Tesla isn’t wasting any time in preparing the commercial launch of the much-anticipated Cybertruck all-electric pickup, and this latest development is proof that the American EV maker is going for an all-hands-on-deck approach.
A photo posted by the eagle-eyed Austin Gigafactory enthusiast Joe Tegtmeyer on his Twitter account shows what appears to be a big part of the second 9,000-ton Giga Press that set sail from Italy’s IDRA Group about two months ago, thus becoming the last big stamping component to be moved to Tesla’s Stamping 2 facility at the Texas factory.
As seen in the image, the soon-to-be-assembled die-casting machine was spotted just outside the new Cybertruck production area, from where it will be transported inside and put to good use, stamping different parts for the all-electric truck’s body panels.
It’s worth noting that while similar, this is probably not the same machine as the first Giga Press which is reportedly responsible for casting the pickup’s internal frame. Instead, this particular machine will likely be used in the same way that many other carmakers use presses: feeding them flat sheets of metal that are stamped to create door panels, roof structures, and other body components.
Tesla is already assembling Cybertruck prototypes at a slow pace in Texas, but with customer deliveries expected to start in September, the EV maker is apparently pulling all the stops to stay true to its previous statement that it will begin mass production of the much-anticipated vehicle later this year.
Gallery: Tesla Cybertruck
Moreover, there have been more and more public sightings of Cybertruck prototypes, including one where it reportedly got stuck in the Texas mud near the company’s upcoming lithium refinery close to Corpus Christi.
Another hint that mass production is closer than ever came in the form of an official raffle organized by Tesla, where anybody that has 500 credits in the brand’s smartphone app can enter to win one of the first finished Cybertrucks.
The zero-emissions full-size work truck was unveiled in 2019 and production was initially scheduled to start in late 2021, but a series of delays caused by the global pandemic and a subsequent shortage of computer chips led the American company to move the start of production to the end of 2023.
As always, we’d like to know what you think about this latest development, so head over to the comments section below to give us your thoughts.
