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How the Tesla Cybertruck has changed since 2019

How the Tesla Cybertruck has changed since 2019

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It’s more expensive and gets less range than originally promised. But it’s still pointy and polarizing.

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Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Now that the first few customers have taken delivery of their Tesla Cybertrucks, it’s probably worth taking a closer look at how the price and specs have changed since the original announcement in 2019. After all, a lot has happened since then!

While the truck looks remarkably similar to how it did four years ago, almost nothing else about the production versions is the same. The price, range, and performance have all shifted dramatically — and probably not in the direction most customers would prefer.

A lot has happened since 2019

First of all, the price is more expensive. We’ve known for a while that Tesla wasn’t going to be able to keep to its 2019 price estimates. Tesla CEO Elon Musk himself admitted in 2022 that the Cybertruck’s specs and price “will be different,” citing inflation and other “various issues” that have cropped up in the intervening years.

Let’s start with the performance-oriented Cyberbeast trim, since that’s the one we have the most details on. Tesla hasn’t said whether this version will have three electric motors, as promised in 2019, but it’s a fair guess that it does.

Tesla Cybertruck “Cyberbeast,” 2019 vs. 2023

SpecsTri-motor, 2019Cyberbeast, 2023
Range / Battery extender500 miles320 miles / 440 miles +
Battery capacityNA123 kWh
Weight NA6,843 lbs
Height75 inches70.5 inches
Length231.7 inches223.7 inches
Width (no mirrors / mirrors)79.9 in / NA86.6 in / 95 in
Bed6.5 ftNA
Cargo100 cu-ft120.9 cu-ft
Front truckYY
Onboard powerY11.6 kW
Horsepowerup to 800 hp845 hp
Top speedNA130 mph
Torqueup 1,000 lb-ft10,296 lb-ft
0-60mph time2.9 seconds2.6 seconds
Max towing capacity14,000 lbs11,000 lbs
Max payload capacityup to 3,500 lbs2,500 lbs
Ground clearanceNA17.44 in in extract mode
DisplaysNA18.5 in center / 9.4 in rear
WheelsNA20 in
Drag coefficient NA0.34
Base price60,990$99,990
Available20212024

So, as you can see, the biggest changes are price — with Tesla charging nearly $40,000 more for this version of the truck — and range. The 500 miles that was quoted in 2019 always seemed somewhat aspirational. And now we know that optional battery extenders will help get the production version part of the way there, with up to 440 miles of range estimated.

The torque appears to be the number that has changed most significantly since 2019. Tesla was originally promising around 1,000 lb-ft, but now the company says the Cyberbeast trim can put out an eye-watering 10,296 lb-ft. That could be due to the active torque vectoring that Musk announced at the event Thursday.

“It has locking differentials, rear torque vectoring,” he said. “And the crazy thing is it’ll do this all in comfort.”

Okay, now let’s look at the all-wheel drive model.

Tesla Cybertruck All-Wheel Drive, 2019 vs 2023

SpecsAll-wheel drive, 2019All-wheel drive, 2023
Range / Battery extender300 miles340 miles / 470 miles
Battery capacityNA123 kWh
Weight NA6,603 lbs
Height75 in70.5 in
Length231.7 in223.7 in
Width (no mirrors / mirrors)79.9 in / NA86.6 in / 95 in
Bed6.5 ftNA
Cargo100 cu-ft120.9 cu-ft
Front truckYY
Onboard powerNA11.6 kW
Horsepowerup to 800 hp600 hp
Top speedNA112 mph
Torqueup to 1,000 lb-ft7,435 lb-ft
0-60mph time4.5 seconds4.1 seconds
Max towing capacity10,000 lbs11,000 lbs
Max payload capacity3,500 lbs2,500 lbs
Ground clearanceNA17.44 in with extract mode
DisplaysNA18.5 in center / 9.4 in rear
WheelsNA20 in
Drag coefficient NA0.34
ChargingNA250 kW max
Charging speedNAup to 136 miles in 15 mins
Base price$49,900$79,990
Available20222024

There are better range estimates on the AWD Cybertruck, and also a heftier price tag. And like the other versions, the production model is slightly shorter and a little more compact than what was first announced in 2019.

And now the model for which we have the least amount of information, the rear-wheel drive Cybertruck.

Tesla Cybertruck Rear-Wheel Drive, 2019 vs. 2023

SpecsRear-wheel drive, 2019Rear-wheel drive, 2023
Range250 miles250 miles
Battery capacityNA123 kWh
Weight NA6,603 lbs
Height75 in70.5 in
Length231.7 in223.7 in
Width (no mirrors / mirrors)79.9 in / NA86.6 in / 95 in
Bed6.5 ftNA
Cargo100 cu-ft120.9 cu-ft
Front truckYY
Onboard powerNA11.6 kW
Horsepowerup to 800 hpNA
Top speedNA112 mph
Torqueup to 1,000 lb-ftNA
0-60mph timeunder 6.5 seconds6.5 seconds
Max towing capacity10,000 lbs7,500 lbs
Max payload capacity3,500 lbsNA
Ground clearanceNANA
DisplaysNANA
WheelsNA20 in
Drag coefficient NA0.34
ChargingNANA
Charging speedNANA
Base price$39,900$60,990
Available20212025

This one’s not coming until 2025, so presumedly even more could change. Tesla will likely have more to announce about the most affordable version of the Cybertruck as we get closer to its actual release date.

So as you can see, Tesla stuck close to some of these numbers, but others turned out way different than we were expecting. It can’t tow as much or carry as much as originally envisioned. And it will cost more — a lot more — than we were told. It retains its polarizing design. And arguably, thanks to Musk’s antics in the last few years, it has become polarizing for entirely new reasons.

If you still like what you see, here’s how you can order one. And if you don’t, well, I guess that makes you a blackmailer. So good luck with that.