique gigafactories, pioneering of single-piece megacastings, structural, and soon, the unboxed vehicle manufacturing process.With the Cybertruck, Tesla signals that it's also the undisputed technological leader. Although the 4680 battery cells developed for the Cybertruck still don't live up to expectations, they will only become better and cheaper, setting a new standard. Besides that, the Cybertruck introduces many new industry-firsts that all other carmakers will copy in the coming years.
The single most significant change is the 48-volt electrical system. Tesla made another attempt at increasing the voltage of the auxiliary systems in a vehicle after legacy carmakers failed to make the change in the late 1990s. Tesla also made sure others would make the switch by offering the documentation for free to all industry leaders.
The Cybertruck is the first completely new model after Model 3
This might seem like stating the obvious, but it's more than that. Tesla is among the most conservative carmakers when it comes to design changes. Even though its models have been continuously updated with new technologies and features, the design has remained basically unchanged. The Model S still looks pretty much the same as the one launched in 2012, although it's far from being the same vehicle.This goes for every other Tesla Model in production today, not to mention that the Model Y is almost identical to its smaller brother, the Model 3. With the Model 3 Highland, Tesla took a radically new approach, making drastic design changes. It also brought many new features, but that was expected anyway. Even so, the refreshed Model 3 is built using the same technologies as the original model.
The Cybertruck is entirely different, with the development starting from a clean sheet of paper. Tesla could reinvent the pickup truck specifically because it didn't follow any model. And everything about the Cybertruck is new, in a high-risk, high-reward kind of way. This also required a lot of work and research and raised the development costs through the roof, but everyone drooling over a Cybertruck believed it was worth it.
Tesla finally has a flagship model to boost brand awareness
Although the Model S has been considered Tesla's technological showcase, it ceased to be one a long time ago. All the features introduced by the most recent variant are also present on the more affordable Model Y and the refreshed Model 3. There's one thing that the Model S has, and the others don't: the radar sensor. However, it appears that the radar is being deprecated again, as the Cybertruck doesn't feature one.The Model S has lost its magic aura, a fact that is obvious as you look at the sales figures. Combined with the Model X (Tesla doesn't break down the numbers), the Model S accounts for less than 5% of Tesla sales. Many factors contributed to this outcome, but the most important is that people don't want to buy sedans anymore, let alone $100K sedans.
The Cybertruck, on the other hand, is right in the heart of the American market, attempting to conquer one of its hottest segments. Even at $120,000, the Cybertruck is perceived as good value, considering how many people want it. It has the technologies that no other car companies can offer, it has a design that is unlikely ever to be copied, and, despite being more expensive than predicted, it has the right price for current times. It's easy to understand why the Cybertruck will drive Tesla sales in the coming years, becoming the aspirational model in its lineup.
The Cybertruck will change the automotive industry like no other model in modern history
Apart from being Tesla's most advanced model, the Cybertruck is also set to transform the automotive industry, or at least the way EVs are built. Even if the shape is less likely to influence car design, the Cybertruck's skin and, more importantly, what's underneath it is already causing many industry executives to lose sleep. And because Tesla is in a powerful position to impose these technologies, many will become industry standards.Starting with the 48-volt electrical system mentioned above, the Cybertruck will become the measuring stick for future electric vehicles. Ford's Jim Farley already thanked Elon Musk for the 48-volt electrical architecture blueprints and announced that Ford was already working on a similar change. This was probably not true, but it will happen in no time. All big EVs will need a 48-volt system in the future, and electric pickup trucks will be the first in line.
Tesla went further and integrated the higher-voltage wiring with the Gigabit ethernet interconnect in a Power over Ethernet configuration. This will lower the costs and pave the way to adopting a faster communications backbone in future vehicles, both electrical and gas-powered. And thanks to higher voltage and very low-latency interconnect, cost-effective steer-by-wire systems are possible.
It's safe to assume that steer-by-wire will at first be reserved for high-end models. With the exception of Tesla, all other carmakers lose money on EVs, and the last thing they need is a relatively expensive mechatronic system instead of a simple metal rod. However, as automated driving will catch up, having a steering shaft in the vehicle would be a waste.
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