The highly anticipated Tesla Cybertruck is inching closer to its delayed debut sometime in the next quarter, which is right around the corner, and it looks like the Austin-based EV brand is wasting no time with development.
We already knew that Tesla shipped at least two Cybertruck prototypes to the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds (SHPG) in New Zealand, as well as several Model 3 “Highland” mules, and now we get to see the electric pickups in motion, going through all sorts of testing procedures on snow and ice.
Published by the same CybertruckNZ Twitter account that brought us photos of the electric pickup with its frunk open, the new videos show the zero-emissions truck putting its brakes, rear-wheel steering, and electronic stability systems to the test.
Interestingly, the non-camouflaged prototype has “604” written on its sides with blue tape, which is the area code for Vancouver, Canada. Previously, the Cybertruck that didn’t have a vinyl wrap had “512” written on it, which is the area code for Austin, Texas, but at this point, it’s unclear if the engineers changed the numbering on the vehicle or if there are in fact three units undergoing testing in New Zealand.
At the same time, we don’t know why Tesla employees chose these numbers specifically – maybe the iteration that has the Austin area code on it is meant for warmer climates while the Vancouver one is destined for colder temperatures. Then again, this wouldn’t make much sense from a manufacturing point of view, as it implies more than one finished variant, which means higher costs.
It's also worth mentioning that every respectable automaker puts its upcoming vehicles through all sorts of grueling testing procedures, including extreme hot weather and freezing temperatures, not just Tesla.
The Cybertruck was unveiled in 2019 and production was supposed to start in late 2021 with a base price of $39,900 for the base rear-wheel drive variant, while the all-wheel drive trims had an estimated starting price of $49,900
However, as enthusiasts know too well, production was pushed back several times and the specs, including prices, were removed from the company’s official website, so it remains to be seen what the American EV marque will bring to the table of all-electric pickups that’s currently populated by the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, and Hummer EV.
As Tesla CEO Elon Musk pointed out, the production-spec Cybertruck is expected to be revealed during a special delivery event sometime in the third quarter, possibly in September.
