Tesla chief executive officer (CEO) Elon Musk has unveiled the Cybertruck electric pickup truck at the company's Design Studio in Hawthorne, California.
Elon Musk revealed the Tesla Cybertruck electric pickup truck, which looked like a large metal trapezoid on wheels when it initially drove onto the stage, surprising the audience at the event.
Musk said the exterior of the truck is made from the newly developed stainless steel alloy used by SpaceX for its rockets. He claimed that the alloy enables the car to be "literally bulletproof" against at least smaller firearms, such as 9-millimeter handguns.
To demonstrate the new vehicle's toughness, a man with a sledgehammer hit the sides of the truck but this did not result to any damage. However, the truck's supposedly unbreakable metal glass windows shattered when a metal ball was thrown at them.
Musk reacted by saying: "But it didn't go through."
Tesla's CEO also made other claims about the truck's capabilities during the unveiling. He claimed that the Cybertruck is more powerful than a Ford F-150 in terms of towing and hauling and perform as a better sports car than a Porsche 911.
The Tri Motor All-Wheel-Drive, truck's most expensive version, will be able to carry 3,500 pounds, tow up to 14,000 pounds and go from zero to 60 in 2.9 seconds as well as drive up to 500 miles on a full charge. Meanwhile, base models will have a range of 250 miles on full battery.
Despite the plethora of capabilities and features, the electric pickup truck will be able to compete in terms of price. The base model will be available starting at $39,900, which is more expensive than a base Ford F-150 but costs less than an F-150 Lariat Super Cab.
The top-of-the-line Tri Motor AWD version of the Cybertruck will have a starting price of $69,900, with an option for Tesla's "self-driving" technology for an additional $7,000.
