Tesla Cybertruck Production Costs Could Keep Tesla Ahead Of Rivals

The Cybertruck costs half that of the competition. Here's why.

Tesla Cybertruck

Steven Loveday

By: Steven Loveday

Jan 11, 2021 at 8:45am ET

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that the company's manufacturing edge will work to keep it ahead of other EV makers. This could prove very true when it comes to the Tesla Cybertruck.

According to a report on Teslarati, based on a Cybertruck cost analysis video from My Tesla Weekend, the Cybertruck will cost Tesla about half as much to produce as upcoming competing electric pickup trucks.

We know Tesla won't release the cheapest version of the Cybertruck for some time, but eventually, a $39,990 version will come to market. This price seems almost unbelievable when compared to the prices of rivals like the GMC Hummer EV and Rivian R1T, among others. Since Tesla will only produce and sell more expensive Cybertruck versions first, the company stands to see huge margins.

Tesla typically releases expensive versions of its cars first. People waited forever for the promised $35,000 Model 3. In the meantime, Tesla was making a sizable profit selling the pricier Model 3 configurations. The Model Y came to market in March, with a ~$50,000 starting price. Just last week, Tesla finally announced the launch of the $41,900 Model Y Standard Range.

As far as the Cyebrtruck is concerned, some of the reasons it may cost so little to produce are obvious as soon as you look at it. It's made of cold-rolled stainless steel, and it won't be painted. Not dealing with a paint shop saves time and money. Not to mention it won't need to rely on the large and expensive casting machines Tesla uses for other models. It also has a relatively basic interior, unlike the busy, luxury-grade cabins found in electric pickup truck prototypes from some competing brands.

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Sure, the electric pickup truck's wheels, tires, and suspension parts will come from suppliers, and likely won't contribute to cost savings over other manufacturers. However, Tesla stands to undercut rivals in other areas, such as glass, seats, battery cost, battery efficiency, and electric motors, which Tesla either makes in house, plans to make in-house, or produces as part of an exclusive partnership.