Tesla Motors - Page 9

Tesla Inc. has pushed back initial production of its futuristic-looking Cybertruck to the first quarter of 2023, according to a Reuters report, which cited a person familiar with the matter.

Production of the electric pickup had been expected to start later this year but was delayed by a decision to change some of the pickup’s features, the report said.

In December, Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded to Twitter questions about the truck’s capabilities, saying initial production would be of a four-motor variant, with independent steering of the front and back wheels, which would allow it to drive diagonally “like a crab.”

If and when it does finally come to market, the Cybertruck will have stiff competition from rivals including Ford Motor Co.’s electric F-150 Lightning pickup, set to go on sale in Spring, and General Motors Co.’s Silverado, set to make its debut a year later.

The Cybertruck caused a Twitter storm for all the wrong reasons when Musk unveiled it in November 2019. Tesla’s chief designer was demonstrating the protective capabilities of the vehicles’ armored glass by hurling a metal ball at the windows. Things didn’t go to plan when the front driver-side window smashed, leaving a red-faced Musk to quip: “Maybe that was a little too hard.”