Since Tesla unveiled a prototype of its Cybertruck four years ago, the electric pickup truck remained in the realm of pre-orders and earnings announcements until this week.
On Thursday, the company will make its first Cybertruck deliveries in a high-profile event that will be closely watched by consumers and Wall Street investors alike.
Wrapped in stainless steel, the Cybertruck has a payload and towing capacity that rivals some other pickup trucks on the market.
But the ramp-up to full production will likely drag into 2025, falling far short of an initial rollout target, Musk said on an earnings call last month.
Here’s what you should know about the Tesla Cybertruck, Thursday’s delivery event, and when the car will be generally available for purchase:
What do we know about the Cybertruck so far?
The Cybertruck made headlines at a prototype reveal event in 2019 when Musk touted its “armored” glass, but seconds later a window unexpectedly shattered during a demo.
The trademark of the Cybertruck is probably its stainless steel frame. The steel resists dents, allows customers to avoid painting, and is “literally bulletproof,” Musk said.
The Cybertruck has a payload capacity of 3,500 pounds and 100 cubic feet of storage space, Musk said. According to the company, the vehicle can accommodate six adults.
A 17-inch touchscreen sits in the center of the dashboard, next to an otherwise sparse interior. Tesla says drivers can raise or lower the suspension by 4 inches.
According to the release event in 2019, Tesla will offer three versions of the vehicle, priced between $39,000 and $69,000. The least expensive option offers a range of 250 miles, while the most expensive option offers a range of 500 miles. Musk said.
However, these prices are no longer displayed on Tesla’s website, so changes are possible before the Cybertruck becomes generally available.
More than a million people have pre-ordered the Cybertruck, Musk said last month.
Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk gestures at the unveiling of the newly unveiled all-electric, battery-powered Tesla Cybertruck at the Tesla Design Center on November 21, 2019 in Hawthorne, California. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images, FILE
What happens at the Cybertruck delivery event?
On Thursday, Tesla will announce the delivery of an initial batch of Cybertrucks at an event in Austin, Texas, the company said.
The event will take place at a manufacturing facility and will take place at 3 p.m. ET, the company said said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Tesla plans to broadcast the event live, but the company has not announced where the video can be viewed.
The company plans to deliver just 10 Cybertrucks at the event, Tesla global director of product design Javier Verdura said earlier this month, Mexican outlet Milenio reported.
When will the Cybertruck be generally available for purchase?
Tesla faces “tremendous challenges” in increasing production of the Cybertruck, Musk told investors in an earnings call last month. In an earlier earnings call, Musk said the company “dug our own grave” with the decision to develop the Cybertruck.
Last month, Musk cited innovative features of the Cybertruck as the main reason for the delay.
“Prototypes are easy,” Musk said. “Production is tough.”
“You will have problems proportional to how many new things you try to solve at scale,” Musk added.
Ultimately, Tesla will produce 250,000 Cybertrucks per year, Musk said, noting that the company probably won’t reach that production rate until 2025.
“You have to invent not only the car, but also the way you make the car,” he added. “So the more unknown the area, the less predictable the outcome.”