Elon Musk says that he is scrapping plans to make Tesla Cybertruck smaller and instead suggests that the automaker could make a different smaller electric pickup truck for the global market later.
Not long after unveiling the Cybertruck prototype last year, Musk started talking about making the electric pickup smaller to fit inside a regular garage.
Last month, Musk made several comments regarding the Tesla Cybertruck and how it will change when it reaches production.
He talked about how owners will need to wrap the electric pickup to get different colors, and he said that Tesla is updating the Cybertruck’s adaptive air suspension.
The CEO was asked what the biggest change is to Cybertruck from the prototype, and he responded that Tesla “reduced the size by ~3%,” made the “center line more level,” and “lowered the window sill height.”
However, Musk said today on Twitter that he reviewed the Cybertruck’s design with Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla’s chief designer, last night and they came to the conclusion that they can’t make the truck smaller:
Reviewed [the Cybertruck] design with Franz last night. Even 3% smaller is too small. It will be pretty much this size [referring to the prototype].
The prototype that Tesla unveiled is 231.7 inches long, 79.8 inches wide, and 75 inches tall, with up to a 35-degree approach angle, a 28-degree departure angle and up to 16 inches of ground clearance.
It’s similar in size as some of the bigger versions of the Ford F-150, like the one pictured above next to the Tesla Cybertruck prototype.
Today, the CEO added that Tesla might release a smaller pickup truck later:
We’ll probably do a smaller, tight world truck at some point.
Musk didn’t elaborate on a possible timeline for that smaller electric pickup truck.
The automaker had been aiming for the Cybertruck to have the functionality and capacity of full-size pickup trucks while being able to fit inside average garages as smaller pickups can.
Tesla said that it plans to launch the two higher-end versions of the Cybertruck in late 2021.
Those two electric trucks will have between 300 and 500 miles of range and be equipped with dual- and tri-motor powertrains and start at $49,000.
A cheaper and lower range version of the Tesla Cybertruck that should start at just $40,000 is going to be available later.
We estimate that Tesla has already received over half a million reservations for the electric pickup truck around the world.
Tesla is currently looking to build a new factory in Texas to produce the Cybertruck.
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