'We Dug Our Own Grave" Says Musk as Tesla Finally Sets Delivery Date for the Cybertruck

Tesla has confirmed a date for the first deliveries for the Cybertruck. The company will hold an event on November 30, 2023, at its Texas Gigafactory.

Tesla missed its initial fall 2021 production target for the Cybertruck. Tesla tweeted that it built its first Cybertruck at its Giga Texas facility. However, Elon Musk said that the Cybertruck will not hit "full volume" production until 2024.

Musk clarified during Tesla's Q3 2023 earnings call that "we dug our own grave with the Cybertruck," acknowledging that there will be difficulties ramping up to full production and it may take 18 months before the Cybertruck is cash flow positive.

Tesla shrouded the picture of the first production vehicle. But it still has the angular, Blade Runner-inspired silhouette. And it still has an unpainted stainless steel "exoskeleton" (though we'd bet there will be third-party wrap options).

We have seen some practical tweaks come to the project— the latest prototype, for example, has conventional side mirrors. And Musk has suggested at various points the production Cybertruck may be smaller than the prototype, as it would be a tight fit in garages and Boring tunnels.

It also looks like the ginormous windshield wiper blade will be making it to production.

Elon Musk tweeted that the Cybertruck will be "waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat." Musk noted the truck should be able to cross "rivers, lakes and even seas that aren't too choppy." Musk wants the truck to be able to cross the channel from the SpaceX Starbase to South Padre island (theoretically cutting down on employee commutes).

It's not entirely clear what that means yet. EVs and EV trucks in particular have excellent waterproofing — letting water and salt into the battery compartment would not end well. And the high-riding Cybertruck should have a formidable wading depth.

Reminder that — as the Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources noted — anything that claims to "serve briefly as a boat" is not a boat.

Tesla's initial Cybertruck plan included single, dual and tri-motor versions. That plan has changed. Elon Musk confirmed on Twitter that the first Cybertruck that launches now will use a quad-motor setup like the Rivian R1T.

It's not clear how the rest of the lineup will shake out; Tesla has removed the configurator from its website (though you can still place a $100 deposit). One rumor says Tesla will eliminate the single-motor Cybertruck — the one that would have started under $40,000.

Tesla says the Cybertruck will have an adaptive air suspension. The truck will be able to raise or lower four inches in either direction. It will also offer a self-leveling function.

Elon Musk said the Cybertruck will offer four-wheel steering. This feature will allow the Cybertruck to Crab Walk diagonally like the Hummer EV SUT.

More importantly, the rear wheels will be able to turn the opposite direction from the front wheels, allowing the Cybertruck to make tighter turns and, like the Hummer be more maneuverable than it should be in tight spaces given its size.

Recent Cybertruck prototypes show no physical door handles. Musk has said the doors will open automatically in the presence of the phone or key fob. It's not clear yet whether there will be some sort of physical override for emergencies.

It looks that way. Tesla's chief designer confirmed the brand was looking at a yoke for Cybertruck steering. Some leaked photos of the Cybertruck interior show what appears to be an updated version of the yoke apparatus with an enclosed top to make it more like a wheel.

Not in America. For the initial Cybertruck launch, Tesla built the Cyberquad, a quad-bike ATV that could fit in the Cybertruck's bed. Tesla was selling a scaled-down Cyberquad for Kids that could accommodate riders older than eight and less than 150 pounds with a 15-mile range and a top speed of 10 mph.

Tesla had to pull the product from the U.S. market as it did not meet ATV safety regulations. But as Bloomberg spotted, Tesla is selling them in China.

Tesla has set the paradigm with its past launches of cool, high-performing electric cars. But the Cybertruck will be different from the Model 3 or the Model S. Tesla will be entering an established electric pickup market — and facing off directly against some heavy hitters.

Upstart EV manufacturer Rivian brought its R1T pickup to market last year. The GMC Hummer EV SUT and Ford F-150 Lightning are on the road.

• Range: Up to 500 miles
• 0-60 time: 2.9 seconds
• Towing Capacity: 14,000-plus lbs
• Payload Capacity: 3,500 lbs
• Touchscreen: 17 inches
• Seats: 6 (2 rows of 3)
• Lockable exterior storage: 100 cubic feet

LEARN MORE

• 2025 Toyota 4Runner
• 2025 Jeep Recon
• 2025 Toyota Electric Truck
• 2026 Scout Motors Pickup/SUV
• 2027 Jeep Wrangler EV