After Tesla's CEO Elon Musk revealed their highly anticipated electric pickup truck at their Design Studio on Nov. 21 (Thursday), Cybertruck fanatics and skeptics immediately took to social media to share their sentiments about the vehicle's humiliating debut.
Enter the Cybertruck Sceptics
For a Reddit user, the pickup looks like "a pinewood derby gone wrong." Other Twitter users also likened the electric car to Spongebob character Flats the Flounder, an old doorknob, and a triangle on wheels.
Tesla's Cybertruck likened to Flats the Flounder
Tesla's Cybertruck likened to an old doorknob
Tesla's Cybertruck likened to a triangle on wheels
The Botch Effect
In 2018, Musk admitted in an interview with Kara Swisher of the Recode Decode podcast that Cybertruck may have a hard time finding a market."If there's only a small number of people that like that truck, I guess we'll make a more conventional truck in the future," he said. With this and the botched debut in mind, you'll think that the sales will go nowhere but down. On Nov. 24, however, just three days after the humiliating event in California, Musk took to Twitter to hint that there are already 200,000 pre-orders for the truck.Two days later, he's back at the social media platform with a new number: 250,000 pre-orders.
Elon Musk's Twitter update
If anything, Tesla has the man with the sledgehammer to thank for the rise in the number of pre-orders.
Tesla vs. Ford
When Musk first talked about Tesla's plan to make a pickup truck in 2013, he mentioned that the vehicle will likely be the same as the ones in Ford's F-Series. Now that the Cybertruck has been unveiled to the public, we are yet to find out if Tesla's pickup can match the F-150, the best-selling vehicle in the U.S.
In a tweet posted on Nov. 25 (Sunday), Ford's Vice President Sundeep Madra challenged Tesla's CEO to send a Cybertruck to compete with their best pickup truck in a towing battle.
Sunny Madra's Twitter update
Musk was quick to reply, driving Tesla and Ford fans crazy with a tweet that contained only three words.
Elon Musk's Twitter update
Related link: 'Cybertruck vs Ford': Ford VP Challenges Tesla in a Towing Battle
How to Pre-Order a Cybertruck
Tesla's electric pickup trucks are now available for pre-order, although the production of the single- and dual-motor units will not start until late 2021. Production for its most expensive pickup, however, will not begin until late 2022.
You can place your order directly via their website. If you are planning to purchase a Cybertruck, though, Tesla suggests you select the Self-Driving option as prices for this feature are expected to rise in the future.
Prices for the Single Motor RWD start at $39,900, while prices for the Double Motor AWD start at $49,900. Its most expensive version, the Tri Motor AWD, can be pre-ordered starting at $69,900.
According to CNN, it's an eye-catching feature as the price is only about $10,000 more expensive than that of the Ford F-150's base model. CNN Reporter Peter Valdes-Dapena added that the Tri Motor could well compete with a nicely equipped Ford pickup truck, like the F-150 Lariat Super Cab.
