Gabriel Walker
Nov 30, 2023
Tesla is gearing up for a landmark event as it prepares to hand over its highly anticipated Cybertruck to the first batch of customers at its Austin, Texas headquarters today.
Expected to mark the delivery of the initial ten units, this event will also include detailed announcements about the electric pickup truck, streamed live on Tesla's website as confirmed by Elon Musk in a pre-event post.
Initially unveiled in 2019 amid considerable fanfare, the Cybertruck's launch event allowed reservations with a $100 deposit. While over 200,000 reservations flooded in within three days, production delays ensued for years.
Originally slated for late 2021 with full-scale production in 2022, supply chain challenges pushed the schedule back by another year. However, after multiple setbacks, Tesla later promised deliveries to start in the third quarter of 2023, having amassed 1.9 million $100 reservations by August of the same year.
Elon Musk revealed in a recent conversation with podcaster Joe Rogan that the Cybertruck would boast bulletproof features, including steel panels and an option for bulletproof glass, with additional revelations planned for today's event.
A notable highlight of the event will be a demonstration showcasing the truck's bulletproof capabilities, including firing tests with a Tommy gun, a 45mm shotgun, and a 9mm gun, according to the Tesla CEO.
The truck's bulletproof design has generated substantial hype, particularly following a previous demonstration mishap during the 2019 event when the vehicle's window shattered upon a metal ball's impact, leading Musk to acknowledge the need for improvements.
However, despite the high anticipation surrounding the Cybertruck, Musk cautioned in an earnings call that it might take a minimum of 18 months for the pickup truck to yield profits for Tesla, foreseeing significant challenges in achieving volume production and profitability.
