Tesla Cybertruck, with nearly 550-km range, launched as ‘bulletproof’ EV

Tesla Cybertruck has finally hit the roads in United States four years after it made its global debut. Early on Friday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk officially announced the price of the electric pickup truck, along with host of other full details about it, as only 10 first customers drove away in the vehicle that appears straight out of a sci-fi movie. A grand Cybertruck delivery event was held early today at the EV maker's Gigafactory in Texas, where Musk personally drove in one of the models that was delivered to its customer. While performance-wise, the Tesla Cybertruck promises galore, its pricing and range have left a lot disappointed.

Contrary to what Tesla CEO Elon Musk had said during the Cybertruck's global debut back in 2019, the price of the electric vehicle is at least 50 per cent more. Around 20 lakh customers, who had booked the Cybertruck over the last four years, will have to shell out at least $61,000 (roughly converted to ₹50.82 lakh). The price of the electric pickup truck goes up to $100,000 (around ₹83.30 lakh). Four years ago, Musk had estimated the price of the Cybertruck to be around $40,000.

Tesla also announced that customers who wants to book a Cybertruck now needs to pay $250 (around ₹21,000) through the EV maker's official website. Even the booking amount has more than doubled from $100 since the EV made its global debut. According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the EV maker has so far garnered more than 10 lakh preorders of the Cybertruck. In the US, it will rival the likes of Ford F150 Lightning, Hummer EV and Rivian R1T.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has also disclosed the range, features and other aspects of the Cybertruck fully at the delivery event late on Thursday. Here is a quick look at what the latest Tesla model will offer.

Tesla Cybertruck: Variants

Tesla will offer the Cybertruck in three broad variants. The entry-level model is the rear-wheel drive version while the mid-spec trim has all-wheel drive capability. The Cyberbeast, priced at $100,000, sits on top of the lineup. From today, Tesla will deliver only the all-wheel drive and the Cyberbeast versions of the Cybertruck. The EV maker said that the rear-wheel drive Cybertruck will be up for delivery from next year.

Tesla Cybertruck: Range and performance

The Tesla Cybertruck will come with three different range depending on the variant one picks. The entry-level rear-wheel drive Cybertruck, which will be available from 2025 promises a range of 250 miles (around 402 kms) in a single charge. It can also sprint from 0-100 kmph in less than seven seconds. The mid-spec all-wheel drive version of the electric pickup promises a range of 340 miles (about 547 kms) and can sprint 0-100 kmph in a little over four seconds. It comes with has a top speed of 180 kmph and can generate up to 600 horsepower. The top-of-the-range Cyberbeast is a powerhouse with a range of 320 miles (around 514 kms) in a single charge. It can sprint 0-100 kmph in less than three seconds and can churn out up to 845 hp of power.

Tesla Cybertruck: A bulletproof car for a gun-obsessed country?

Beyond the numbers on paper, Tesla also showcased what the Cybertruck is capable of. Gone are the days when Tesla's showcase of Cybertruck's rock-proof window went awry during 2019 debut. Tesla shared a video that the electric pickup truck is bulletproof. It shows the Cybertruck being sprayed with bullets which failed to penetrate its stainless steel body.

Tesla Cybertruck: A wrestler on the move?

Tesla also showcased the true towing capacity with a video showing the EV beating a Porsche 911 while pulling another 911. Tesla claims the Cybertruck can do a quarter mile in under 11 seconds. Its can tow load of up to 4.5 tonne using its dual-motor. The triple-motor setup can carry weight of upto 6.30 tonne. At its lowest, the Cybertruck's towing capacity matches with that of its key rival Ford F-150 Lightning.