Production of Tesla’s first pickup truck is scheduled for this year. This vehicle, with its futuristic design, is highly anticipated by the market and Tesla fans.
The hopes of Tesla fans were dashed on March 1.
They hoped that the leader of electric vehicles (TSLA) – Get a free reportwould introduce the Cybertruck version that it hopes to start mass-producing this year.
But Chief Executive Elon Musk and the executives who followed him to the podium did not mention this topic.
Automotive fans and consumers will have to be content, at least for now, with videos and photos of the concepts being tested on the streets of California and Texas.
But like a marketer who knows how to nurture and then fuel anticipation and enthusiasm, Musk let out a sensational tweet about the Cybertruck. This is about the version that will be made for law enforcement.
A Cybertruck ‘Designed for Blade Runner’
It all started with a short video posted by a Tesla fan account showing a Tesla police car.
“Please arrest me officer. 👮♀️⚡️ $TSLA,” the account posted on March 2. The comment is tongue-in-cheek, designed to praise the Tesla vehicle.
Musk took this opportunity to say that the Cybertruck cruiser, designed for law enforcement, will usher in a new era for police and other authorities, almost an era of science fiction.
“Cybertruck cruisers will be the next level,” the billionaire promised on March 2. “Designed for Bladerunners.”
In “Blade Runner,” a 1982 film set in the dystopian city of Los Angeles, the cops use the Spinner, a ground-based flying car that has Lamborghini-style scissor doors and is operated by artificial intelligence.
These cars are futuristic. They seem to be equipped with a seeker in the center console and take off vertically.
It’s no surprise, then, that the billionaire’s statement has led many Twitter users to imagine the craziest vehicles.
“Something like @elonmusk 👀,” one Twitter user commented with a photo of a custom Cybertruck.
“I’m getting demolition man vibes,” another user added.
“As a weatherman, I want a Cybertruck as a #Tornado chase vehicle!” said another user.
What is the Cybertruck?
Musk first unveiled the vehicle in November 2019 at a promotional event in Los Angeles.
The tech mogul said at the time that he had been “influenced in part by ‘The Spy Who Loved Me'” and the Lotus Esprit S1 amphibian featured in the 1977 James Bond film.
The Cybertruck is said to have a low center of gravity that provides good traction and torque control, allowing acceleration from 0-60 mph in just 2.9 seconds and providing up to 500 miles (800 km) of range.
In addition, Tesla said the pickup has up to 3,500 pounds (1,587 kg) of payload capacity and 100 cubic feet (2.8 m3) of lockable exterior storage.
The automaker also claims that the car has a towing capacity of more than 14,000 pounds (6,350 kg).
“Cybertruck is built with an outer shell made for maximum durability and passenger protection,” Tesla says on its website. “Starting with a nearly impenetrable exoskeleton, every component is engineered for superior strength and toughness, from the Ultra-Hard 30X cold-rolled stainless steel structural skin to the Tesla glass armor plating.”
The vehicle is made of “new metal,” Musk said on February 25. Tesla will use a special steel alloy that does not require any additional treatment to protect against corrosion, according to a patent.
“These cold-worked steel alloys can allow outward-facing vehicle body components to be resistant to dents, scratches, and pitting, while avoiding the need for a corrosion-protective agent (for example, paint) on the exterior components of the vehicle body,” says Tesla in the patent
The order book is full. Tesla does not accept orders outside of North America. The commercial success of the vehicle seems guaranteed at least during the first months.
Pricing for the Cybertruck has yet to be set publicly, but the base price could be as high as $40,000. The vehicle is said to become the automaker’s new ATM.
Cybertruck is attacking a highly strategic market, particularly in the US, where pickup trucks are one of the largest segments, accounting for several million units each year. Therefore, its performance and service as a utility vehicle will make the truck a credible alternative to current and future competition.
