Tesla has confirmed a few disappointing and some exciting specs about the Cybertruck including, an ultra-hard SMC bed, reduced 2500lbs & 11,000lbs payload & towing capacity, shatter-resistant glass, and new on-road and off-road driving modes.
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Yesterday, we reported that Tesla has started shipping Cybertruck display vehicles to several Tesla showrooms across the US.
The new display Cybertrucks featured a white interior and flawless build quality suggesting that Tesla employees have answered CEO Elon Musk’s call to improve Cybertruck build accuracy to sub-10-micron levels.
This on its own was exciting and suggested that Tesla is in the midst of final preparation ahead of the November 30 delivery event.
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And today, to add to the excitement, Tesla has attached a dashboard to the display vehicles in the various showrooms finally confirming some hotly debated specs.
We were happy to get this information however, not everything we learned seems to be good news. The first disappointing confirmation we’ve received about the Cybertruck is the vehicle's reduced towing capacity.
When Tesla unveiled the Cybertruck back in 2019, the EV maker said the all-electric truck would have a 14,000 lbs towing capacity. However, the new dashboard confirms earlier leaks suggesting that the Cybertruck’s towing capacity has been decreased to 11,000 lbs.
This is disappointing and falls behind the towing capacity of some of its gas alternatives such as the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 pickup trucks. However, the Cybertruck appears to be slightly better than its electric counterparts.
The Ford F-150 Lightning, which is the all-electric version of the F-150, has a towing capacity of 10,000 lbs, the Hummer EV, on the other hand, has a 7,000lbs towing capacity and the Rivian R1T has a towing capacity of 11,000lbs.
The second piece of disappointing information we’ve about the Cybertruck includes the vehicle’s payload capacity. When Tesla unveiled the all-electric truck, the EV maker said the Cybertruck bed would be able to carry 3500lbs, however, the new information confirms this number has been cut to a 2,500lbs payload capacity.
This number is again in line with the competition however, it’s still interesting why Tesla has decided to cut back on some of the Cybertruck’s capabilities.
Both the towing capacity and the payload capacity reductions are disappointing and it appears that Tesla has intentionally released this information to manage expectations ahead of the delivery event.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. In the same dashboard, Tesla also confirmed other positive Cybertruck attributes.
The first good news is that the Cybertruck bed will be built out of an ultra-tough SMC material. SMC stands for “sheet molded composite” and is the highest-end material for truck beds. SMC is a lightweight material, that’s incredibly scratch-resistant, and in line with Tesla’s manufacturing ethos, allows the EV maker to drastically cut the number of parts that make up the truck bed.
The second confirmed feature is shatter-resistant glass. If you remember the Cybertruck unveiling back in 2019, the glass did not perform as expected leading to a big oopsie at the event. However, after 4 years, Tesla appears to have worked on the feature and it’s nice to see the EV maker reaffirm a shatter-resistant glass.
I doubt Tesla will once again risk an on-stage live demonstration of this feature but, once the Cybertruck gets into customers' hands, the shatter-resistant glass will surely be tested.
The third positive news is that Tesla has revealed that the Cybertruck will feature an adaptive air suspension with “on-road and off-road driving modes.” This appears to be referring to earlier reports suggesting the Cybertruck will feature an industry-leading air suspension with 14 inches of travel.
This should allow the Cybertruck to have the best ground clearance of any pickup truck while at the same time maintaining efficiency by keeping a low profile when cruising down the highway.
The fourth and final Cybertruck good news is the fact that Tesla has reaffirmed the “ultra-hard stainless steel exoskeleton.” Since Tesla moved to Giga castings to build the front and rear chassis of the Cybertruck, it was largely assumed that the EV maker has scrapped plans for the exoskeleton.
Whether an exoskeleton in the exact technical terms, there’s no doubt that the Cybertruck's body panels are extremely strong. Elon Musk has confirmed this fact by letting Joe Rogan shoot an arrow from close range at the door of the vehicle.
Although the payload and towing capacity reductions are disappointing, the rest of the Cybertruck information is positive. Currently, we don’t know the reason behind some of these changes however, we’ll be sure to keep you posted once we get more information.
Until then, make sure to visit our site torquenews.com/Tesla regularly for the latest updates.
So what do you think? Disappointed to see the Cybertruck’s payload and towing capacity get reduced? Why do you think Tesla was unable to keep the original specs on these fronts? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Image: Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
For more information check out: Tesla’s 1st Ever YouTube Ad Shows a Model Y Getting Run Over by a Silverado Pickup Truck
Tinsae Aregay has been following Tesla and The evolution of the EV space on a daily basis for several years. He covers everything about Tesla from the cars to Elon Musk, the energy business, and autonomy. Follow Tinsae on Twitter at @TinsaeAregay for daily Tesla news.
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