As per a report from Bloomberg News, electric vehicle ownership in the United States has become deeply tied to voting behavior in the country. This partisan rift reportedly goes beyond preferences that are linked to income and urban density, among others. 

The partisan rift in the electric car segment has only become more notable in recent months, with some members of the Republican Party calling for a repeal of electric vehicle incentives passed under the Biden administration. The rhetoric of presidential candidates such as Donald Trump has also added to anti-EV sentiments in the country. Trump, for his part, has claimed that an EV revolution will pave the way for China to crush the US auto segment.

“The autoworkers will not have any jobs… because all of these cars are going to be made in China. The electric cars, automatically, are going to be made in China,” Trump noted during a Meet the Press interview. 

Such sentiments, of course, ignore the fact that some of the United States’ most American vehicles are from Tesla’s list of most American-made cars for 2023 alone featured Tesla’s entire lineup in its top four positions. The Model Y topped the list at No.1, followed by the Model 3 at No.2, the Model X at No.3, and the Model S at No.4. 

Ford Motor Co. Executive Chair Bill Ford has likened the polarization over EVs to the divide about vaccines during the pandemic. “I never thought I would see the day when our products were so heavily politicized,” the executive noted. 

At the center of this partisan divide is Elon Musk, who practically built an EV empire selling electric cars to early adopters before engaging with conservative politics in the United States. As noted in an Automotive News report, Musk’s apparent attempt to help flip the script on EV ownership with the Cybertruck seemed to be highlighted by the company’s move from California to Texas, as well as the CEO’s actions themselves.

Tesla currently commands about 60% of electric vehicles ever sold in the United States, but the company is not resting on its laurels. The EV maker has noted that it is looking to reach a production rate of 250,000 Cybertrucks a year at some point in 2025. That’s significantly more than the combined sales of all-electric pickup trucks in the market today. 

For now, at least, only time will tell if Elon Musk’s apparent attempts to make Tesla attractive to both sides of the political spectrum will be successful. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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While NHTSA documents confirmed trim levels just a few days after Earnings last week, pricing still remains up in the air, and there could be several reasons for this.

One could be the uncertainty of market conditions, as Tesla has routinely changed prices in 2023, and announcing a specific cost of each trim now could change by the time deliveries roll around. Another reason is that Tesla could simply be undecided or not ready to announce a price.

This vehicle is so anticipated that it could likely make early reservation holders pay a premium. With uncertainty looming in macroeconomic conditions, the company could try and make the most of the early deliveries.

Tesla confirms Cybertruck deliveries for November 2023

While the Semi was produced and delivered to its first buyers without a price, we don’t expect Tesla to do the same with the Cybertruck. The Semi is an entirely different vehicle class and not something that will be driven on roads by the everyday person.

Even though pricing has remained relatively out of the public realm since Tesla delivered the first Semi units to PepsiCo. last year, there is no way the company would or could do this with the Cybertruck, a vehicle that has amassed over 1 million orders, CEO Elon Musk said on the Call last week.

Nevertheless, there is data out there that could point us in the right direction, giving us a rough estimate of what the Cybertruck could cost based on the price of full-size pickups in 2019 when the vehicle and pricing for the trims available at that time were announced.

Using data from Kelley Blue Book, the cost of the Cybertruck would have theoretically increased by 30.7 percent. In November 2019, a full-size pickup’s average price was $51,140, not including applied consumer incentives. Over the next four years, leading up to 2023, the cost of pickups has increased every year, except for this year, as the average cost of a new truck decreased by about $1,500 from 2022.

The most recent KBB data available is for September 2023, when Full-Size Pickups landed at an average transaction price of $66,841.

When Tesla announced the Cybertruck in 2019, there were three trims: Single, Dual, and Tri-Motor. They were priced at $39,990, $49,990, and $69,990, respectively. With only the Dual and Tri-Motor configurations still standing, we can calculate what the Cybertruck would cost today in a perfect world.

With the 30.7 percent increase in new, full-size pickup prices since 2019, the Cybertruck would, in a perfect world, cost:

• Dual Motor – from $49,990 in 2019 to – $65,336.93, an increase of $15,346.93.
• Tri Motor – from $69,990 in 2019 to – $91,476.93, an increase of $21,486.93.

Of course, this is in no way a confirmation of Tesla’s pricing, as it could have many other things factored into the cost, especially as the vehicle has changed in sizing and design over the past four years.

The price of the Cybertruck has been highly speculated since Tesla removed pricing from the Online Design Studio a few years ago, as it was still mulling over potential configurations.

It has not stopped people from posting things on social media stating they have been contacted by Tesla and given a price for their Cybertruck reservations, either.

Hmm… is the Tri-Motor Performance Cybertruck pricing set? $98,990 before FSD and the usual taxes & delivery fees… wow that’s a lot of coin. pic.twitter.com/uQyvH0NxR9

— TACOS +TESLAS (@TacosandTeslas) October 24, 2023

Tesla will likely start contacting reservation holders soon to set up their delivery, as the first units will be handed over at a delivery event at Gigafactory Texas.

How much do you think the Cybertruck will cost? Let me know your estimates! Email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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In the latest videos of the Cybertruck at Hollister Hills, one of the all-electric pickup trucks is climbing a dirt road. Meanwhile, the other is making rounds around the rest of the rough road course. 

The video was initially uploaded by Dima Zenuik. Some comments on Zenuik’s posts noticed the pace the Cybertruck took the uphill climb, stating that Tesla’s pickup truck seemed to be struggling. A clip shared by The Kilowatts of an R1T climbing a dirt road shows that Rivian’s all-electric pickup truck also seemed to struggle climbing but managed to do it nonetheless. The Rivian R1T’s performance shows how challenging climbing up a dirt road can be for any pickup truck. 

https://t.co/mSc04Cjgdm

— The Kilowatts (@klwtts) October 23, 2023

Jeep owner David Tapley first saw The Tesla Cybertruck at Hollister Hills last month. He also observed that the Cybertruck had difficulty climbing some obstacles. Tapley stated that the Cybertruck might have had difficulty climbing at the time because its all-terrain tires were not aired down. 

Tapley also had the chance to chat with the Tesla team testing the two Cybertrucks at Hollister Hills. The Tesla team had mentioned that Cybertruck deliveries might begin in late October. However, at the latest earnings call, Tesla officially announced that Cybertruck deliveries would start in November. 

Check out another video of the Tesla Cybertruck at Hollister Hills below!

The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via X @Writer_01001101.

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As the Cybertruck has been making its rounds for the better part of 2023, Tesla is preparing for first deliveries at the November 30 Cybertruck Delivery Event at Gigafactory Texas.

The appearance of the Cybertruck at the V4 Supercharger, which is located in Sparks, Nevada, was spotted by Mardak, a member of the Tesla Motors Club forum.

Credit: Mardak | TMC Forum

The Cybertruck is capable of handling the V4 Supercharger’s high-speed charging due to its 800-volt architecture, which the company confirmed last week that it would equip.

The V4 Supercharger also drastically differs from the previous V3 design, but also the features of the new charging stall bring a modernity to the experience.

Tesla is using screens on the new V4 Supercharger, which will likely display payment options. This was required to qualify for federal funding, as the Biden Adminsitration set aside billions for the expansion of the EV charging infrastructure.

The screen was not active at this point, Mardak said, only displaying a white Tesla logo.

Another feature is the longer charging cable, which went from between 6 and 6.5 feet with the V3 Supercharger to between 9.5 and 9.8 feet with the V4. Tesla needed to include this feature with the new Supercharger as it is the first to be opened to non-Tesla EVs.

Tesla V4 Supercharger details: Charging Speed and Cable Length

The V4 Supercharger was first launched in the European market earlier this year, where Tesla offered Supercharging to non-Tesla EVs for the first time several years ago. With other automakers having varying locations for their charging ports, the 6-foot cord offered with the V3 would not be long enough to ensure the cars would take up only one spot or even be able to charge.

With the Cybertruck deliveries occurring in roughly a month, more V4 Superchargers will likely begin popping up around the U.S. As automakers will also gain access to the Supercharging Network beginning in the Spring, Tesla is preparing for that with the installation of V4 stalls.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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For EV newbies, the 800-volt architecture may not be much of a head-turner. However, to those who have been following the industry at all, 800v architectures are the way of the future for the EV industry, especially as more electric cars are on the road, charging times continue to be a concern to some, and heavier all-electric cars are becoming more available throughout the various automakers.

On Wednesday, Tesla confirmed what many believed for a long time: the Cybertruck would equip an 800-volt architecture.

What are the strengths of an 800-volt architecture? It comes down to charging times, efficiency, margins, and weight, all things that are important to the company and its products, as well as its financial status.

Tesla Cybertruck and Semi are candidates for 800-volt architecture

From a macro standpoint, Tesla’s financials are still strong. But Musk and Co. were not shy about warning investors and analysts about the upcoming economic headwinds it would encounter.

It’s a market-wide issue and not just a Tesla issue. As Tesla plans to launch the Cybertruck, interest rates are high, discouraging consumers from wanting to finance anything. Additionally, Musk confirmed it may take 18 months for the Cybertruck to be a positive cash flow contributor to Tesla’s financials.

The 800-volt architecture will improve margins on the vehicle instead of other EV architectures that may have been considered. It said explicitly in its Q3 Shareholder Deck:

“For very heavy vehicles, a high voltage powertrain architecture brings notable cost savings, which is why Cybertruck will adopt an 800-volt architecture.”

From a cost perspective, 800-volt architectures are void of as much copper throughout the vehicle, which reduces weight. Weight reductions improve performance and range.

Earlier today, we reported on the Cybertruck VIN Decoder, which was released by the NHTSA. It revealed the Cybertruck has two weight classifications:

“…the vehicle’s gross weight has two classes: G, which would be between 8,001 and 9,000 pounds, and H, which is between 9,001 and 10,000 pounds.”

800-volt architectures have greater efficiency because they allow electricity to move from the battery to the wheels with a lower current. This ultimately reduces the amount of power that is lost to heat, and higher voltage – lower current architectures can move the same amount of power with thinner wires, which relates to the reduction in copper that was mentioned previously.

800-volt architectures are big for the future of EVs, even outside of Teslas. Tesla EVs are far from the first cars on the market to equip an 800-volt architecture, as the Porsche Taycan had an 800v build back in 2018 when the German company unveiled the specs for its introductory EV.

Faster charging is the biggest advantage, as they can handle greater outputs from Superchargers. The V4 Supercharger from Tesla, for example, has a 350 kW output, enabled by increased amperage and current ratings.

This will keep EV owners at the Superchargers for less time, making charging more efficient and allowing more people to access chargers by decreasing congestion.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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A video shared by a member of the Tesla Owners Club of Silicon Valley showed a Cybertruck driving down the highway with what appeared to be around 40-50 bullet holes in the driver’s side of the vehicle.

BREAKING: Cybertruck seen on the highway potentially gone through bullet proof testing

Seen by member of the club. pic.twitter.com/wBr9mNrLl7

— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) October 20, 2023

CEO Elon Musk revealed that the Cybertruck had an “entire drum magazine of a Tommy gun” emptied into the driver door “Al Capone style,” which revealed the truck would keep occupants safe as no bullets penetrated into the cabin.

We emptied the entire drum magazine of a Tommy gun into the driver door Al Capone style. No bullets penetrated into the passenger compartment.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 20, 2023

The testing is extreme, but the Cybertruck is an extreme vehicle. In 2019, when it was unveiled to the public by Musk and Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen, the team attempted to show the durability and safety of the truck by slamming into the side of it with a sledgehammer, as well as a steel ball, which resulted in a very public window-breaking.

Tesla filed for various parts of the Cybertruck to be capable of extreme durability. A patent revealed that the Cybertruck glass would be more durable and stronger than basically anything that is currently offered on the market.

It offered a 10 percent chance of failure with an impact of 2 J.

When the Cybertruck made an appearance on Jay Leno’s Garage in 2021, Musk was asked by the former late-night TV show host why anyone would want bulletproof, armored glass on their truck.

“Because it’s badass, and it’s super cool,” Musk said. “Do you want your truck to be bulletproof or not?”

Musk has hinted in the past that the Cybertruck will be the finest in apocalypse protection technology, satirically hinting that add-ons like the Boring Company flamethrower would be available.

However, we can see it would survive some incredibly treacherous conditions, including a warzone, it appears.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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The Cybertruck shares the same categorization as the Semi, whereas the Model S, X, 3, and Y share a category, according to the documents.

The Cybertruck appears to have a Dual and Triple Motor configuration, the decoder reveals. The eighth digit of the Cybertruck VIN will determine the configuration of the powertrain, and D will designate a Dual Motor vehicle. E will be a Triple Motor.

Additionally, the vehicle’s gross weight has two classes: G, which would be between 8,001 and 9,000 pounds, and H, which is between 9,001 and 10,000 pounds.

Credit: NHTSA

The VIN decoder was first seen by Greggertruck.

Just days after Tesla announced it would begin Cybertruck deliveries on November 30, it appears the vehicle has finally started making its way through the federal hurdles it needed to jump through prior to it landing in customer’s hands.

We have been monitoring the EPA and NHTSA websites, looking for any clues that various agencies have tested the Cybertruck for regulatory approval. The EPA still has still not uploaded or confirmed to us that the Cybertruck has landed a Certificate of Conformity, which means it could enter the stream of commerce.

However, it appears that with the launch of the VIN Decoder for the Cybertruck, the NHTSA has made strides in the testing of the vehicle and Tesla is finally close to or has landed the necessary approvals to begin deliveries of the pickup.

Moving forward, we would expect the EPA to release the Cybertruck’s Certificate of Conformity, which would also reveal the truck’s range and efficiency metrics, giving us a better idea of what size battery pack the pickup will equip.

Additionally, crash test ratings from the NHTSA should follow within the coming weeks as we near Tesla’s Cybertruck delivery event from Gigafactory Texas.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Musk’s opening remarks were quite direct, with the CEO stating that while the Cybertruck is a great product, it would take some time to ramp. This was despite the fact that the Cybertruck has a lot of demand, with over 1 million people placing a reservation for the all-electric pickup truck. 

“I just want to temper expectations for Cybertruck. It’s a great product, but financially, it will take a year to 18 months before it is a significant positive cash flow contributor. I wish there was some way for that to be different, but that’s my best guess. So, really, the demand is off the charts. We have over 1 million people who have reserved the car,” Musk said. 

Musk’s comments, as well as the fact that Cybertruck would see its first deliveries on November 30, suggested that the vehicle might become a positive cash flow contributor to Tesla sometime in 2025. This, unfortunately, appears to have been interpreted by some as the Cybertruck ramping to a significant volume only in its third year of production. 

Will Stein from Truist Securities asked such a question during the earnings call. “We learned earlier on the call, it sounds like you don’t think the truck will ramp to significant volume until its third year of production. Should we have a similar anticipation for the ramp of the next-gen platform?” the analyst asked. 

Musk ended up clarifying that his comments did not mean that the Cybertruck would be ramped in the vehicle’s third year of production. Instead, Musk noted that his comments simply meant that the Cybertruck’s ramp could be achieved in its 18th month of production, which just so happens to be in the third calendar year from today. He noted that it would be disappointing if the Cybertruck took three years to ramp. 

“To be clear, it’s not really the third year of production. It’s kind of like the 18th month of production is roughly my guess. So, it’s just that they happen — it will happen — is that it starts this year, spans next year, and gets to 2025. So, technically, there are three calendar years in there, but there’s actually only 18 months, not three years. I would be very disappointed if it took us — and that would be shocking if it took us three years, but 18 months from initial deliveries to reach volume and reach prosperity,” Musk said. 

The CEO highlighted that there is a unique complexity to the Cybertruck. Thus, the ramp of other vehicles like the next-generation platform would likely not be as challenging, especially since it would be a car that’s designed to be produced as quickly and as simply as possible. 

Check out our coverage of Tesla’s Q3 2023 Update Letter here. 

Check out our Q3 earnings call Live Blog, which contains our live coverage of the event, here. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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Tesla Cybertruck cells yield 10% higher energy than Model Y 4680 cells made in Giga Texas’ battery production line. 

“The Cybertruck cell, with 10% higher energy than our Model Y cell, started production on Line 2 in Texas. This quarter, we convert to building 100% Cybertruck cells to simplify and focus the factory as we ramp all four lines in Phase 1 over the next three quarters,” said a Tesla executive during the third quarter earning call.

Tesla has plans to build Phase 2 of Giga Texas’ 4680 facility. Phase 2 is already under construction at Tesla’s headquarters. It will add four more lines to the factory’s battery cell production. Tesla aims to start cell production in Phase 2 by late 2024.

Giga Texas’ battery cell production will eventually split into two phases, one dedicated to Cybertruck cells. In the fourth quarter, Tesla will focus on converting Giga Texas’ battery production line to concentrating on Cybertruck cells. Cybertruck cell production will be the main focus of Giga Texas’ battery assembly line for the next three quarters, up to Q2 2024. 

Tesla Cybertruck deliveries will start on November 30, 2023. The company is still in the pilot production stage for the Cybertruck. Tesla’s CEO noted that it will take some time before the Cybertruck production hits full speed and yields positive cash flow for the company. 

“A lot of people are excited about Cybertruck. I am, too. I’ve driven the car. It’s an amazing product. I do want to emphasize that there will be enormous challenges in reaching volume production with the Cybertruck and then in making a Cybertruck cash flow positive,” commented Musk at the latest earnings call.

The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via X @Writer_01001101.

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The Cybertruck’s design is still a hot debate years after its unveiling. While most of the public’s perspective has shifted toward a positive outlook on the Cybertruck’s unique design, some people still find it a little too different. However, for better or for worse, the Tesla Cybertruck has caught the public’s attention.

According to Elon Musk, the Tesla Cybertruck has no demand issue. The all-electric pickup truck has over 1 million reservations, creating a different challenge for Tesla. 

“Over a million people have reserved the car, so it is not a demand issue. We can make it, and we can make it at a price people can afford—insanely different things,” said Elon Musk. 

The Cybertruck’s unique design, specifically its origami-lic exoskeleton, has made the all-electric pickup truck difficult to ramp. At the same time, Tesla teased the latest technology in the Cybertruck.  

“The Cybertruck has a lot of bells and whistles,” commented Elon Musk. 

Tesla wants to find a good median between the Cybertruck’s design, features, and price. The company has put much into Cybertruck production, including investing in a larger giga press designed for the electric pickup. The technology Tesla has been teasing for the Cybertruck doesn’t seem anything to scoff at either. It will be interesting to see how the company balances the Cybertruck’s price and its high-anticipated tech upgrades since 2019. 

During the Q3 earnings call, Tesla confirmed that Cybertruck deliveries will begin on November 30, 2023. The company announced Cybertruck deliveries in its Update Letter for the third quarter.

The Tesla Cybertruck is still in the pilot production stage, with an annual capacity of more than 125,000 units per year. Elon Musk tempered expectations for the Cybertruck during the third quarter earnings call. 

“I just want to temper expectations are cybertruck. It’s a great product, but financially, it will take a year to 18 months before it is significant as a cash flow contributor,” stated Musk. 

The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via X @Writer_01001101.

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