Elon Musk (Tesla CEO) announces that the upcoming production version of the Cybertruck will remain mostly the same as we originally saw with the concept. One notable new feature is the addition of rear-wheel steering. Since the Cybertruck is large in size, four-wheel steering should make it much more maneuverable. However, this can also increase the price of the truck. Musk did not specify if this will be a standard feature or an optional one.
We still have not seen any Cybertruck prototypes testing in the wild. Musk did not specify if the first Cybertrucks will go on sale at the end of 2021 as originally promised. If this timeline is still possible, we would expect to see some prototypes testing in public.
While one or two early Cybertruck concept vehicles have been seen driving around California, Texas, and New York – these do not appear to be production-ready prototypes.
The additional of rear-wheel steering makes a lot of sense since the Cybertruck will have to compete against the likes of the GMC Hummer EV truck and the Rivian R1T. The Rivian truck has an electric motor for each wheel. This enables it to do a tank turn. The Hummer EV truck will offer four-wheel steering, including the sideways driving “Crab Mode”. The Hummer EV truck is also a very large vehicle with a curb weight of around 9,000 lbs.
We will continue to monitor this space to see if there is any more substantial Cybertruck news.
