As the countdown clock on Tesla's Cybertruck webpage ticks down, showcasing nothing but the soon-to-be iconic logo of the much-anticipated Cybertruck, excitement builds for the monumental delivery event scheduled today.
Event Details and Streaming Info
Tesla has confirmed that the Cybertruck delivery event will commence at 2 pm CT (all times below) at the Tesla Gigafactory in Austin, Texas. This event isn't just a delivery ceremony; it's an opportunity for Tesla to unveil crucial details about the Cybertruck, including pricing, available configurations, and range. Potential customers and industry analysts eagerly await this information, as it could significantly impact Tesla's outlook for 2024.
Start Time
Tesla's live stream starts at 2:00 pm CT, which is the following times around the world:
12:00 pm Pacific Time
3:00 pm Eastern Time
8:00 pm London, England
9:00 pm Berlin, Germany
7:00 am (December 1st) Sydney, Australia
Event Agenda
All times are Central Time.
1:00 pm - Event Check-In
1:45 pm - Check-In Closes
2:00 pm - Keynote & First Deliveries
Exclusive Invites and Attendee Insights
Tesla has sent out official tickets to those invited to the event. Select attendees, including prominent Tesla community members and fans like Sawyer Merritt, Whole Mars Catalog, and Dirty Tesla, have shared their excitement on social media, showcasing their exclusive invites. The tickets indicate the limited capacity of the event and the unique access granted to some attendees through referral credits.
For those unable to attend in person, Tesla has ensured that the event will be accessible to a global audience. The company has announced that the event will be live-streamed on X.com.
Tesla is expected to hand over 10 Cybertrucks on Thursday. The event is expected to provide much-needed clarity on various aspects of the Cybertruck that have been shrouded in mystery - like the price.
Wall Street and Tesla enthusiasts are particularly keen on the pricing and configurations of the Cybertruck. These details are crucial for customers and investors, as they could provide insights into Tesla's market strategy and competitive positioning in the electric vehicle sector.
Cybertrucks Across the U.S.
Around 25 Cybertrucks have been spotted at Giga Texas in a build-up to the event. These unique vehicles have also appeared at Tesla showrooms across the U.S., attracting large crowds. The public's response to these showcases highlights the widespread curiosity and enthusiasm for the Cybertruck.
The Tesla Cybertruck delivery event is not just a milestone for the company; it's a landmark moment in the EV industry. With its futuristic design and promised capabilities, the Cybertruck has the potential to redefine the pickup truck segment.
Tesla recently showed off Giga Small Haus, an interesting new display project hosted at Giga Berlin. The small new house is located just outside the main entrance of Tesla’s Giga Berlin factory, with a Quicksilver Model Y parked inside.
Giga Small Haus is powered only by solar and Powerwall 3 - disconnected from the local grid and from Giga Berlin itself. It serves as a live demonstration of Tesla Solar and Tesla’s Powerwall battery backup.
Giga Small Haus
The centerpiece of the display is a Model Y in Quicksilver - a beautiful pick for a beautifully lit house. However, that’s not the real focus here - it's the Powerwall and Gateway on the wall.
The Powerwall is the focus of Giga Small Haus, and there’s a display with some additional information on the wall. Part of the display also includes a screen that displays the current output of the Powerwall itself versus the consumption of Giga Small Haus, as well as the input from solar.
The interior exhibit of Giga Small Haus
Not a Tesla App
The text on the exhibit is divided into several sections. Here’s a translated and edited version of what we can see from Tesla’s images. Some additional text is obscured. If someone visits Giga Small Haus, let us know.
Powerwall
Powerwall is a home battery system that stores energy from solar panels, the electrical grid, or during off-peak hours and powers your home during the day or during a power outage.
With Powerwall, you can use self-generated solar energy during the day and night, thus avoiding high electricity costs. You can also store excess energy produced during sunny periods for use during times of low production or power outages.
Key Features
Energy Storage: Powerwall stores excess energy from solar panels or the grid for later use or during power outages.
Backup Power: In the event of a power outage, Powerwall automatically switches to battery power to ensure continuous power supply.
Integration: Powerwall can be seamlessly integrated with existing solar systems and other power sources.
Scalability: Multiple Powerwalls can be installed to meet higher energy storage needs.
Smart Energy Management: Powerwall works with Tesla's software to optimize energy consumption and reduce costs.
How Powerwall Works
Storage: During the day, when solar panels produce more energy than needed, the excess is stored in Powerwall.
Usage: At night or during times of low solar production, the stored energy is used to power the home, reducing reliance on the grid.
Backup: During a power outage, Powerwall automatically provides power to critical circuits, ensuring continuous operation of essential appliances.
Benefits
Cost Savings: By storing and using solar energy, you can reduce your electricity bills.
Reliability: Provides backup power during outages, ensuring your home remains powered.
Sustainability: Promotes the use of renewable energy by storing excess solar production for later use.
Overall, Giga Small Haus is an interesting real-life demo of what Powerwall and Solar can accomplish. It would be neat if Tesla built more of these displays - perhaps near major Delivery and Service Centers and at Giga Texas, Fremont, Giga Shanghai, and other facilities. Many Tesla owners have yet to learn about and experience some of Tesla’s Energy products.
Tesla has added the Acceleration Boost option to the Tesla store for owners of the 2024 Model 3 Long Range - specifically owners in Australia and China. Acceleration Boost is an upgrade that provides a significant performance boost, drastically narrowing the performance gap between the Long Range and Performance versions of the same model.
This upgrade will likely become available in Europe, Canada, and the United States in the next few days as Tesla updates its shops globally.
Acceleration Boost
This new Acceleration Boost is retailing for $3,000 AUD, or approximately $2,000 USD. That’s the same price for current owners of older Model 3 or Model Y Long Range vehicles, which all have the option to purchase Acceleration Boost through the shop.
The boost provides improved 0-100km/h (0-60mph) performance, bumping the 2024 Model 3 LR from 4.4s to 3.8s. The 2024 Performance version comes in at a blazing fast 2.9 seconds, so while it isn’t equivalent to just buying a performance variant in the first place, it is still a noticeable and significant upgrade.
Performance variants also come with a different front fascia vent for cooling, performance drive units, sport seats, adaptive suspension, 20-inch wheels, and Track Mode V3. That’s a significant number of additional features in the $10,000 USD price difference between the Long Range and Performance versions.
Should You Buy It?
If you’ve purchased a Long Range model and are itching to go just that little bit faster at every red light, this is the upgrade for you. It previously came with the cost of slightly reducing vehicle range, but the Tesla store doesn’t make a note of reduced range this time around. The 2023 Model 3 and Model Y Long Range models had an efficiency loss of about 5% due to the additional always-available acceleration and cooling.
You could drive in Chill mode to mostly negate that efficiency loss, but what’s the fun in driving in Chill when you just got Acceleration Boost? Anyhow, the shop listing for the 2024 variant doesn’t include this detail, so it's possible Tesla may have worked some more engineering magic.
Overall, if you’ve got the $3,000 AUD burning a hole in your pocket, some Tesla referral credits sitting around, or just want to go faster, it's definitely an upgrade many users find valuable.
