Musk: Cybertruck Production Will Be "Very Slow At First"

Chris Teague
by Chris Teague

Another day, another Tesla Cybertruck delay. After its reveal in 2019, CEO Elon Musk promised deliveries in late 2021, but a pandemic and global supply chain crisis threw a curve. The automaker’s next target is coming up soon, and Musk does not appear confident the company will meet that goal.


In a recent earnings call, a participant asked Musk if Tesla would meet its mid-2023 Cybertruck production goals, according to The Verge. While he confirmed that the truck would start production this summer, he also acknowledged that mass production won’t start until 2024. On the ramp-up, Musk said, “I always try to downplay the start of production. It increases exponentially, but it is very slow at first.”


Tesla is expected to build the truck at its Gigafactory in Austin, and the automaker announced that it had begun installing the tooling and equipment for Cybertruck production. The mostly stainless-steel pickup is reminiscent of the DeLorean from Back to the Future fame.


Tesla was one of the first to announce an electric truck and could have been an early mover. Rivian announced the R1T in 2018, months before Tesla and its trucks started reaching buyers in late 2021. If the automaker can pull off this timeline, the Cybertruck will land at the same time as the Chevrolet Silverado EV and more than a year after the Ford F-150 Lightning, giving it much stronger competition than it would have had otherwise. 


[Image: Tesla]


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Chris Teague
Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

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  • SCE to AUX SCE to AUX on Jan 28, 2023

    "Its militaristic, drab fortress presence, is some sort of reflection of the times."


    Very insightful comment in your excellent summary. The Cybertruck vs Hummer EV comparison tests will be enjoyable, sure to enflame their fans.

    • Luke42 Luke42 on Feb 05, 2023

      I'm more likely to watch Cybertruck vs Hummer EV than the Superbowl.

      I'm not being sarcastic about that. Cars are my sports.



  • Zipper69 Zipper69 on Jan 29, 2023

    I wonder if the final version, rolling slowly and ponderously off the production line will have had some stylistic amendments to pull in some previously uninterested customers?

    Since it is almost literally a "blank sheet" style-wise, subtle touches could transform it into a seller in a wider market...

  • Fred Fred on Jan 29, 2023

    Look at me! I drive a weird truck thing made by a guy who is losing money running Twitter.

    • See 2 previous
    • Luke42 Luke42 on Feb 05, 2023

      Based on what I've learned about Musk via the Twitter debacle, I've revised my estimation of the guy. He was never smart enough to have been the brains behind Tesla, he's just the investor-hype guy on the team. And a fool.

      He brought in the investor dollars, but the people smart enough to build my Model Y are elsewhere in the company.







  • VoGhost VoGhost on Jan 29, 2023

    TTAC does a great job reminding people the CyberTruck is delayed. But why do they never ask GM where the 20 EV models by 2023 are? Odd inconsistency, no?

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