Tesla CEO Issues Pickup Promise, Hints at Full-sized Model
Tesla Motors or, more accurately, company CEO Elon Musk has hinted at the prospect of an electric pickup for quite some time. But neither the automaker nor the CEO ever issued any kind of concrete guarantee on it, even after other manufacturers had already beaten it to the punch.
However, Musk is now officially promising the pickup will be made immediately after the Model Y crossover arrives sometime between 2019 and 2020. Of course, he also promised that Model 3 deliveries would hit its stride before the end of this year. So let’s consider this more of an assurance that Tesla will produce the electric truck and not so much an indication of when you might see one on public roads.
“I promise that we will make a pickup truck right after Model Y. Have had the core design/engineering elements in my mind for almost 5 years. Am dying to build it,” Musk said in a Twitter post from Tuesday.
When questioned as to the vehicle’s scale, Musk claimed it would be similar in size to the Ford F-150 or possible a tad bigger “to account for a really gamechanging (I think) feature I’d like to add.” However, he didn’t elaborate on what that feature might be.
Tesla first announced plans for an electrified pickup truck last July — part of its “Master Plan” to develop a commercial truck, a bus, and the Model Y compact SUV. At the time, Musk said he wanted to see a working prototype of the pickup showcased within 18 to 24 months.
[Image: Tesla Motors]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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This is what makes an (initial) successful company-going off in several different directions-(yea-right!) Of course-if he can get deposits for all these imaginary products-it will keep the company from going under. Que SCE.
Pickup? LOL The entire customer base of Tesla is rich coastal liberals who need to virtue signal to each other how much they love Mother Gaia. These people would rather walk over broken glass to their destination than be seen in - never mind actually drive - a pickup. Pickups are for deplorables in sister-humping flyover states, not beautiful people in Los Gatos, Santa Monica or Marin County.
1968 - Richard Nixon campaigns on a secret plan to end the Vietnam war. 1992 - Bernie Madoff markets a secret investment method that guarantees 20+% annual returns. 2017 - Elon Musk promises a new electric pickup with a secret feature that will be available in only 2 years - right after the semi, roadsters, and crossover. Which secret is most plausible?
Looking forward to seeing it but was really hoping for something smaller.