Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been teasing the company’s
upcoming pickup for what feels like an eternity, but the wait is almost over. In a tweet, the outspoken
executive confirmed the highly anticipated model will be unveiled on November 21st
in Los Angeles. He didn’t have much else to say about the vehicle, but called
it a “cybertruck” and noted the date corresponds with the setting of Blade
Runner.
While we doubt Musk will reveal he’s a replicant,
unless that’s his new defense strategy, we should learn plenty about the
pickup. Details have been sparse, but Musk has previously described it as an
“armored personnel carrier from the future” that handles like a Porsche 911.
The executive also hinted the truck will be able to accommodate six people and
have a towing capacity of up to 136,077 kg.
Musk has also suggested the model would cost less
than US$ 50,000. This would make it more affordable than the Rivian R1T and
roughly on par with traditional full-size pickups. It remains unclear if Musk can
actually deliver on those promises, but Engadget noted Tesla seems to be
targeting the Ford F-150 which is the most popular vehicle in America. As they
noted, Musk used this year’s shareholders meeting to say the F-150 is a “great
truck” and their pickup should be able to meet or exceed its capabilities. As
he explained, “If the F-150 can do it, then a Tesla truck should be able to do
it.”
There’s no word on when the truck will be launched,
but it will face a lot of competition. Besides the aforementioned Rivian R1T,
Ford and General Motors have also announced plans for an electric pickup. The
former will be based on the F-150, while the latter could revive the iconic
Hummer name.
