Tesla Cybertruck 2021: Elon Musk reveals why windows smashed in botched demo
Divisive design hasn’t stopped 200,000 customers pre-ordering the electric pickup
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed why the metal-reinforced windows of the new Cybertruck cracked during last week’s disastrous launch event.
In a bid to demonstrate the vehicle’s super strong glass, which can reportedly withstand a 9mm bullet being fired at it, Tesla design chief Franz von Holzhausen inadvertently smashed the front left window after throwing a metal ball at it. The same thing happened when he threw a ball at the rear left-side window.
Responding to a fan on Twitter, Musk said an earlier demonstration, in which von Holzhausen highlighted the car’s armoured doors by hitting them with a sledgehammer, caused a small crack to form in the passenger window.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“Sledgehammer impact on door cracked base of glass, which is why steel ball didn’t bounce off,” he said. “Should have done steel ball on window, *then* sledgehammer the door.”
The “futuristic” pickup truck was unveiled on Thursday at the company’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California, where the Cybertruck’s “angular” stainless steel bodywork “drew a mixed response” from fans and critics, the BBC reports.
That said, Tesla has already accepted more than 200,000 “pre-orders” for the “divisive” electric truck, says The Verge. Customers must to place a $100 (£77) refundable deposit to reserve their very own Cybertruck, meaning the EV firm has made $20m (£15.5m) in pre-orders alone.
Whether you love it or loathe it, there are plenty of new features to get fans excited about the electric pickup:
Price and release
Only entry-level, single-motor models costing $39,900 (£31,000) will be available when the Cybertruck launches in the US in late 2021, says Auto Express. This will be followed by a mid-range, dual-motor version priced at $49,900 (£39,000) and a $69,900 (£55,000) “Plaid” performance model in 2022.
Tesla, however, has yet to reveal the launch schedule or pricing for the European market.
Design and interior
Simply put, there’s nothing even remotely like the Cybertruck on the market today.
The wedge-shaped vehicle clearly takes inspiration from the sci-fi world, particularly from the futuristic vehicle styling of the late 1970s and early 80s.
Musk claims that the Lotus Esprit from the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me was a key inspiration for the Cybertruck’s design, though there appears to be elements taken from the time-travelling DeLorean DMC-12 from 1985’s Back to the Future.
The body is made from the same steel used by Musk’s SpaceX company in the construction of its Starship rocket and the CEO says it’s tough enough to withstand a 9mm bullet, reports the Financial Times.
The sloping rear roofline conceals the rear bed of the vehicle and retracts when drivers need to store something behind the cabin. There’s also a ramp built into the tailgate, allowing owners to ride a bicycle or quad bike straight on to the rear bed.
It’s just as futuristic in the cabin as it is on the outside. There are angles aplenty on the seats and trim panels, with a single 17in display sitting in the centre of the dashboard. The steering wheel is similar to that of the Tesla Roadster, sporting a “flat bottom” and a “cut-off top”, says Auto Express.
Battery range and performance
The car’s battery specs look just as impressive. Range-topping models will be capable of travelling 500 miles on a single charge, as well as sprinting from 0-60mph in a hypercar-baiting 2.9 seconds, says Autocar.
Entry-level cars will offer 250 miles of range on a single charge and a 0-60mph time of 6.5 seconds, the magazine says. Mid-spec models up the range to 300 miles and lower the 0-60mph dash to 4.5 seconds.
It’s practical, too. As reported by Auto Express, the pickup can carry a payload of up to 1,587kg, and has 2,832 litres of lockable exterior storage and a towing capacity of 6,350kg.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - April 21, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - devilish decrees, biblical blunders, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 carefully selected cartoons about the Trump-Daniels jury selection process
Cartoons Artists take on a stress-free life, rare peers, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Loire Valley Lodges review: sleep, feast and revive in treetop luxury
The Week Recommends Forest hideaway offers chance to relax and reset in Michelin key-winning comfort
By Julia O'Driscoll, The Week UK Published
-
Apple kills its secret electric car project
Speed Read Many of the people from Project Titan are being reassigned to work on generative AI
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Elon Musk's most controversial moments
The Explainer The business mogul has a long history in the hot seat
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Detroit debuts America's first wireless charging road for electric vehicles
under the radar The Motor City is trying to stay at the forefront of automotive innovation
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
LK-99: the room-temperature superconductor discovery causing a stir
feature Scientific community sceptical of ‘magic material that would revolutionise our world’
By The Week Staff Published
-
Why 2023 is a make or break year for electric vehicles
feature As Tesla shares fall, a growing roster of new rivals is revving on the sidelines
By The Week Staff Published
-
Has the tide turned for Elon Musk?
Talking Point Tesla’s investors are ‘starting to wonder’ if Musk is still ‘the right man to lead the company’
By The Week Staff Published
-
Are self-driving cars still an impossible dream?
Talking Point State-of-the-art robot cars still ’struggle’ with construction sites, animals, traffic cones and pedestrian crossings
By The Week Staff Published
-
A guide to Elon Musk’s big family
Why Everyone’s Talking About Tesla founder has a ‘complicated’ relationship history
By The Week Staff Published