When Tesla held its opening party for the company’s Giga Texas factory last year, Elon Musk said that it will finally start selling the Cybertruck in 2023. Now, we can narrow down the timing for its launch even further. According to The Verge, Musk just told Tesla investors during its most recent earnings call that the automaker will hold a delivery event for the Cybertruck in the third quarter of the year. Tesla will start manufacturing the vehicle this summer, but volume production won’t begin until 2024 like the company had previously said.
Musk reportedly told investors during the call that it “takes time to get the manufacturing line going, and this is really a very radical product.” He added: “It’s not made in the way that other cars are made.” The production version Cybertruck Tesla showed off on stage last year had no door handles and could automatically tell if its owner is nearby and it should open its doors. It’s still made out of stainless steel like the automaker initially envisioned, though, and that’s more expensive than steel typically used in the industry. As The Verge notes, the electric vehicle requires special welding techniques, and its smaller components are custom-made.
The Cybertruck has been delayed several times since it was first announced back in 2019. Tesla’s original and very optimistic initial launch date was 2021, but it was pushed back to 2022 and then to 2023. The vehicle’s prices were originally supposed to start at $39,900 for a single-motor configuration to $70,000 for a three-motor one. Tesla warned earlier this year, however, that its final specs and pricing have yet to be determined and could be based on several factors, such as supply chain shortages and the economy.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-has-scheduled-a-cybertruck-delivery-event-for-the-third-quarter-musk-says-072539204.html?src=rss
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