The Cybertruck: Why Took So Long? The answer Is Here!

1An Unusual Appearance

Tesla's chief designer, Franz von Holzhausen, said in an interview at the end of 2022: "The Cybertruck was born out of a new idea in the way materials are made. We wanted to use high-quality stainless steel as the body shell material so that the hardest part of our vehicle is on the outside rather than paint. We wanted a truck that can be used like a Swiss Army knife in any environment, so it has to be tough."

Franz von Holzhausen also said that building a car with a stainless steel body is not easy, which is why the production of the Cybertruck has been delayed.

Von Holzhausen pointed out that the model is also an opportunity to break with the pickup model of the last 60 or 70 years; Cybertruck is a fresh take on a very conservative vehicle type. So the truck's unusual shape was one of the main culprits, but that design and breakthrough were more important.

2Battery Factors

Another source told Reuters that Cybertruck was designed to use Tesla's much-touted 4680 batteries. However, an analyst at Guidehouse Insights said that Tesla has not been able to significantly scale up production of the in-house batteries, which could lead to further delays of Cybertrucks beyond the end of 2023.

3Supply Chain Constraints

Tesla delays Cybertruck production due to supply chain constraints; the new timeline is vague. Tesla confirmed on Jan 26, 2022, that it is delaying the start of Cybertruck production as supply chain issues, especially the chip shortage would limit volumes significantly.

4Testing of Features and Functions

According to Reuters and a person familiar with the matter, Tesla is delaying the launch of its Cybertruck to Q1, 2023. The reason cited was to make sure the features and functions of the Cybertruck were up to Tesla's standards.

Franz von Holzhausen also once stated that the production model would be very similar to the original prototype, with some minor changes. He also highlighted the truck's "incredible aerodynamics and functionality." These factors make research and development difficult.

5Fell in love with Twitter

Starting in 2022, Tesla's acquisition of Twitter intensified the pressure on the company to meet growth expectations.

Investors have grown frustrated with Elon Musk's focus on Twitter and other endeavors, which have caused the share price to fall by two-thirds over the past 12 months. Unfortunately, that may also have prevented Elon Maas enough time to focus on manufacturing and developing his Cybertruck.