Elon Musk Delays Cybertruck Production, Even Though The US Public Is Desperate To Buy It

Cybertuck from Tesla, highly awaited by the US public. (photo: doc. tesla)

JAKARTA - Tesla Inc has postponed the production of the Cybertruck, this year, which is actually eagerly awaited by US fans. This product is targeted to be launched in 2023. According to Tesla CEO, Elon Musk on Wednesday, January 26, this product will be launched quickly to capture public interest at a time when competitors are seizing the market in this sector.

The announcement confirms a Reuters report from earlier this month and comes as the electric vehicle maker reported record quarterly revenue and 2022 shipments growing more than 50%, despite supply chain issues.

Musk, who unveiled the futuristic vehicle in 2019, has delayed production from late 2021 to late 2022.

Tesla will be preparing to launch its Cybertruck, Semi, and Roadster, and its humanoid robots next year.

"We're not going to introduce any new vehicle models this year. It doesn't make sense because we're still going to be limiting parts", Musk said by phone with analysts.

He said the additional product "will then require a lot of attention and resources on increasing the complexity of the additional product, so fewer vehicles are actually delivered this year."

Musk said he hopes to produce a quarter of a million Cybertrucks every year but achieving this will take time as a lot of new technology will be introduced.

"Battery probably won't be a limiting factor in Cybertruck production", he said.

"I'm more concerned about how we make the Cybertruck affordable despite having such great technology", he said.

Earlier in January, Reuters reported Tesla was delaying production of the Cybertruck due to changing features and functionality in the face of increasing competition in the electric pickup market.

Tesla, which started out making electric vehicles with a premium sedan, the Model S, and later introduced a more affordable car, the Model 3. But they haven't launched in the highly profitable pickup truck segment and are currently dominated by fuel-intensive vehicles from US automakers.

Musk tweeted Tuesday that he had driven a prototype of the newest Cybertruck around the new Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, adding: "This is awesome".

Ford Motor Co and Rivian Automotive have preceded Tesla in launching electric pickups. Rivian has already started deliveries of its R1T pickup truck, while Ford will begin deliveries of its F-150 Lightning electric pickup in the spring of this year.

The General Motors Silverado electric pickup, which was launched earlier this year, will go into production in 2023.