Huge orders for Cybertruck

AFP

Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk says Tesla has received nearly 150,000 orders for its new electric pickup truck since the automaker revealed the futuristic vehicle earlier this week to mixed reviews.

The Tesla CEO tweeted on Saturday that the company received 146,000 orders for the wedge-shaped “Cybertruck” since its unveiling on Thursday.

Musk said 17 percent of the orders are for the single-motor model, 42 percent are for the dual-motor version and 41 percent are for the tri-motor model. The launch of the Cybertruck pickup suffered a setback when its “armored glass” windows shattered in a much-anticipated unveiling. The overall look of the electric vehicle had worried Wall Street on Friday.

At the launch, Musk had taken aim at the design, power and durability of mainstream trucks, only to be shaken when the windows of Tesla’s new vehicle shattered while being tested.

The blunder overshadowed the launch, which was live-streamed from Los Angeles and made #cybertruck a trending word on Twitter. Some Wall Street analysts praised the launch but others doubted the futuristic design’s mass appeal.

Placing an order costs buyers US$100, which Tesla says is fully refundable.

Tesla has said the “Cybertruck,” which starts at US$39,900, will be in production in 2021.

The US pickup truck market is one of the world’s most profitable vehicle segments and is dominated by Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler.