The Cybertruck that Elon Musk announced in 2019 and the Cybertruck that’s available to purchase in 2024 are not quite the same vehicle. For starters, there’s the matter of price — Musk touted that the Cybertruck would have a starting price of $39,900 when that initial announcement was made. Currently, the least expensive version of the Cybertruck sells for more than double that price — $99,990 to be precise.
As InsideHook’s Alex Lauer pointed out last year, that price point is one of several matters on which the Cybertruck we were promised differs from the Cybertruck that actually exists. As of 2023, though, there was still the possibility of a cheaper rear-wheel drive option which would have cost $20,000 less than the standard all-wheel drive option. Now, however, the future of that configuration also seems in doubt.
Writing at Ars Technica, Jonathan M. Gitlin noted that the rear-wheel Cybertruck is no longer listed as an option on Tesla’s website. “[A]ll mention of the cheaper rear-wheel-drive Cybertruck is gone from Tesla’s ordering page,” Gitlin wrote — though the more expensive “Cyberbeast” configuration is still available for purchase. On the other hand, given the sales figures Gitlin has cited, the lack of a less expensive option might not be a dealbreaker for would-be Cybertruck buyers.
Cybertruck Scorecard: Does Tesla’s Truck Live Up to Elon Musk’s Promises?
Grading the electric pickup, which began deliveries Thursday, based on the original claims from 2019A more affordable Cybertruck might be going by the wayside, but auto industry observers are still keeping an eye out for a more affordable Tesla model, full stop. The question of whether Tesla will produce a $25,000 EV remains open. And even if Tesla doesn’t make a move in this space, there are plenty of other automakers ready to make theirs.
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