Tesla halts Cybertruck orders

ACCORDING to Tesla’s official website, the Austin-based manufacturer has stopped taking orders for its all-electric Cybertruck outside of North America.

With demand for the model exceeding production capabilities by a “ridiculous degree”, Tesla says the already-delayed battery-electric pick-up will now likely begin production at its Texan manufacturing facility in early 2023.

“We have more orders for the first Cybertrucks than we could possibly fulfil for three years after the start of production,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk, adding that orders for some of its models, including the Cybertruck, exceed production capacity “to a ridiculous degree”.

Tesla unveiled its Cybertruck in 2019 but has thrice delayed production. The most recent occasion was in January of this year, when the firm said changes to “features and functions” of the futuristic truck forced a setback in production scheduling.

The company has also withdrawn any reference to the model’s delivery date from its website, now stating that customers “will be able to complete your configuration as production nears”.

In November, Mr Musk said supply-chain issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic were the cause of the Cybertruck’s delay, with the microprocessor shortage (which affects much of the automotive industry) also playing a part in the model’s deferment.

“Oh man, this year has been such a supply chain nightmare, and it’s not over,” Mr Musk tweeted.

Tesla plans to build the Cybertruck at its new factory in Texas, alongside the Model Y, but has been beaten to the punch by rivals such as Rivian, Ford and General Motors.

The Cybertruck joins Tesla’s second-generation Roadster in facing production delays. The tri-motor open-topped sportscar (first revealed in 2017), was earmarked for a 2022 production slot, but is now expected to join the Cybertruck in production in 2023.

Although it’s running behind schedule, the Roadster will not be running behind many rivals in terms of firepower, with Mr Musk claiming the new model will develop more than 10,000Nm of torque resulting in a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of just 2.1 seconds.

Using a similar tri-motor drive system as the recently revealed Model S Plaid and Model X Plaid, power is expected to rise above the 750kW mark while according to Mr Musk anyway, the top speed is expected to be north of 400km/h.

Other claimed performance stats include a 4.2-second dash from 0-160km/h and an 8.8-second quarter mile time. All this firepower will come from a 200kWh battery pack that will offer close to 1000km of range from a fully-charged state, Tesla says.

“The point of doing this is to give a hardcore smackdown to gasoline cars,” Mr Musk said at the new Roadster’s reveal in 2017.

“Driving a gasoline sportscar is going to feel like a steam engine with a side of quiche.”