It’s looking like Tesla may finally hit a Cybertruck production target.
Elon Musk revealed that his company is on pace to start building its eagerly anticipated electric pickup truck later this year during an investor conference call on Wednesday. That doesn’t mean you’ll be able to buy the EV anytime soon, though. Mass production won’t start until at least 2024.
“We do expect production to start sometime this summer, but I always try to downplay the start of production because the start of production is always very slow,” Musk said when asked if Tesla still planned to start building the model this year. “It increases exponentially, but it’s always very slow at first. So, I wouldn’t put too much stock in the start of production. It’s kind of when does volume production actually happen and that’s next year.”
Of course, until the first Cybertruck rolls off the line, it’s not unreasonable to be skeptical of any production promises Musk or Tesla make about the vehicle. When the truck debuted in 2019, the executive said it would go into production in 2021. That target was then pushed back to 2022 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Then, last year, Musk said Tesla would finally start building the Cybertruck in 2023. As of now, it appears the third time might really be the charm.
Regardless, it’s easy to see why Musk might be anxious to begin production. The CEO has previously said the wild-looking Cybertruck will be able to tow 14,000 pounds, go zero-to-60 mph in less than three seconds and travel 500 miles on a single charge (although last year, he said some initial specs may change). These claims, as well as a low $100 deposit, are a big part of why the company has received hundreds of thousands of reservations for the vehicle. Despite posting record profits and sales in 2022, Tesla’s stock has performed terribly over the last year, so any boost the Cybertruck might bring would be welcomed.
Of course, if Tesla misses another production target, people just might start to view the Cybertruck the same way they do the perpetually-delayed Roadster—a cool idea unlikely to ever come to fruition. Whenever it does arrive, it will be interesting to see if there’s any excitement left for a vehicle that will be at least a half-decade old at that point.
