Tesla delays Cybertruck’s range extender, reduces its range

Tesla has further delayed production of Cybertruck’s range extender and reduced the range that it will add to the electric pickup truck.

When Tesla unveiled the production version of the Cybertruck last year, there were two main disappointments: the price and the range.

Tesla has missed on pricing with new vehicle programs before, and inflation has been exceptionally high in the few years between the original unveiling and pricing of the Cybertruck in 2019 and its start of production last year.

But when it comes to specs, Tesla has generally delivered on its promises. Not with the Cybertruck.

These were the original specs for the Cybertruck:

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Most people reserved the “500+” mile range tri-motor version for $70,000. Now, Tesla’s tri-motor Cybertruck starts at $100,000 and gets 320 miles of range.

Instead of the Cybertruck achieving its promised range, Tesla said that it would launch a “range extender”, which consists of an additional battery pack that sits in the truck’s bed, taking about a third of the bed’s space.

Originally, Tesla said it would increase the range of the dual-motor Cybertruck from 340 miles to over 470 miles and the Cyberbeast from 320 miles to over 440 miles.

However, Tesla has updated its range extender specs:

Tesla now says that the range extender should result in “445+ miles” rather than “470+ miles” for the dual motor – a ~25-mile reduction in range.

Interestingly, the range extender’s impact on the tri-motor Cybertruck’s range hasn’t changed on the standard wheels and tires, but it is down to “415+ miles” with the all-terrain wheels.

Furthermore, Tesla has also pushed the beginning of production from “early 2025” to “mid 2025”.

Tesla started Cybertruck production in late 2023, which means that it will deliver the Cybertruck’s range extender more than a year and a half after delivering its first Cybertrucks to customers.

Oh, and also, it is expected to cost $16,000, according to Tesla.

I previously described the Cybertruck program as a “mistake turned marketing tool” for Tesla.

At the time, I didn’t say that it was a failed program on its own because it was too early to say, but I said it was an error nonetheless because it’s not going to meaningfully contribute to Tesla’s EV deliveries and therefore, it created what Tesla calls “a gap between its waves of growth”.

I think a cheaper and slightly more traditional pickup truck or a cheaper hatchback program would have had a much greater impact on Tesla’s mission globally, and it would have shortened that “gap.”

Now, Tesla has used the Cybertruck as a marketing tool to raise its profile, but it’s not clear how significant of an impact that has been.

Today, with the price and the fact that Tesla already went through its backlog in the US while delivering likely fewer than 40,000 Cybertrucks, I think there’s room to get quite worried about the Cybertruck program.

I wouldn’t be shocked to start seeing Tesla add it to its referral program and even start doing discounts next year.