Preview: Tesla Cybertruck Boasts Rapid Acceleration, Up to 470-Mile Range
Tesla Cybertruck customer deliveries have begun, and the long-awaited, and much hyped electric pickup truck is finally hitting the streets.
The truck has evolved since the prototype was unveiled in November 2019 with a brash, edgy design unlike any other vehicle. The polarizing styling appears to draw inspiration from the DeLorean DMC-12 and a Cub Scout’s self-made Pinewood Derby car.
In This Article
CR’s Take • Outside • Inside • What Drives It • Active Safety and Driver Assistance
Some of the specifications have changed over time, though the promised capabilities remain impressive. As Tesla claims, it combines sports car acceleration and handling; heavy-duty truck towing capacity, albeit for a short distance; and up to 340 miles of electric range. And available “extender” battery fit to the bed can stretch that well past 400 miles—but it takes up about a third of the bed space.
The Cybertruck makes the other Tesla models seem rather tame. It faces off against the established Ford F-150 Lightning, and soon electric pickup competitors from Chevrolet, GMC, and Ram, with its unique design being a chief draw. With styling that would be at home in an 8-bit video game, the Cybertruck doesn’t look like every other rectangular pickup, yet it does match them with several basic measurements, such as bed size, passenger accommodations, and tow capacity.
The midlevel and Cyberbeast versions layer on high performance and long range. Then there is the technology, with the availability of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Capability and Autopilot systems. There is a lot going on with this truck. We look forward to getting ours, someday.
The head-turning styling uses an alloy “exoskeleton” that won’t corrode and doesn’t need paint. To demonstrate its toughness, the company has shown that the doors can withstand multiple gunshots from a Glock and even a Tommy gun without penetration. Little League parents will appreciate that the company claims that the glass can withstand an impact from a baseball at speeds up to 70 mph.
The interior has a minimalist design, with a dominant center infotainment screen—like current Teslas. That screen is gargantuan in the Cybertruck, measuring 18.5 inches diagonally.
The cabin is a stark contrast to traditional pickup trucks, which are filled with myriad glove-friendly buttons, knobs, and switches to allow quick access to their many functions. It is clear that Cybertruck drivers will be navigating through screens to find even common features, a design trend we find distracting.
There is seating for five people, with the back seat passengers having their own 9.4-inch touchscreen mounted behind the front center console. Like current Tesla cars, the Cybertruck will enable significant connectivity through its screens for streaming information and entertainment, and playing the audio through a 15-speaker stereo.
The steering wheel has a squared-off design, likely to aid ingress by creating more space for the driver’s legs. We are glad to see that a yoke, like in the Model S, isn’t used here.
While the angle of the roof is expected to make the cabin feel less spacious than the boxy designs of traditional trucks, this is offset by a massive glass roof.
Similar to other Teslas, there is a Bioweapon Defense Mode that uses a built-in, hospital-grade HEPA filter to screen out 99.7 percent of airborne particles.
The Tesla truck will come in three versions, distinguished by one, two, or three motors. Each uses a 48-volt architecture and benefits from 70 percent less wiring than a traditional model due to use of an Ethernet wiring harness.
The rear-drive model has an estimated 250-mile driving range and a claimed 0-to-60-mph time of 6.5 seconds.
The all-wheel-drive version gains a motor, giving it 600 hp—enough for an estimated 4.1-second 0-to-60-mph time. This comes with a claimed 340-mile driving range and 11,000-pound tow capacity. With the range extender in the bed, the total range increases to 470-plus miles.
The Cyberbeast employs three motors, good for 845 hp and 10,296 lb.-ft. of torque. Its claimed 0-to-60-mph time is 2.6 seconds—stunning for a vehicle that weighs 7,000 pounds with a driver. It has an estimated 320-mile range. Add the range extender and the range becomes 440-plus miles.
Tesla states that the Cybertruck can recoup 136 miles of range in 15 minutes on one of its Superchargers. Maximum DC acceptance rate is an impressive 250 kilowatts, as with Tesla’s current vehicles.
No details on safety systems have been released, but it is reasonable to assume the Cybertruck has at least the features that are found on the Model 3, Model S, and Model X.
Those Tesla models come standard with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assistance. However, they do not include blind spot warning or rear cross traffic warning.
Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot, and Full Self-Driving Capability are available. Early preorders were able to get these systems for much less than current prices. To be clear: Despite these features’ names, no commercially available self-driving cars currently exist.
But along with those changes came a rise in prices. Originally pitched as having a $40,000 base price, the rear-drive Cybertruck starts at $60,990. The midlevel all-wheel-drive version starts at $79,990. And the mighty Cyberbeast lists for $99,990. The pricier trucks are promised to begin widespread delivery in 2024, with the rear-drive truck following in 2025. Tesla says the rear- and all-wheel-drive versions will be eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit.
Like many customers, Consumer Reports preordered a Cybertruck in 2019, with the expectation that there will be a significant wait before we take delivery. Until ours arrives, here are the highlights of this daring truck.
What it competes with: Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Hummer EV, Ford F-150 Lightning, Ram 1500 REV, Rivian R1TPowertrains: Single-motor, rear-wheel drive; dual- and tri-motor with all-wheel drivePrice: $60,990-$99,990On sale: Now
Even the dimensions are unique. It measures 223.7 inches from bumper to bumper. That puts it between the Rivian R1T (217 inches) and the Ford F-150 Lightning (233 inches) in length. At 70.5 inches tall, the Cybertruck is 7.5 inches lower than those two rivals—and that is measured at the angled roof peak.
That height can change, with the adaptive air suspension enabling up to 12 inches of travel, for absorbing impacts off-road, and up to an uncanny 17 inches of ground clearance—made possible by the smooth undercarriage, devoid of a rear differential housing and other mechanical bits hanging low. Like hard-core off-roaders, the Cybertruck rides on massive 35-inch tires.
The Cybertruck is similar in width to the F-150 Lightning when measuring from the tips of the side mirrors. Fold them in, and the Cybertruck is 3 inches wider. Despite the sizable footprint, the four-wheel steer enables a turning circle that is smaller than a Model S, according to Tesla. Still, it will occupy much of a travel lane.
The bed features a motorized, integrated tonneau cover. It measures 6 feet long and 4 feet wide, enabling it to tote a traditional 4x8-foot sheet of plywood with the tailgate down or transport an ATV.
The bed has integrated 120- and 240-volt outlets that can power tools and camping equipment, be used to charge another electric vehicle, or provide up to 11.5 kilowatts of electricity to a compatible home during a power outage.
Further storage can be found in the front trunk (aka “frunk”), where the engine would be in a traditional truck.