Tesla Cybertruck will have four-motor version with ‘crab mode’, says Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that the US-based electric vehicle manufacturer's much-anticipated Cybertruck will come with a high-end four-motor variant when it is formally launched in the market.
"Initial production will be 4 motor variant, with independent, ultra fast response torque control of each wheel," Elon Musk shared the information in a tweet. “Will have both front and rear wheel steer, so not just like a tank – it can drive diagonally like a crab," Musk added.
Elon Musk had recently said that the Cybertruck will feature Tesla's flagship tech for future, meaning it will be a technology powerhouse. He wrote on Twitter, “Cybertruck will reach far into a post-apocalyptic future & bring that technology to now."
Tesla is likely to implement the steer-by-wire system on the Cybertruck that is currently being developed. The Cybertruck may come with a yoke steering, often seen used in racing cars.
The upcoming Cybertruck has garnered a lot of interest among buyers inthe US, with reportedly an estimated 1.3 million bookings since its debut two years ago. Tesla Cybertruck was showcased for the first time in November, 2019 and has been touted as a battery-powered vehicle with the capability of a pick-up but performance of a sportscar.
Tesla's fully-electric pick-up truck Cybertruck is made of stainless steel used in rockets. The production is expected to begin next year and reach volume production in 2023. The Cybertruck will cost as much as $39,900 for the base single-motor version and $69,900 for the tri-motor range-topper. Tesla claims Cybertruck has a range of nearly 950 kms on single charge, can accelerate from zero to 100 kmph in just three seconds and is capable of towing up to 6,300 kilos of weight.
Once launched, the Cybertruck will take on rivals like the GMC Hummer EV, Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T electric pickup trucks in the US markets. Of these, only the Hummer EV offers the crab mode, allowing the vehicle to be driven diagonally.
Tesla has so far avoided a major crisis from supply-chain woes and the global semiconductor shortage, issues that have hurt legacy automakers.
