With competitors already positioned in this market, Elon Musk wants to regain control with the launch on Thursday of Tesla’s first electric pickup, a futuristic object that stands out in the automotive landscape.
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Four years after presenting the first images of his Cybertruck, the entrepreneur will unveil this tilted vehicle at 8:00 p.m. GMT at an event at the company’s headquarters in Austin, Texas, where the first example will be delivered.
The car is said to be a cross between a model from the film Blade Runner (1982) and the Wet Nellie, an amphibious vehicle inspired by the Lotus Esprit from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). according to Elon Musk.
“This is another historic moment for Tesla and Musk,” said Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities. “This launch is important to advance the vision of a growing group.”
Often seen as a pioneer, the manufacturer is entering an electric pickup market already occupied, notably by its rival Rivian, but also by General Motors and Ford.
The latter therefore launched the F-150 Lightning, an electric version of its best-selling model in the United States, more than 18 months ago.
Pickup trucks are very popular with American customers, and manufacturers earn some of the highest margins on them.
Although Tesla has not yet communicated a retail price, many, notably CFRA’s Garrett Nelson, are citing the figure of $50,000 for the base version, a price that is in line with the price of the F-150 Lightning.
Depending on the model, the Cybertruck has a range of 400 to 800 km and a towing capacity of more than 6 tons.
“Attract attention”
For the analyst, this launch represents “much higher risk” than for the Texas manufacturer’s other cars, even if he acknowledges that Elon Musk “managed to dampen expectations” after announcing his newborn with fanfare.
In particular, the entrepreneur estimated that due to its atypical appearance, sales of the Cybertruck could be significantly lower than other models in the range, even if the order backlog already exceeds one million.
Elon Musk plans to reach production of 250,000 units in 2025.
“We dug our grave with the Cybertruck,” the billionaire joked last month.
“The Cybertruck is a special product, one of those that we rarely see and that are very difficult to bring to market, sell in large quantities and make a success,” described the fifty-year-old.
The vehicle body is made of stainless steel plates that ensure its strength.
“It looks cool, but it’s extremely difficult to build,” says Art Wheaton, a transportation industry expert at Cornell University.
Academics doubt this Cybertruck will ever generate significant sales due to its “divisive” design.
However, he sees the promise of a niche product that is sufficiently differentiated to improve the image of the Tesla brand, citing the Chevrolet Corvette as an example.
“It’s a way to get attention,” he says, for his owners but also for the Texas manufacturer.
For Elon Musk, this is also an opportunity to turn the page after a new controversy in mid-November. The owner of X (formerly Twitter) then spread an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory on the platform.
The businessman traveled to Israel earlier this week, where, accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he visited Kibbutz Kfar Aza, which was attacked by militants from the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on October 7.
“We don’t think the Tesla brand has been negatively impacted,” Dan Ives told AFP, “but the balance is fragile for Elon, who is walking a tightrope.”