Tesla Cybertruck production begins; bags over 1.9 million bookings so far

KUALA LUMPUR: There is no shortage of buzz around Tesla in Malaysia as it recently entered the local market with the Model Y, offered at a starting price of RM 199,000. However, the global market has its own reason to be captivated by the brand’s other upcoming offerings. We are talking about the Tesla Cybertruck, showcased as a prototype back in November 2019.

After an almost four-year wait, Tesla finally commenced the production of its highly anticipated electric pickup truck. The first unit of the EV was rolled out at Gigafactory Texas earlier this month, marking a significant milestone for the automaker.

If we talk about the bookings, more than 1.9 million orders have been placed so far according to a crowd-sourced data tracker. This huge number of orders reflects the tremendous demand and excitement surrounding the long-awaited electric truck.

To fulfill these orders, Tesla has planned to manufacture 375,000 Cybertrucks annually at its peak capacity. That means new orders will technically take around 5 years to arrive.

Currently, the production of the truck is carried out at the brand’s Texas facility; however, to meet the rising demand, the automaker may open additional factories soon. Some recent reports indicated that Tesla temporarily halted the Model Y assembly line in early July for essential improvements and also relocated numerous employees from the electric vehicle maker's factory to the Cybertruck assembly line.

In terms of design, the electric pickup truck showcases a futuristic and angular styling with a stainless steel exoskeleton that apparently distinguishes it from typical pickup trucks.

As per the initially revealed information, the Cybertruck will be offered in three versions - 

• A single-motor iteration with more than 250 miles (402 km) of range
• A dual-motor version with more than 300 miles (482 km) of range
• A tri-motor model with more than 500 miles (805 km) of range

The deliveries of the Cybertruck are expected to commence by the end of the year.

Also read: Tesla reveals upcoming charging locations in Malaysia