After Being Delayed For 2 Years, Tesla Finally Produces its First Official Cybertruck

The Cybertruck set the internet ablaze in November 2019 when Elon Musk unveiled the first prototype at Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne, California. Like a stainless-steel trapezoid on wheels, nobody had seen anything else like it before. This was also the same event in which they accidentally shattered the truck’s “supposed” armor glass windows (good thing it was just a prototype).

But after a few years of delays, it seems that the Cybertruck has finally crossed the threshold that will bring it into customers’ homes. In a photo shared by Tesla’s Twitter page, the company partially revealed the very first Cybertruck to make it off the production line from the Giga Texas factory in Austin, since it was surrounded by all of the employees that made it possible. “First Cybertruck build at Giga Texas!”

It is believed that the truck in the image is likely to be more of a “production intent” model which Tesla will use as the blueprint for building future Cybertrucks more efficiently to meet the 4-year-long waiting list. This moment marks a significant milestone for Tesla as it aims to meet the timeline in which Musk planned for the truck’s official public release, despite the enormous amount of delays and obstacles that lead up to this point.

In early 2023, Musk believed that the Cybertruck will enter its production phase by 2024, with only a small handful of models being manufactured in the summer of 2023, and then delivered by the third quarter of the year.

According to Musk, because the electric truck is not made like how other cars are made, it needs to go through specific production stages in order for its stainless steel frame to be constructed properly. Also, the company faced some setbacks with its next-gen 4680 battery platform.

How Will The Cybertruck Do In The Marketplace?

During this time, Tesla’s competitors like Ford, Chevrolet, RAM, and GMC had been developing and selling electric pickup trucks of their own. While the Cybertruck may have been the inspiration to spark this new generation of trucks, it will be entering an already competitive market to snag a slice of the pie from other heavy contenders like the Ford F-150 Lightning, Hummer EV, Silverado EV, and the Ram 1500 REV. Even Ford CEO Jim Farley considered the Cybertruck to be more for “Silicon Valley people” than for real, working-class, blue-collar customers.

The truck’s price tag has also seen some significant changes in the last few years as well. Back in 2021, Tesla estimated the Cybertruck’s MSRP would be starting at a very generous $39,900. Fast-forward to 2023, and prospective customers can expect to pay almost double around $70,000. The company has yet to reveal its final pricing following production costs, limited supply, the height of demand, and other economic factors.