Tesla Reveals Cybertruck Prototype Launch Timeframe and Production Targets

Tesla is planning to deliver 375k units of the Cybertruck annually

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Tesla is now on track to fulfill its commitment to deliver the much-anticipated Cybertruck. According to recent reports by Electrek, the company has shared its production targets and prototype timing with its suppliers, instilling confidence that deliveries will commence by the end of the third quarter in 2023.

From Delayed Launch to Steady Progress

In its communication with suppliers, Tesla revealed a plan to build a staggering 375,000 units of Cybertrucks annually. This figure is a significant leap from Musk's estimate of around 250,000 units per year. However, it's important to note that Tesla will likely reach this production milestone in 2024, once production has ramped up.

Tesla first pulled the covers off the Cybertruck in 2019, with original plans to hit the market in 2021. However, the global pandemic and supply chain disruptions led to multiple postponements. Despite these setbacks, recent updates from CEO Elon Musk show a good progression toward mass production of this futuristic pickup truck.

The Importance of Release Candidates

As per the internal timeline, the first release candidates for the Cybertruck, which are near-final vehicle versions, are slated for August 2023. These candidates represent the last development stage before mass production begins. This critical milestone aligns well with the projected delivery event scheduled for September.

Despite these updates, 1.5 million reservation holders still don't know about the final specs and pricing of the Cybertruck. According to Musk, these details will only be disclosed during the upcoming delivery event.

Tesla's Challenges and Ambitions

From engineering to design, the Cybertruck has been one of the most challenging vehicles for Tesla. Yet, the company's aggressive annual production target reflects its strong ambition to penetrate the electric pickup truck market. As the Cybertruck moves from prototype to production, Tesla is clearly in the driver's seat to revolutionize this segment.

In the recent Investor Day, the latest Cybertruck prototypes were spotted with new features, including a yoke steering wheel design. These design modifications, validated by Musk and Tesla's Chief Vehicle Designer Franz von Holzhausen, provide further evidence that production is imminent.

In the face of high anticipation and industry scrutiny, Tesla is pushing full steam ahead with its Cybertruck program, "Project Everest." The production target of 375,000 units and the expected arrival of release candidates this August paint a promising picture for Tesla's entry into the electric pickup market. With Tesla's record of transforming the EV space, the Cybertruck's launch will undoubtedly be a landmark event in automotive history.

Tesla’s Referral Program Launches in Europe

Not a Tesla App

Following its recent launch in the United States and Canada, Tesla has launched their referral program in several European countries as well.

The program is available in Germany, Norway, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and possibly others. The program is almost the same as the one available today in North America, with rewards for each referral and a discount for those referred. The cap in Europe is also ten per year.

This program comes right on the heels of a 0% financing offer for the Model Y in Sweden and France. While referrals aren't currently available in Sweden, the 0% financing still is.

European Referrals

The European Referral program accounts for country and local currency, where applicable.

The referral reward program is comparable to the one available in North America. After exchange rates, there is only an approximately 10% difference between the available rewards in the US and EU.

Other Countries

We expect this program to start rolling out to other European countries over the next few days or weeks, as Tesla continues to expand its referral program.

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Tesla's Android App Lags Behind Apple's: The Missing Features

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Tesla has confirmed that they submit app updates for Android and iOS apps at the same time, but we often see the iOS app updates released first possibly due to a quicker app review process at Apple.

However, we often see features implemented on the Apple version weeks or months before they’re implemented on Android. Today, the Android app is missing several key features, and the gap is starting to become a bit glaring.

Delayed App Updates

The Android app just received update 4.36.6 last night, while the Apple update was available as of September 1st.

That might not seem like a big deal, but in order to use the updated Actually Smart Summon, you’ll need app version 4.36.6, so any Andriod users that received update 2024.27.20 with the new Summon, couldn’t use it until yesterday.

We’re sure Tesla is on it, but it’s disappointing to see that key feature updates take days or a week longer to receive on Android. Apple and Google both offer the ability to set a release date for an app update, so Tesla could coordinate releasing the apps at the same time.

Ultra Wideband Support

Unfortunately, there’s no Ultra Wide Band (UWB) support on Android yet, which is an interesting omission since it’s such a great feature. Most Android phones, flagships, and cheaper phones alike, all support UWB.

Without UWB support Android phones can’t use Tesla’s newest phone key, which is only available for devices that support UWB. The new phone key improves reliability for unlocking the vehicle and setting the correct Tesla driver profile. To support the new phone key, you need a compatible phone (iPhone 11 or newer) and a newer vehicle that supports ultra wideband.

Hands-Free Trunk

Tesla’s new hands-free trunk feature, which allows you to automatically open your trunk by simply standing behind it for a couple of seconds, also isn’t available on Android devices. Tesla’s Hands-Free Trunk requires UWB support too, and Tesla originally mentioned it was coming to Android in May 2024.

For now, those are the features we know of that don’t work on Android today, and we’re hoping that Tesla brings both UWB support, as well as simultaneous app updates to the Google Play and Apple App Store by leveraging each store’s publish date feature.

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