Up close with the Tesla Cybertruck in Chicago: Here’s how it went

Tesla Cybertruck deliveries in the U.S. have started, but with limited availability, most prospective customers can only experience them at public events. In January 2024, Tesla showcased the Cybertruck at the Washington, D.C. Auto Show, and now, it has brought the new electric pickup truck to the Chicago Auto Show, which opened on February 8, 2024, and will run through February 19, 2024.

Design & Features

The first-ever Tesla truck features a radical exterior design and a body that offers greater torsional stiffness than a McLaren P1, thanks to ultra-hard stainless steel. Tesla claims this steel helps reduce dents, damage, and long-term corrosion. I’m still not sold on the Cybertruck’s quirky looks, but after seeing the pickup truck on the road in California, I’m convinced it has the wow factor customers typically expect from a Tesla EV.

Tesla adopted a reductionist approach for the interior and designed a minimalist cabin with a sleek dashboard, super-compact steering, and bare minimum physical controls. The shape of the dashboard, steering, center console, and various other interior elements is angular to form a connection with the sharp exterior.

There’s no instrument cluster or head-up display in the Cybertruck. All the information is displayed on a massive 18.5-inch central touchscreen. I believe it could be distracting and inconvenient to have to look at the infotainment system to view the speed and other key driving information in downtown traffic. There’s one more touchscreen in the center, measuring 9.4 inches diagonally, but it’s in the back, entertaining rear-seat occupants.

I like the fact that the rear doors open up to 90 degrees, which makes ingress easy, and how the floor is flat, ensuring the passenger in the middle of the rear seat doesn’t have to compromise on under-thigh support. I’ve already explained in my first-look review of the Cybertruck how its rear seat is comfortable even for six-foot-tall people like me.

Specifications

Tesla has launched the Cybertruck in RWD, AWD, and Cyberbeast variants. The company says that the RWD variant will take 6.5 seconds for a 0-60 mph sprint and deliver a range of 250 miles. However, it plans to put this variant on sale only in 2025.

The AWD variant, packing 600 horsepower, accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.1 seconds and tops out at 112 mph. It can tow up to 11,000 pounds and deliver a range of 340 miles. Tesla says the mid-range variant has an energy consumption rating of 42.9 kWh/100mi.

The Cyberbeast variant, with 845 horsepower, cuts down the 0-60 acceleration time to just 2.6 seconds (with rollout subtracted) and bumps the maximum speed to 130 mph. It has the same towing capacity as the AWD variant, but it delivers a slightly lower range – 320 miles.

Customers can specify the bed of the Cybertruck’s AWD and Cyberbeast variants with a range extender option, which adds batteries into the bed for more range. This option boosts their range to 470+ miles and 440+ miles, respectively.

Also See: The Tesla Cybertruck looks like a UFO with wheels on it!

Prices

The Tesla Cybertruck retails at USD 60,990 in the RWD variant, USD 79,990 in the AWD variant, and USD 99,990 in the Cyberbeast variant. It competes with the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV RST, Rivian R1T, and the GMC Hummer EV pickup.