On April 20th, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced during a conference call with investors that the Cybertruck delivery event will take place in the third quarter of 2023. The highly anticipated electric pickup has been delayed for over three years and is expected to begin production this summer, but Musk stated that mass production will not begin until next year.
“It takes time to get a production line up and running, and this is a very radical product,” Musk said on Wednesday. “Its manufacturing process is different from that of other cars.” Musk refused to disclose more details about the vehicle during the call, such as range or unique features, only stating that this information will be revealed during the delivery event. “I can confidently say that this is an incredible product,” Musk said, “It’s Hall of Fame level.”
The delay of the Cybertruck may be related to the company’s decision to use stainless steel in production, which is much more expensive than the steel typically used in car manufacturing. It cannot be stamped into parts such as fenders because it is elastic and will snap back into its original shape. Additionally, it requires special welding techniques – all of which make the production of the Cybertruck more complex than Tesla’s other models. Even less important components, such as the wipers, need to be customized due to the Cybertruck’s unique design.
