Tesla is ramping up plans for its much-anticipated Cybertruck, aiming to manufacture 375,000 units annually, with release candidates expected by late August, according to supposed internal communications sent to suppliers, reports Electrek.
The futuristic-looking electric pickup truck, dubbed one of the most eagerly awaited electric vehicle programs slated for launch this year, has attracted around 1.5 million reservation holders. Both reservation holders and industry insiders have been keen to establish a delivery timeline and estimate production volume for this ground-breaking model.
Tesla’s most recent public communication about the launch timeline highlighted a planned delivery event around the end of the third quarter of 2023, which would suggest a late September date.
CEO Elon Musk, speaking at Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting, provided an estimate of the planned Cybertruck production volume, initially setting it at around 250,000 units per year. However, Musk also speculated that actual figures could fall anywhere between 250,000 to 500,000 units annually.
In the recent internal communications to suppliers, seen by Electrek, Tesla has urged its partners to gear up to meet a base production volume of 375,000 Cybertrucks per year. This is slightly more ambitious than Musk’s public comments at the shareholder meeting, but aligns with Tesla’s recent trend of frequently adjusting targets.
Earlier this year, the target was set to approximately 100,000 units lower. The 375,000 figure is based on production lines operating at 85% efficiency.
Regarding the production timeline for the Cybertruck, Tesla has informed suppliers that the first release candidates are anticipated by the end of August. Release candidates, which are vehicles built on the production line, represent the final stage prior to the official commencement of production. As per the current timeline, production is slated to begin in early October.
Tesla CEO Musk previously said a Cybertruck delivery event will be taking place later this year. It’s unclear if the first deliveries will go to employees only, or also orders placed for the truck from years ago now.
