Since its release, Tesla Cybertruck has become a hot topic with its unique design and high price. People’s opinions on this electric pickup truck are extremely polarized, with some praising its appearance and others being deterred by its price. Even Tesla CEO Elon Musk has to admit that the price of Cybertruck is indeed high and needs to be more affordable.
Currently, the rear-wheel drive Cybertruck starts at $39,900 and is expected to have a range of up to 402 kilometers. However, this highly anticipated model will not be available until next year and is not yet available for delivery. The price of the four-wheel drive version jumps directly to $76,390, and the range is increased to 547 kilometers. As for the top model, the so-called Cyberbeast Beast Edition, the price is as high as $96,390, but the owner will enjoy a range of 515 kilometers, excellent performance of accelerating from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 2.6 seconds, and 845 horsepower and 13,961 Nm of torque.
However, the reality is that Tesla’s official website has stopped accepting orders for the cheapest model. Although the Cyberbeast version can be ordered immediately, it will not be delivered until January or February at the earliest. This means that if consumers want to get the car as soon as possible, the actual starting price of Cybertruck has reached 100,000 US dollars (plus shipping costs, etc.), which is equivalent to 718,000 yuan in RMB. Musk publicly acknowledged the price problem on social media and said he was looking for a solution.
The high price may be one of the important reasons for the poor sales of Cybertruck. According to the latest data, Cybertruck sold 2,803 units in the first quarter of 2024, and sales rose to 8,755 units in the second quarter. Although sales have increased, there is still a gap with market expectations. Tesla is still expanding production and aims to deliver 250,000 units in 2025.
Recently, we learned from Tesla’s US official website that the price of the four-wheel drive model of Tesla Cybertruck has skyrocketed from US$79,990 to US$99,990. Currently, there are only two models in the Tesla Cybertruck product series, and the starting price has increased by US$20,000 compared to the previous one. Although there are reports that an entry-level rear-wheel drive model will be launched in the future, this car is expected to be launched as early as 2025, and the price will be as low as US$60,990.
Musk’s expectation of falling prices is good news, but it doesn’t mean prices will drop immediately.
During its second-quarter earnings call, Tesla said Cybertruck production is on track to be profitable by the end of the year, which could be a sign of lower prices. The company is also developing a Cybertruck model with in-house dry cathode 4680 batteries, which are expected to significantly reduce costs. However, the technology isn’t expected to be available until the fourth quarter of 2024.
For consumers who are looking forward to a more affordable Cybertruck, longer-term planning may be needed. With the expansion of production scale and technological innovation, we have reason to expect that Cybertruck will be able to enter the market at a more affordable price in the future.