Tesla quietly postpones Cybertruck to 2022

You’ll need to temper your expectations if you were to hope to drive a Cybertruck before the end of 2021. Electrek notes that Tesla has quietly pushed back the release of the electric pickup until next year on its setup page, telling you that you can customize your truck when “production nears in 2022”. This applies regardless of the model – Tesla previously warned that single-engine trucks would arrive later, but this now applies to machines with two and three engines.

Tesla had previously hinted that the 2021 target might not be realistic. Elon Musk said in January that there would only be “a few deliveries” from Cybertrucks in 2021, and that volume production was set for 2022. While the company stuck to that claim in its quarterly report from July, the company only recently completed the engineering design. for the electric vehicle, it would only have a few months left to complete development and ship these first trucks.

This could present a competitive challenge for Tesla. The GMC Hummer EV is now ready to beat the Cybertruck in the market, barring delays. Even with setbacks, Rivian still has to release his R1T truck in September. And while Ford’s F-150 Lightning isn’t due until spring 2022, the Cybertruck may have lost its first-come advantage.

The delay would not be surprising, however. The Cybertruck’s cold-rolled steel bodywork requires unique manufacturing techniques, and that doesn’t include the larger technical hurdles like the tri-motor system. Tesla is also known for its upbeat timelines that clash with the realities of production. The automaker can at least count on pent-up demand, however. With over a million Cybertruck bookings, Tesla could have strong demand even though many of these potential buyers are in doubt.