Tesla’s Bold (Crazy?) Claims About its Future Pickup
Elon Musk is at it again.
As you may have heard, Tesla plans to launch an electric pickup at some point in the future. And if we take the controversial CEO’s word for it, that vehicle is going to blow everyone away and turn the entire industry upside down.
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For starters, Tesla promises futuristic styling—maybe not as futuristic as any of the renderings shown so far, but much more advanced and unique than competitors—and a range of more than 650 kilometres, which is amazing and yet realistic considering that model won’t be ready until a few more years. The Ford-backed Rivian R1T aims to offer just that, by the way.
Four-wheel drive capability will be possible thanks to a dual-motor system, and an abundance of torque is a given.
Now, here’s where the claims start to get a little crazy…
Tesla’s electric pickup will be “more capable than other trucks,” Musk said. What did he mean by that? Apparently, it would be better than the Ford F-150 in terms of truck-like functionality and a better sports car than a standard Porsche 911.
There’s also been talk that the cabin would be able to seat six people and the cargo bed large enough to carry a rival (full-size) truck.
Are you still with us?
And while Musk hinted at several versions to fit various budgets, he recently claimed that customers in the U.S. would be able to buy a Tesla pickup for a base price of $49,000 or less (probably somewhere in the high $60K range in Canada).
The company has a history of coming to market first with the highest-performing and most expensive versions of its cars, so a similar strategy is to be expected with the truck.
And how hard will it be to get one at such a low price? Take the Model 3, for instance. A few weeks ago, Tesla removed the entry-level version from its online ordering menu, so customers have to either call or visit a Tesla store. Same thing with the new Model 3 that has a software-locked range of 150 kilometres and a base price of $44,999 that qualifies for the $5,000 federal reduction.
In any case, a Tesla electric pickup is still a long way from becoming a reality. Let the speculation continue…
