In what can only be described as a very anticlimactic ending, Musk just signed off, and now the Cybertruck’s first customers are getting in their trucks and driving off. All told, that was about 25 minutes, one of Tesla’s shortest events ever.
Still no word on updates about price or range.
Some Cybertruck stats from the delivery event: zero to 60mph in 2.6 seconds. A quarter mile in under 11 seconds. Tesla is really getting cocky with these performance figures.
At least according to a truck-pull demo, at which Tesla put its truck up against a Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, and the aforementioned diesel truck. So, I guess we now know which trucks Tesla thinks it’s competing against.
Elon showed a clip of bullets exploding on the Cybertruck’s surface to demonstrate the truck’s durability. I’m not sure a Tommy gun is really the best choice for a real-world test. It’s not like Al Capone is going to be lining up as a customer.
Elon is standing in the bed of the Cybertruck, talking about how tough his truck is. We’re getting details about the stainless steel alloy that reportedly has been incredibly difficult for the company to manufacture.
Tesla says the future should look like the future, but the first clip it showed was a Cybertruck doing a bunch of traditional stuff: spitting gravel, doing donuts in the dirt, getting loaded up with 2x4s. I kind of expected “Like a Rock” to suddenly kick in.
The delivery event in Austin, Texas, is scheduled to start now, but as with all things Elon, we should expect a delay. Tesla is expected to hand over the first batch of trucks to customers, but I’m more interested in getting updated details on price, performance, and production.
Also, for those who pay way too much attention to Elon Musk, this should provide a nice palate cleanser after last night’s disastrous appearance at The New York Times’ DealBook conference.
I could not grab the windshield wiper because it was roped off and I’m a coward.
Fresh off its win against the Big Three, the United Auto Workers announced an official push to begin unionizing all the non-union automakers in the US — including Tesla. It will be a tough battle: unionizing efforts at Tesla have failed in the past because of the company’s willingness to retaliate against union friendly employees. Tesla has been accused of illegal union busting by federal regulators, and Elon Musk openly flouts the rules. But UAW President Shawn Fein is a brawler, and will use the union’s newly ratified contract as leverage. This could be a much more even match-up than in the past.
