Elon Musk Says Tesla Cybertruck Will Get 'Lots of Improvements' as GMC Hummer EV Attracts Great Reviews

Elon Musk gave some updates on the Tesla's electric Cybertruck specs and release date during the company's Q3 2020 conference call.

Unlike other automakers which stay true with their concept, Musk said Tesla aims to improve the vehicles from the concept design towards its production. The electric car company has apparently been making changes to the truck's design since its unveiling in November 2019.

Tesla Cybertruck Specs

Musk said he recently reviewed the design of the Cybertruck with Tesla's Design Chief Franz von Holzhausen and the design team to supervise some improvements on the Cybertruck.

"There are a lot of small improvements compared to what was unveiled. I think it's going to be better than what we showed," CEO said as reported by Electrek. This includes the improvement on the truck's adaptive air suspension while other design enhancements can be expected before the its delivery.

There will be three Tesla Cybertruck versions, but all will be made with an exoskeleton exterior. The base model is a single motor RWD that will offer 250 miles of driving range. There will also be a dual-motor AWD version with 300 miles of range as well as a tri-motor version with 500 miles of range.

This 6-seater truck can tow up to 14,000 pounds and has a payload capacity of 3,500 pounds.

Tesla Cybertruck release date

Musk has previously announced that the first batch of Cybertrucks will arrive by late 2021. During Q3 meeting, he said that the Cybertruck's production will depend on when the Gigafactory Austin will be completed as it is where the truck will be built.

However, he said that the truck's exoskeleton requires new technologies to meet the solidity it requires. "This has never been done before so there will probably be some challenges," the CEO said. If everything goes well, then the earlier timeline will be followed, although mass production may only be possible by 2022.

One of the key features of the Cybertruck is its exterior shell, which is built for passenger protection and ultimate durability as its exoskeleton is almost impenetrable. Other components are also built for endurance and strength, particularly the Tesla's armor glass and ultra-hard stainless steel structural skin.

Tesla Cybertruck vs Hummer EV

Musk noted that Cybertruck deliveries will begin in late 2021, if everything goes well in the Austin factory. While there are still a lot of uncertainties with the truck's production, GMC recently unveiled its first electric pickup truck, the Hummer EV, which is packed with features that is highly comparable with the Cybertruck. Business Insider made a close comparison of the two electric pickup trucks.

Both EVs are built for off-road driving, but the Hummer EV gets a unique feature called the CrabWalk that allows the truck to drive diagonally. Both trucks have self-driving features: the Cybertruck with Autopilot while the Hummer EV comes with Super Cruise, which can only be used on compatible roads. Also, they both use 35-inch tires and adjustable suspensions for ground clearance.

The three-motor Hummer Edition 1 can produce 1,000 horsepower and 11,500 lbs-feet of torque. The Cybertruck's full specs are not yet released, but it is estimated to be around 690 horsepower and torque of about 824 lbs-feet. They also both boast acceleration from zero to 60 within three seconds.

Meanwhile, Cybertruck's tri-motor version boasts 500 miles while GMC estimated Hummer's high-end version to have more than 350 miles range on a single charge.

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Written by CJ Robles