Tesla Cybertruck orders pass 1.6 million – report

A North American report has suggested the Tesla Cybertruck has received a mind-boggling 1.6 million estimated orders since late 2019 – and the figure continues to climb almost a year before the first example of the electric pick-up is due to roll off the production line.

In the US, Tesla allows customers to place a $US100 ($AU148) refundable deposit on the Cybertruck, representing a funding boost of more than $US160 million ($AU236 million) in deposits alone for the company.

It’s worth noting those who have placed a deposit on the Cybertruck can back out of the deal and get their money back at any time, raising questions about how many of Tesla’s electric pick-ups will be purchased.

Tesla fans in Australia were offered the ability to put down a deposit for $150 from the time order books opened in 2019 until May 2022. 

If the reservation tracker’s estimates are correct, orders for the Tesla Cybertruck are almost one-and-a-half times greater than the US electric-car giant’s annual production capacity. 

Last year, Tesla reported it produced more than 936,000 electric cars. Between January and September 2022, the company claims to have produced approximately 908,000 vehicles.

The Tesla Cybertruck was unveiled as a concept in late 2019, with the electric-car giant allowing fans to put down a deposit on its controversial electric pick-up shortly after.

In August 2021, it was estimated more than 1.25 million deposits for the Tesla Cybertruck had been placed in less than two years.

In July 2022, Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed the controversial and delayed Cybertruck is scheduled to enter production “[in the] middle of next year” – a target repeated last month.

Last month, a new prototype of the Tesla Cybertruck was filmed at the electric-car giant’s factory in Austin, Texas, previewing the production vehicle’s rear-end design.

Overseas reports earlier this month claimed mass production of the Tesla Cybertruck won’t begin until the end of next year, after the first example is due to roll off the production line in the middle of 2023.

Elon Musk recently announced the final Cybertruck prices will be “different” from those announced in late 2019, due to far higher material and production costs, as well as record inflation.

When it was revealed, Tesla quoted a starting price of $US39,900 ($AU59,200 today) for an entry-level, single-motor Cybertruck, with the dual-motor version increasing to $US49,900 ($AU74,000 today), while the flagship tri-motor topped out at $US69,900 ($AU103,600 based on today’s currency conversion rates).

According to the Tesla Reservation Tracker, 44 per cent of Tesla Cybertruck customers have registered their interest in the mid-range dual-motor variant, with 41 per cent opting for the flagship tri-motor pick-up.

While 7 per cent of the orders have been placed for a single-motor Cybertruck, 7.9 per cent said they wanted a quad-motor electric pick-up – despite Tesla not announcing any official plans for such a variant.