Pre-orders for Tesla's Cybertruck hit 200k in three days

While the big reveal of Tesla’s Cybertruck didn’t entirely go to plan, the pre-orders are starting to pour in for the company’s polarizing pickup. Thousands upon thousands have laid down a deposit in the three days since its introduction, according to CEO Elon Musk, who has also hinted at some forthcoming features for what he’s dubbed the “official truck of Mars.”

There were quite a few talking points to emerge from the Cybertruck launch, with the on-stage shattering of its armored glass proving a particularly popular one. There was also an over-the-top light and laser show, a sharp triangular design that nobody saw coming and the battering of an innocent door panel with an actual sledgehammer.

Tesla Motors

Another was the surprisingly low cost. Pricing for the Tesla Cybertruck begins at US$39,900, while higher-specced versions with longer range will carry price tags of $49,900 and $69,900. This has been warmly received by future customers, with 146,000 laying down a refundable $100 deposit to get their names on the pre-order list within 72 hours of the Cybertruck's introduction.

At the time of writing, At least 200,000 had laid down the cash. Just for the sake of context, this is already more than the amount of Model 3s Tesla was able to build and ship in all of 2018.

Noting that the average daily mileage for a car in the US is 30 miles (48 km), Musk also stated on Twitter that Cybertruck owners will be able to add a solar charging option, which will enable the car to generate 15 miles (24 km) of extra range a day. This may be upped further through the addition of solar wings that could provide enough extra juice to travel 30 to 40 miles (48 to 64 km) per day.

Musk also shared a video of the Cybertruck heading uphill with a F-150, Ford’s highly popular pick-up truck, and offered an explanation for the armored glass gaffe.

Source: Twitter

Update 9pm November 24, 2019: The original article stated pre-orders had reached 187,000. A tweet from Musk three hours later revealed they had reached 200,000. The article and headline have been updated to reflect this figure.