While the first electric car came in the 19th century, it was Tesla that established a foothold for electric cars in our times. The California-based company may have a competitive lineup of sedans and crossover, SUV models that run on electricity, but other manufacturers have now caught up. Tesla’s models are still selling like hotcakes, especially due to Elon Musk’s price cuts, though 2022 saw the Chinese manufacturer BYD, beating Tesla in terms of sales figures. It is worth noting that the Chinese brand’s BEV lineup is not limited to all-electric vehicles and includes hybrid vehicles too. With that said, Tesla is about to launch three new models in the coming years. These are the Cybertruck, Roadster 2.0, and the much-discussed, entry-level Tesla, and here’s how each of them will change the game in its respective segment.
Tesla Cybertruck
Tesla’s Cybertruck certainly isn’t news. Announced in 2019, Tesla’s first pick-up truck certainly divided opinions, and the consistent delays haven't helped. The main reason, however, was its design, which literally looks like something an eight-year-old kid would draw if you ask it to draw you a car. Of course, we can talk about figures like the range of 250 to 500 miles (400 to 800 km) on a single charge, the range-topping, tri-motor setup with 805 horsepower (592 kilowatts) – a quad-motor variant is also, reportedly, in the works - or the 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) time of 6.5 to 2.9 seconds, but it is the looks of the EV pick-up truck that are its most unique feature.
According to Elon Musk, the Cybertruck’s design was inspired by Blade Runner and James Bond’s Lotus Esprit from the “Spy Who Loved Me”. Musk actually, bought that very car, which in the movie doubled as a submarine. Apparently, water capabilities is another thing, the Cybertruck and 007 car have in common since, according to Musk, the Cybertruck can float as a boat for a limited time.
According to the latest reports, the Tesla Cybertruck will enter production by the end of 2023. If the model is a good seller, it would prompt others to take a page out of Tesla’s book. Instead of the traditional, body-on-frame structure, the Cybertruck features an aircraft-inspired, exoskeleton, which provides space for a larger battery pack. Another unique feature are the body panels, made out of 3mm, 30x, rolled, cold steel.
Even more impressive are the maximum payload of 3,500 pounds (1,600 kg) and towing capacity of up to 14,000 pounds (6.4 tons) for the tri-version, which are expected to be dwarfed by the quad-motor variant. A $69,900 price had been quoted for the tri-motor variant, but that was before Tesla’s price cutting, which means the Tesla Cybertruck pick-up truck will be a real bargain compared to the Ford F150 Lightning, which costs between $55,000 and $97,000 depending on the spec. More importantly, when Tesla’s chief designer, Franz von Holzhausen, was asked on Ride the Lightning podcast, if a “Cybercar” with similar design could happen, he replied “Possibly”. At this point, we don’t know if Cybertruck’s angular design will spill across the rest of Tesla’s lineup, but even so, the EV truck still smashes the design norms for the segment.
Tesla Roadster 2.0
Like the Cybertruck, Tesla’s second-generation Roadster has been delayed. The latest reports indicate production will start sometime in 2023. High-performance EVs are nothing new, but the Tesla Roadster 2.0 promises to be one of the quickest-accelerating, high-performance models and still have plenty of long-range capabilities to send range anxiety into oblivion.
Eventually, when the Roadster 2.0 arrives, it will boast a tri-motor setup good for at least 1,000 horsepower (746 kilowatts). Tesla says the 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) sprint is possible in 1.9 seconds while 100 mph (161 km/h) blazes by in 4.2 seconds. The most unique feature of the Tesla Roadster 2.0 is, without a doubt, the jet booster, which drops the 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) time to a staggering 1.1 seconds. At the same time, Tesla promises a range of 620 miles (1,000 km) and a top speed of over 250 mph (402 km/h).
There are very few high-performance EVs that boast similar figures as the Roadster 2.0. The Rimac Nevera, for example, does the sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 1.85 seconds and gets to 100 mph (161 km/h) in 4.3 seconds. Judging by these numbers alone, Tesla’s claimed figure of around 1,000 horsepower seems highly-underrated, given the Nevera has almost double that. Regardless, the upcoming Tesla Roadster will be the only EV with such high levels of performance that would offer a more practical, 2+2 layout.
The “Affordable” Tesla Model 2 Or Cybercar
It’s clear that with the recent price cuts, Tesla’s offerings will become an even bigger bargain compared to other high-end EV manufacturers. Furthermore, the company is working on a completely new platform that will underpin an entry-level Tesla. So far, we know that it will, likely, be called the Model 2 and will be a hatchback. It’s also going to have a starting price of no more than $25,000 and will be produced in much greater quantities than all current Tesla models combined.
Affordable EVs are very few and far between. This is especially true for those that have actual performance, but Tesla is looking to change that. By taking lessons from the production of previous models, the brand has optimized the production method in order to boost production output by 40 percent compared to 2022. Moreover, the Biden administration‘s GREEN act provides tax credit of up to $7,500, which means the entry-level Tesla could start from under $18,000. On Tesla Investor’s Day, it was confirmed that the entry-level Tesla will arrive sometime in 2025 and will be produced in Tesla’s plant in Monterey, Mexico. This will be the brand’s most important model as it will be the most mass-produced by a large margin and will make Tesla’s offerings available to a much broader spectrum of buyers.