Subj : 5 things we learned from the Tesla Cybertruck delivery event To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Fri Dec 01 2023 12:45:05 5 things we learned from the Tesla Cybertruck delivery event Date: Fri, 01 Dec 2023 12:41:01 +0000 Description: Everything we have learned from Tesla's Cybertruck Delivery Event, including electric range, price and specification. FULL STORY ====================================================================== Elon Musk arrived at his Gigafactory in Texas aboard a spanking new Cybertruck, pulling up to receive applause from the thin crowd and then delivering the remainder of his seemingly ad hoc presentation from the dimly-lit bed of his electric pick-up. Unfortunately, the lighting crew didnt get the memo, so most of the events livestream involved Musk delivering rehashed nuggets of information in the dark, overseeing a person limply throwing a baseball at the windows (surprise, surprise, they didnt smash this time) before wrapping things up by handing a mere handful of trucks over to new owners. Ironically, seeing as Musk failed to reveal the price at the event, most of these proud new Cybertruck patrons drove away not knowing what they actually paid for the thing. Early adopters, eh? Thankfully, Teslas website was quickly updated following the event, leaving folk like to me scour the numerous pages for useful information. Heres what I discovered 1. Prices start at $61,000 (Image credit: Tesla) There was nary a mention of pricing at the Gigafactory delivery event, so it was down to some Tesla website sleuthing to get a proper grasp on how much Cybertruck will cost. Available in three distinct versions (Rear-Wheel-Drive, All-Wheel-Drive and CyberBeast), Cybertruck will start at $60,990 (around 48,200 / AU$92,160) and offer a rather disappointing electric range of 250 miles. Although this is still an estimate, according to Teslas website, and could realistically be as stingy as 200-miles in the real world, especially if you are towing. Its also worth noting that the Rear-Wheel-Drive model is also the slowest of the pack, with a 0-60mph time of 6.5 seconds (still plenty enough for a pick-up truck) and a top speed of 112mph. It can tow a max capacity of 7,500lbs (3,400kgs). Prices then jump to $79,990 (around 63,150 / AU$120,740) for the All-Wheel-Drive version, which has an estimated range of 340-miles and a 0-60mph sprint time of 3.9 seconds. This model has the same 112mph top speed but can tow up to 11,000lbs (4,989kgs). Finally, the top spec CyberBeast costs $99,900 (around 79,000 / AU$150,915), but sees its electric range dip to 320-miles due to its punchy performance credentials. The 0-60mph sprint is completed in 2.6 seconds and the top speed is pegged at 130mpg. The same 11,000lbs towing capacity remains intact. Alas, the website only lists USA, Canada and Mexico as regions available in its configurator, so there's still a big question mark hanging over whether we will see the electric pick-up arrive in other markets. 2. Theres a range-extending option (Image credit: Tesla) Optional pack that fits in about 1/3 of the truck bed. Still room for plenty of of cargo. Its meant for very long trips or towing heavy things up mountains. November 30, 2023 See more When most manufacturers talk of "range-extenders", it is typically in reference to a small internal combustion engine that acts as a generator to charge an EVs battery packs. You can check out the BMW i3 and the Mazda MX-30 R-EV for more info on that. But Tesla confirmed the range extending technology destined for Cybertruck involves an optional battery pack that fits in the Cybertrucks bed. When optioned, it can add around 130-miles of range to the All-Wheel-Drive and CyberBeast models. Theres no mention of it where the Real-Wheel-Drive model is concerned. There is also no mention of price, nor how heavy this seemingly very large battery pack will be.Seeing as it is fitted to the rear bed, thus taking up precious cargo space, it is something customers will only fit when more range is required. Whether or not thats possible to do with a few burly friends, or whether it is a dealer fit device, remains to be clarified. 3. Cybertruck is fast (Image credit: Tesla) Perhaps the one key takeaway from the delivery event was that Cybertruck will happily out-drag a Porsche 911 while towing a Porsche 911. It was a great PR stunt, but it also revealed the most potent versions of Elons electric pick-up will manage to crack the coveted 0-60mph sprint in a face-melting 2.6 seconds. Elon went so far as to claim that Cybertruck is "more utility than a truck, faster than a sports car", which he attempted to prove during a YouTube-worthy drag race segment. However, we all know drag racing isnt the be-all and end-all of any fast vehicle, while anyone with even a mild understanding of sports cars will naturally gravitate towards the Porsche 911, given that it is not only fast in a straight line, but will also brake and go around corners thanks to not weighing almost three tonnes (6,603lbs). Factors that are extremely important when choosing a sports car. 4. Off-road capabilities were confirmed (Image credit: Tesla) We saw a glimpse of Cybertrucks air suspension system in a leaked video prior to the big delivery event, but Musk confirmed his electric pick-up features air suspension at each wheel, which allows for 17-inches of ground clearance. Elon was keen to point out that is a "true 17-inches", seeing as the Cybertrucks flat floor means theres no transmission mechanicals impeding on that figure. Whats more, Musk confirmed Cybertruck has "locking differentials and all-wheel-steering", which helps reduce the turning circle of this hulking machine. In fact, the turning circle is tighter than the one found on Teslas Model S. Easy maneuvering is further aided by steer-by-wire technology, which essentially eliminates the physical connection between the steering rack and wheels, allowing Tesla to introduce electrically-controlled motors to take care of steering angle. At lower speeds, smaller steering wheel inputs will have a much greater effect on steering angle, while the opposite happens at higher speeds to ensure the ride is safe and predictable. 5. It packs bidirectional charging (Image credit: Tesla) Nissan, Honda and a handful of other so-called 'legacy' automakers have been experimenting with bidirectional charging for some time now, seeing true value in being able to power homes, external devices and even other electric vehicles from powerful onboard battery packs. Powershare is the Tesla-branded version of the same technology, which is equipped on Cybertruck, but we could also see it rolled out to other Tesla models in the near future. According to the Tesla website, Cybertruck can power the home (otherwise known as V2H, or vehicle-to-home), run power tools (V2L, or vehicle-to-load) and share charge with other vehicles when family or friends need it (V2V, or vehicle-to-vehicle). However, there is no word on whether or not Powershare comes as standard across the entire Cybertruck range, or whether it is a costly optional extra. You might also like Sorry, Tesla fans, there are better electric pickup options than the Cybertruck Tesla's EV sales are slipping here's what that means for electric car buyers Tesla's latest Supercharger move could solve a major headache for EV owners ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/hybrid-electric-vehicles/5-things-we-le arned-from-the-tesla-cybertruck-delivery-event --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .