Tesla’s most unique vehicle yet almost completely slipped under the radar.
The Tesla Cyberquad, first unveiled in November 2019, is an all-terrain vehicle companion for the Tesla Cybertruck. Cybertruck production is expected to begin in 2022: while the Cyberquad is expected to be offered initially as a Cybertruck accessory, it’s unclear if it will hit roads at the same time.
When customers purchase the all-electric pickup truck, they’ll have the option to add on the much smaller electric ATV as an extra purchase. Press images show the Cyberquad is small enough to fit in the Cybertruck’s rear bed.
The vehicle seems to be a unique move from Tesla, which until now has focused mostly on cars and trucks. But while early analysis suggested the Cyberquad may be a slightly tweaked version of an existing ATV, Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently revealed it offers previously unknown benefits.
“The ATV is an interesting design challenge because ATVs are pretty dangerous,” Musk said at the October 7 annual Tesla shareholder meeting. “We want to make an ATV that is the least dangerous.”
Amid a marketplace already filled with a variety of electric ATVs — competitors that were somewhat unfazed when Inverse spoke to them in January 2020 — here’s how Tesla plans to set itself apart.
Want to find out more about Tesla’s plans to electrify transport? Subscribe to MUSK READS+ for exclusive interviews and analysis about spaceflight, electric cars, and more.Tesla Cyberquad: What is the design?
At the original unveiling, Tesla was rather tight-lipped about the Cyberquad. Musk demonstrated how the ATV could charge from the Cybertruck itself, thanks to 110-volt and 240-volt outlets. It can also fit in the truck’s rear, thanks to its 100 feet of cubic storage space.
Following the unveiling, YouTube account HyperChange got up-close with the pre-release model:
The video sparked speculation that the Cyberquad could be a modified Yamaha 700 Raptor ATV.
In a statement to Fox News Auto, Yamaha said at the time:
“We have no affiliation with the ATV concept Tesla recently unveiled, but it’s not surprising they might take cues from Yamaha’s Raptor 700, as it’s been the best-selling sport ATV for many years now.”
Tesla Cyberquad: What are the specs?
Little is known at this stage, but in 2019 Musk confirmed via Twitter it can carry two people.
During the company’s 2021 annual shareholder meeting, Musk explained the Cyberquad will have a “really low center of gravity.” This will be because the electric vehicle’s battery pack will be placed down low.
Musk also hinted that the company plans to “do some things with the suspension.” He didn’t specify what sort of things, but did claim that “it’s going to be the ATV that won’t roll.”
The Tesla Cyberquad will initially be sold as an accessory to the Tesla Cybertruck.Tesla
Tesla Cyberquad: What is the price and release date?
The Cyberquad will initially be sold as an accessory for the Cybertruck.
The truck itself is expected to start at $39,990. Tesla originally announced production would start in late 2021, but this has since moved back to 2022.
Rather curiously, Electrek reported on Friday that Tesla appears to have removed the price and specs for the Cybertruck from its website this week. That could mean the price and specs are set to change ahead of launch.
In July, during the company’s second-quarter 2021 earnings call, Tesla’s vice president of vehicle engineering Lars Moravy claimed Tesla will move into the “beta stages” of Cybertruck production this year.
But during the 2021 recent shareholder meeting, Musk explained that the Cybertruck will more likely start production in 2022, before reaching high volumes of production in 2023.
As Tesla works to ramp up production of the Model Y at its Texas facilities, it seems the Cybertruck and accompanying Cyberquad may not hit roads for some time.
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