A few weeks ago, Elon Musk announced that the development of the Cybertruck had ended and that its production would start in the middle of next year. Now, new information again delays the launch of the electric truck until the end of 2023.
This is indicated by Reuters, which citing company sources has indicated that the plans will be slightly delayed again, and it will not be until the end of next year when production and first deliveries begin.
But this is not entirely guaranteed. There is a problem and it has nothing to do with the design of the Cybertruck or the production capacity of the Texas plant. The main problem is the batteries.
And it is that this model has been designed to accommodate the new Tesla 4680 cells inside. A higher energy density format that is also experiencing its production hell. A very limited capacity does not ensure having the necessary supply to meet the production of the vehicle.
The aspect that will mean that either Tesla accelerates the production of this type of battery, or redesigns the pack to be able to use the current 2170 cells at least in this first phase.
Another problem is that at the moment, Tesla has not presented the definitive design, and the characteristics, nor has it confirmed the price that each configuration will have. And it is that since its presentation in 2019, things have changed a lot with a component and energy crisis, which has triggered the costs of vehicle production.
Something that collides with the initial objective of launching a basic version from $40,000, which will be impossible to achieve in the short term.
The last “problem” is that the early opening of orders has caused the waiting list to get a unit to skyrocket. Elon Musk has recently indicated that there were enough orders to cover three years of production. Of course, like calendars, waiting lists must also be interpreted by “Elonian” calculations. But it is something that can discourage many users, who currently have other alternatives on the market.
But Tesla needs to launch a model that will sit in one of the most popular and profitable segments in the United States. A vehicle that will be an advertisement on wheels since it can be distinguished from miles away due to its different design. A proposal that can cover the gap that analysts indicate that the current world crisis will leave in orders, which will reduce sales that a new proposal like this one can help to fill.
