Ford boss mocks Tesla Cybertruck before its release
Unveiled as a concept in November 2019, the Tesla Cybertruck has caused quite a stir in almost four years. The production model will finally be unveiled soon, and the first deliveries should follow in the next few months, company CEO Elon Musk said earlier this year.
On the other hand, mass production at the Austin, Texas plant won't begin until 2024, with no further details from Musk.
The latter is quick to praise the revolutionary nature of Tesla's electric truck, while its detractors scoff at its design and the real impact it will have on the market. Among them: Jim Farley.
Yes, Ford's CEO has already praised Tesla's work in certain areas. He was the one who decided that Ford's future electric vehicles would incorporate Tesla's NACS connector so they could plug into Supercharger charging stations. However, in an interview broadcast on CNBC on Tuesday, Farley ridiculed the idea that the Cybertruck could pose a threat to the F-150 Lightning.
"The reality is that we dominate the electric truck and van market, we know the customers better than anyone," he said. If [Musk] wants to create a Cybertruck for people in Silicon Valley, that's his business."
Comparing the Cybertruck to "a cool luxury product that you leave parked outside your hotel", the Ford boss added that this isn't his way of designing vans. "I make trucks for the real world that do real work."
More than 1.5 million people have placed a deposit to reserve their copy of the Cybertruck, according to Electrek. Reservations can still be made on the Tesla Canada website for $150. Needless to say, American customers will be given priority, so those north of the border will have to wait until at least next year, in all likelihood.
Official specifications and pricing have yet to be confirmed. In December 2021, Musk had announced that a new version with four motors (one for each wheel) would leave the Texas factory first. It will replace the three-motor version originally promised, the one with a price tag of US$69,900 and a range of around 800 kilometers. We're guessing that the price will be much higher, but the range remains to be seen.
