Tesla's big Cybertruck delivery event could be seriously underwhelming
Just ten Cybertrucks could be delivered at the event
Tesla fans have been waiting in anticipation for a full reveal of its upcoming Cybertruck since the initial introduction way back in 2019. Do you remember 2019? TikTok was a niche app for teens and the iPhone 11 Pro arrived with (gasp) three cameras. Simpler times.
But finally, Elon Musk is holding an event on November 30 to deliver the first Cybertrucks to its very patient customers, live-streaming the entire thing to the world and inviting a limited number of shareholders to attend, in person, at the company's Gigafactory in Texas. Time to pop the bubbly then?
Maybe not. Although we didn’t expect the hundreds of thousands of customers who originally put down a deposit to receive a pick-up, recent reports suggest just ten Cybertrucks will be delivered at the event.
The news comes after Tesla's global product design director Javier Verdura gave a keynote speech in Monterrey, where Mexican national newspaper Milenio not only reported that he predicted EV sales to surpass gasoline-powered cars around 2026, but also that only the first ten Cybertrucks would be delivered at the upcoming event, as reported by Inside EVs.
Hopefully, Tesla will prove Verdura wrong and we’ll see a veritable stream of production-ready Cybertrucks roll out of Tesla's Gigafactory to rapturous applause from customers. Or maybe we won't.
After all, the final specification still hasn’t been announced (that's due at the event), and Elon Musk himself told shareholders to "temper expectations" when it comes to the steel-bodied electric pick-up truck. He admitted Tesla "dug its own grave" in reference to the complicated production techniques required to make one.
Better news for Tesla showrooms
Despite the fact Tesla may or may not deliver just ten Cybertrucks at its big delivery event, the company has been delivering models to showrooms across the US.
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Electrek reports that witnesses have seen Cybertruck arrive in Tesla's store in the Westfield UTC Mall in San Diego, as well as Tesla’s San Jose store.
It's safe to say the models rolling into showrooms look a lot more presentable than the pre-production version that turned up to Malibu's Cars and Coffee meet up earlier this month, causing a furore with online commentators who bemoaned the fit and finish.
Despite the fact we are yet to get eyes on official specification, Tesla is likely delivering Cybertrucks to showrooms in key locations to drum up interest. According to Electrek, the original Cybertruck announcement helped boost sales of the Model 3 and Model Y.
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Leon has been navigating a world where automotive and tech collide for almost 20 years, reporting on everything from in-car entertainment to robotised manufacturing plants. Currently, EVs are the focus of his attentions, but give it a few years and it will be electric vertical take-off and landing craft. Outside of work hours, he can be found tinkering with distinctly analogue motorcycles, because electric motors are no replacement for an old Honda inline four.