Tesla delivers about a dozen stainless steel Cybertruck pickups as it tries to fix production woes
With manufacturing kinks still to be worked out, Tesla has delivered the first dozen or so of its futuristic Cybertruck pickups to customers
DETROIT — With manufacturing kinks still to be worked out, Tesla delivered the first dozen or so of its futuristic Cybertruck pickups to customers Thursday, two years behind the original schedule amid uncertainty over when large-scale production will begin.
CEO Elon Musk showed off the angular electric trucks with an event at the company's factory outside of Austin, Texas, that was broadcast on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that he bought last year.
The ceremony started with Musk driving the truck on a stage in darkness and hopping into the bed to talk about it.
“It's the most unique thing on the road," he said. “Finally the future will look like the future.”
The truck is aimed at the most profitable part of the U.S. auto market that's now controlled mainly by Ford, General Motors and Ram truck maker Stellantis. But since Musk unveiled it four years ago, all three Detroit automakers have shown electric trucks of their own. Ford and GM and upstart Rivian already have trucks on sale, and the electric Ram is due out early next year.
Ford's F-Series pickups are the top-selling vehicles in the nation, followed by GM's Chevrolet Silverado and Stellantis Ram pickup. Combined, the Detroit automakers sold nearly 1.7 million big pickups through October at prices that can reach more than $100,000 per vehicle.
Musk said the Cybertruck's body is made of a stainless steel alloy developed by Tesla. The body panels had to be angular because they can't be stamped by a conventional press, he said. Stainless steel, he said, has no corrosion and doesn't need paint, but can
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