Tesla’s Cybertruck is going to be late. Yes, even later than you thought.
According to Reuters, the company has delayed initial production of its futuristic SUV until early 2023. The report quotes a user familiar with Tesla’s plans.
The Reuters source says the delay comes as Tesla adjusts the Cybertruck’s “features and functions” to better compete with other SUVs in the electric vehicle segment. These come with Rivian’s recently unveiled R1T and Ford’s upcoming F-150 Lightning.
The Cybertruck was introduced in 2019 and production was originally scheduled to begin in 2021, which was then postponed until the end of 2022. According to the report, Tesla now plans to make limited production of the Cybertruck in the first quarter of 2023 and then ramp up production. later in the year.
The report comes days after Tesla removed all mentions of Cybertruck production starting in 2022 on its website. The site now only states that buyers will complete their setup “as production approaches. “
Tesla doesn’t have a pr department, so the only source of data on Cybertruck is CEO Elon Musk. The last thing he tweeted on the subject was a reaction in December 2021 to a Cybertruck location on Tesla’s Fremont check track, calling it “CGI IRL” (CGI stands for computer-generated imagery and IRL means “in real life”). Musk is expected to say more about Cybetruck production to begin the company’s earnings call, scheduled for Jan. 26.