New details about Tesla's forthcoming Cybertruck have emerged thanks to federal documents outlining some of the vehicle's specifications.
Tesla recently submitted its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) decoder document to the United States government, which revealed previously unknown information about the electric truck.
One important revelation from the document showed that a two-wheel drive Cybertruck will not be available as a more affordable entry-level model for the 2024 model year, as there is no information in the document specifying a single-motor version of the truck (whereas Tesla's Model 3 and Model both did have these options outlined in the same document), according to CNN.
The document also revealed that the lowest weight range for the Cybertruck will be 8,001 to 9,000 pounds, which is even heavier than some of its competitors (the Ford F-150 Lightning, for example, weighs about 2,000 pounds less than this at its lightest, per CNN). Electric trucks often weigh more than their gas-guzzling counterparts because of the bulkiness of their electric batteries.
Tesla has not officially announced pricing for the Cybertruck, but the company had previously said that the cheapest model would cost around $40,000, which is about $10,000 less than the cheapest F-150 Lightning, CNN reports.
However, the company has since indicated that manufacturing costs have been higher than expected, so the initial price will likely end up being higher than $40,000, especially since the cheaper two-wheel-drive model will not be immediately available.
"I do want to emphasize that there will be enormous challenges in reaching volume production with the Cybertruck and then in making a Cybertruck cash flow positive," Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on a recent earnings call, as reported by CNN.
The Cybertruck has recently made waves by showing off its capabilities in public demonstrations, from off-roading skills to rapid acceleration. However, some of its features have been criticized online, including its enormous single windshield wiper.
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