The Tesla Cybertruck is Finally Here in Production Form; First Customers Take Delivery

The automotive world is filled with mythical creatures– unicorns that get flaunted occasionally by manufacturers as concepts or prototypes, but never reach the other end of a production assembly line. Or those that were made, but are so rare that no ordinary person can hope to own one, so seeing it in person becomes the stuff of legends, recounted to your other car friends at the next cars and coffee event you attend, and many more after.

“No, I swear I saw one,” may follow up retold sightings of the elusive Tesla Cybertruck for a little bit longer, but now the possibility of seeing one on the road isn’t zero. The production version of this hyped up pickup truck is officially out on the road, as the first customers have taken delivery. And on top of that, future availability dates have been published alongside  trim and pricing details.

According to the official Cybertruck page, this stainless steel pickup will start at $60,990, which does not include any possible savings from tax credits or an estimated “gas savings” that Tesla has calculated over three years. Factor that in and the Cybertruck, theoretically, starts at $49,890. This is for the entry-level rear-wheel drive model, capable of 250 miles of range and a 0-60 mph time of 6.5 seconds. Towing here is currently rated at 7,500 lbs.

The RWD variant will be available in 2025; available sooner are both all-wheel drive models, arriving in 2024. The first, the aptly named “all-wheel drive” grade, has a purchase price starting at $79,990 (also advertised at $68,890 with calculated probable savings), and kicks all those stats up a fair notch. Range is currently estimated at 340 miles, with 0-60 sprints finished in 4.1 seconds. Horsepower figures for the RWD model weren’t confirmed just yet, but the AWD kicks things off with 600 ponies. Top speed is 112 mph, and towing is rated at 11,000 lbs with a 2,500 lb payload.

The final AWD variant ticks the performance up enough notches for it to be dubbed the “Cyberbeast”– the official name of this grade, as christened by Tesla. The Cyberbeast loses a slight bit of range for a 320 miles estimate, but makes up for it with 845 horsepower and a 0-60 time of 2.6 seconds. Top speed is higher, now taking occupants to 130 mph. Towing, for those wondering, will stay the same at 11,000 lbs. Pricing, however, will not, as the Cyberbeast will command the most of these three trucks, estimated at $99,990 without any incentives and savings, $96,390 with.

A note on the range: The estimates given are without the available “Range Extender.” This optional piece of equipment can be installed in the six-foot bed, mounted up against the cab and able of boosting range to 470 miles on the AWD variant and 440 miles on the Cyberbeast. Hooked up to a Tesla Supercharger station, the Cybertruck AWD is able to recoup up to 136 miles in 15 minutes. And in the event of a power outage, the vehicle can provide up to 11.5kW of power to your home for lights and necessities.

It’s no lightweight, with the AWD weighing in at 6,600 lbs and the Cyberbeast over 6,800 lbs; but that’s to be expected with its unique, almost otherworldly design. The Cybertruck has always been envisioned with a stainless steel body, and the production version sees it through, encasing a form that measures out to 223.7-inches long, 70.5-inches tall and 95-inches wide with mirrors deployed. Cybertruck boasts 67 cubic-feet of lockable storage, including items hidden by the vault bed cover. Those 20-inch wheels, combined with the adaptive air suspension, can provide up to 17-inches of ground clearance; however, it’s unclear if the air suspension setup is standard or optional.

Some people may remember a failed demo of the shatter-resistant glass on a prototype Cybertruck many moons ago. Here, the shatter-resistant glass is back and seemingly capable, as demonstrated during the delivery event. It’s rated in very American terms, capable of withstanding a baseball thrown at 70 mph– or Class 4 hail, if you prefer.

Not much to say on the interior– it’s minimalistic, as many EVs are, and boasts some impressive screen real estate. That’s an 18.5-inch infotainment screen upfront and a smaller 9.4-inch unit for second-row passengers (which, by the way, is up to three, bringing total occupancy up to five). There is no digital driver’s display tucked behind the steering wheel; but, there is an expansive glass roof, and in the right conditions that view may be far more captivating than any infotainment screen could muster.

It seems a bit weird to end an 800+ word summary with “Well, that’s the short of it;” but… well, that’s the short of it. We’re sure more details surrounding the Tesla Cybertruck will emerge soon. In the meantime, you can put a reservation down online today.