Another day, another Elon Musk tweet to talk about. The Tesla CEO took to Twitter yesterday to announce that the much-delayed Cybertruck would be able to “serve briefly as a boat” but offered no other explanation or hints as to when the EV will go on sale.
Yeah, no. Don’t take your Cybertruck (when it arrives) into water. Anything can “serve briefly as a boat” if given a chance, but it’s the floating part that most struggle with. The Cybertruck hasn’t been released yet, so we can’t say for sure that it won’t float, but it’s safe to say that the vast majority of people shouldn’t try the stunt.
Cybertruck will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat, so it can cross rivers, lakes & even seas that aren’t too choppy
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 29, 2022
Though Tesla still holds the coveted EV market leader title, it hasn’t had the smoothest ride over the past few years. Musk revealed the Cybertruck at an event in late 2019, and the company promised a release date in 2021. We’re now almost done with 2022, and the truck hasn’t yet entered production. Spy shots and leaked videos have shown that Tesla has revised the design to include things that people need to have on the road, such as windshield wipers, but the truck’s release is now set for 2023.
At the same time, the Tesla Semi and Roadster are also behind schedule. Musk confirmed delays for the Roadster and promised delivery in 2023 but left the door open for further delays, noting that there could be no “mega drama” in 2022 for that to happen. Tesla revealed the Semi years ago and is expected to begin production late this year.
Supply chain issues and raw materials shortages have made it difficult for even the most established automakers to build enough vehicles to meet demand. For Tesla, obtaining the raw materials for batteries and other components has become more expensive, and the wait times to receive the goods are extended. Ford and General Motors have seen massive demand and extended wait times for the F-150 Lightning and Hummer EV, respectively, so it’s understandable that Tesla has struggled.
