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Production challenges have contributed to long delays with the Cybertruck, but Tesla CEO claims it will be the company’s “best product yet”.
Electric Cars
The CEO of Tesla has acknowledged facing challenges in bringing its electric Cybertruck pick-up to market.
During an earnings call with investors, Tesla boss Elon Musk said “we dug our own grave with the Cybertruck”, but claimed the vehicle would be the company’s “best product yet”.
Mr Musk also said the Cybertruck is “one of those special products that comes along only once in a long while. And special products that come along once in a long while are just incredibly difficult to bring to market to reach volume, to be prosperous,” he added.
As reported earlier this week, Mr Musk confirmed during the call Cybertruck deliveries would begin on 30 November, with production ramping up to 250,000 vehicles annually by 2025 – though it may take up to five years to clear the company’s 1 million pre-orders, if all follow through to production.
“[Production ramp-up] is going to be extremely difficult,” he said, conceding the vehicle’s unique design meant it was facing more challenges than other vehicles.
“If you’re just trying to do some copycat vehicle design, which there are literally 200 models that are variations on the theme in the combustion-engined world – just distinctions without a difference – you know, it’s really not that hard.
“But if you want to do something radical and innovative and something really special – the Cybertruck is extremely difficult because there’s nothing to copy – you have to invent not just the car but the way to make the car,” he said.
The Tesla Cybertruck combines large flat stainless-steel panels with sharp edges and a unique triangular cabin – all likely contributing to manufacturing difficulties.
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