Tesla Cybertruck reservations lower than expected

The number of reservations for Tesla’s Cybertruck is apparently much lower than expected. While fans had assumed over 700,000 reservations based on the analysis of reservation numbers, Elon Musk has now named a significantly lower number.

In an interview with Automotive News, Musk said that the number of Cybertruck reservations was “over 200,000”. This comes as a surprise since Elon Musk had already announced 250,000 pre-orders just a few days after the presentation of the Cybertruck in November. This presumably points to cancellations.

Since the 250,000 pre-orders were announced, no new figures have been presented until now. In January, Musk had only said that the demand was “unbelievable”. The Cyber Truck Owner’s Club allegedly bases its figures on the order numbers – everyone who pays 100 dollars or 100 euros in Europe receives such a number. Musk did not clarify whether Tesla has already assigned 700,000 order numbers. In the meantime, other US American companies have been revving up their hype on their electric pickup trucks such as Rivian, Lordstown, Fisker, Ford and Nikola even an Australian startup has presented an electric pick-up called the Yewt, none of which have yet hit the roads. While pick-up trucks are most popular in countries with wide-open spaces like the USA, Canada or Australia, countries in Asia and Europe are shorter on space making such a vehicle is less useful in urban areas. Also with these kinds of large personal electric vehicles, Tesla and other carmakers have also yet to address issues of excessive power consumption for the transport task at hand.

Now the Tesla boss said on Twitter that a smaller version of the Cybertruck for Europe was “very likely”. Already in November 2019, shortly after the introduction of the normal Cybertruck, Musk had indicated that it would “probably make sense in the long run” to also offer a smaller version of the Cybertruck. The current version is 5.66 meters long and offers six seats. Musk gave no indication of just how much smaller the model would be. Also in the interview with Automotive News, Musk apparently indicated that if the spacey design of the Cybertruck proves to be a little too experimental when push comes to shove, the electric carmaker would simply build a more conventional version.

Tesla turned electricity provider

Meanwhile, there is growing evidence that Tesla is planning its own electricity tariff. As the German publication Teslamag reports, Tesla recently conducted a survey among selected customers in Germany about energy tariffs, recharging electric cars, battery storage for the home and photovoltaics. The survey is said to have contained very specific questions that gave some of the participants the impression that Tesla is preparing a large-scale and holistic entry into the German electricity market. Presumably, the idea is to operate across Europe or even worldwide, according to Teslamag.

Among other things, questions included smart charging, but also very specifically about whether customers could imagine booking an “energy package” at Tesla, which would offer a one-stop power solution with photovoltaics, powerwall home storage, wallbox and electricity from renewable energy sources. In addition to entering the electricity market, it is also possible that Tesla wants to sound out the opportunities for solar roofing in Europe. Other media also speculated whether Tesla, with its supercharging tariff, also wants to enable charging at these conditions at the charging points of other operators and thus become a mobility service utility provider.

This thesis is supported by the fact that Tesla was officially approved as an electric utility company in Great Britain in June. Even after approval of the application submitted at the beginning of the year, it remains unclear what exactly Tesla plans to do with its classification as an energy company. The expansion of the solar product range is also considered possible, or that several home storage units could be interconnected to form a “virtual power plant”. Against the background of the possibly international survey, the application appears in a different light. It’s likely that further information will be forthcoming on Battery Day scheduled for September.

Much more long-term than September, in the interview Musk gave to Automotive News, he hinted that there might be a third gigafactory in the USA after Nevada and the Giga Texas, which is currently under construction. Musk said this would most likely be closer to the north, northeast and that at a “rough estimate” it could probably happen in four years.

To be more exact, it would be the fourth Gigafactory in the USA, since the former SolarCity factory in New York State is now called Gigafactory 2.

Including reporting from Sebastian Schaal, Germany

cnet.com, twitter.com (both Cybertruck), electrek.co, ofgem.gov.uk (both UK utility approval)