Tesla’s Cybertruck could change the bakkie business forever

Tesla has finally revealed the worst nightmare for legacy vehicle brands, a battery-powered bakkie.

The Californian company has been disrupting the traditional automotive business with great success, launching its Model 3 to acclaim back in 2017.

Conquering the full market spectrum would require more than merely passenger cars. Tesla needs a bakkie and by 2021, it will have that.

Elon Musk revealed his company’s latest creation in America this week, and it looks very different from any other bakkie.

Tesla’s designers were briefed to use the freedom of not having to accommodate a traditional petrol/diesel engine up front, or a gearbox running through the middle of the vehicle. They have certainly embraced this freedom of expression, with a clean sheet battery vehicle design, and produced something which looks deeply futuristic.

Beyond the strange angles and cubist proportions, Tesla’s Cybertruck promises to be hugely functional as a utility vehicle.

Although Tesla was unwilling to detail the battery capacity or power numbers for its Cybertruck, it did divulge some of bakkie’s performance data.

There will be three models, the quickest of which should be capable of running 0-100km/h in only 2.9 seconds, quicker than most supercars.

At the Cybertruck reveal, Elon Musk claimed that a version of Tesla’s new bakkie, powered by three electric motors, would have a range of 800km on a single charge of electricity.

The Tesla bakkie range will also tally towing capacities of between 3.4t and 6.3t. All Cybertrucks are also rated to carry 1.6t in their loadbox.

In a world where many vehicles are built from aluminium alloy, for the benefits of low weight and recyclability, Tesla’s Cybertruck has a design which has reverted to traditional steel.

The company has sourced a high-strength cold rolled stainless steel for the Cybertruck’s construction. This not only gives this bakkie a shimmering appearance, but also makes it essentially dent and scratch proof.

Tesla’s cabin architects have also created a hugely spacious interior for the Cybertruck. It features seating for up to six passengers.

Images: Tesla