The Tesla Cybertruck unveiling is just a few hours away. Social media posts indicate that attendees are now gathering in Texas. Even Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who recently made headlines after a fiery and controversial interview at The New York Times DealBook Summit, has been pretty quiet on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Needless to say, the anticipation surrounding the Cybertruck is discernible. Quite impressively, Tesla has actually been able to keep pretty much every important detail about the Cybertruck a secret. Even the details of the vehicle’s unveiling event have been kept under wraps, with invites only including a general schedule for the occasion.
Elon Musk, however, has made it no secret that the Cybertruck’s delivery event is among Tesla’s most important. In his DealBook Summit interview, Musk went so far as to state that the Cybertruck launch would be the “biggest on Earth this year.” These statements definitely give the impression that the Cybertruck’s delivery event is an important occasion — one that could make Tesla into an event more notable company today.
Amidst all this excitement, we at Teslarati are expecting a number of highlights from the upcoming Cybertruck first delivery event. Here then are the top five things we are hoping to see in the Cybertruck launch.
Tomorrow… pic.twitter.com/TFQY4xczEo— Tesla (@Tesla) November 30, 2023
Specs and more specs
Tesla has done a stellar job of keeping the Cybertruck’s specs under wraps. Despite the large number of Cybertruck sightings over the past months, practically no leaks about the all-electric pickup truck’s key information have been shared online. In the upcoming event, Tesla will most definitely share the specifications of the Cybertruck, from its range to its performance, special features, and accessories.
-->Steel Ball Test 2.0
The Tesla Cybertruck unveiling became meme-worthy partly due to the failed steel ball test conducted by CEO Elon Musk and Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen. The Cybertruck’s Armor Glass cracked when it was struck by the ball during the test, much to the shock of the audience and Musk himself. Tesla later clarified that the Cybertruck’s window was damaged by an earlier sledgehammer test, but the failed steel ball test was already immortalized in internet memes by then.
In a way, the Cybertruck’s steel ball test is unfinished business for Tesla and executives like Elon Musk. Thus, it would not be surprising if the EV maker conducts another steel ball test during the upcoming Cybertruck first delivery event. Hopefully, the test succeeds this time around.
Cybertruck Delivery Event https://t.co/rWd111HvHc— Tesla (@Tesla) November 29, 2023
Future Feature Teasers
Tesla is known for having industry-leading tech and features on its vehicles. The company is also known for announcing features that will be rolled out at a later date. This was the case with the Tesla Semi, whose Convoy Mode, which was announced in late 2017, is still yet to be released to consumers’ trucks today. Being Tesla’s newest and potentially most disruptive car to date, the Cybertruck will likely be announced with some notable features, some of which will also be released in the future.
Other Trim Details
When the Cybertruck was initially unveiled, Elon Musk noted that the all-electric pickup truck would come in three trims: a single-motor RWD version, a Dual Motor AWD variant, and a Tri-Motor AWD version. Elon Musk also hinted at a potential Quad-Motor variant later on, though details about the potential trim have been scarce. In the upcoming Cybertruck delivery event, Tesla would likely clarify the all-electric pickup truck’s final lineup, as well as each trim’s target release date.
Test Rides
Tesla held test rides with the Cybertruck when it was unveiled in late 2019. Considering that the vehicle is now ready for consumers, it would also not be surprising if Tesla offers test rides in the production Cybertruck for the first delivery event’s attendees. Test rides would likely be appreciated by the event’s attendees, as it would provide them with a firsthand experience with the all-electric pickup truck.
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News
Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
Tesla will expand its factory shuttle service in Germany beginning January 4, adding direct rail trips from Berlin Ostbahnhof to Giga Berlin-Brandenburg in Grünheide.
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
New shuttle route
As noted in a report from rbb24, the updated service, which will start January 4, will run between the Berlin Ostbahnhof East Station and the Erkner Station at the Gigafactory Berlin complex. Tesla stated that the timetable mirrors shift changes for the facility’s employees, and similar to before, the service will be completely free. The train will offer six direct trips per day as well.
“The service includes six daily trips, which also cover our shift times. The trains will run between Berlin Ostbahnhof (with a stop at Ostkreuz) and Erkner station to the Gigafactory,” Tesla Germany stated.
Even with construction continuing at Fangschleuse and Köpenick stations, the company said the route has been optimized to maintain a predictable 35-minute travel time. The update follows earlier phases of Tesla’s “Giga Train” program, which initially connected Erkner to the factory grounds before expanding to Berlin-Lichtenberg.
-->Tesla pushes for majority rail commuting
Tesla began production at Grünheide in March 2022, and the factory’s workforce has since grown to around 11,500 employees, with an estimated 60% commuting from Berlin. The facility produces the Model Y, Tesla’s best-selling vehicle, for both Germany and other territories.
The company has repeatedly emphasized its goal of having more than half its staff use public transportation rather than cars, positioning the shuttle as a key part of that initiative. In keeping with the factory’s sustainability focus, Tesla continues to allow even non-employees to ride the shuttle free of charge, making it a broader mobility option for the area.
News
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y dominate China’s real-world efficiency tests
The Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km.
Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y once again led the field in a new real-world energy-consumption test conducted by China’s Autohome, outperforming numerous rival electric vehicles in controlled conditions.
The results, which placed both Teslas in the top two spots, prompted Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun to acknowledge Tesla’s efficiency advantage while noting that his company’s vehicles will continue refining its own models to close the gap.
Tesla secures top efficiency results
Autohome’s evaluation placed all vehicles under identical conditions, such as a full 375-kg load, cabin temperature fixed at 24°C on automatic climate control, and a steady cruising speed of 120 km/h. In this environment, the Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km, as noted in a Sina News report.
These figures positioned Tesla’s vehicles firmly at the top of the ranking and highlighted their continued leadership in long-range efficiency. The test also highlighted how drivetrain optimization, software management, and aerodynamic profiles remain key differentiators in high-speed, cold-weather scenarios where many electric cars struggle to maintain low consumption.
Xiaomi’s Lei Jun pledges to continue learning from Tesla
Following the results, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun noted that the Xiaomi SU7 actually performed well overall but naturally consumed more energy due to its larger C-segment footprint and higher specification. He reiterated that factors such as size and weight contributed to the difference in real-world consumption compared to Tesla. Still, the executive noted that Xiaomi will continue to learn from the veteran EV maker.
“The Xiaomi SU7’s energy consumption performance is also very good; you can take a closer look. The fact that its test results are weaker than Tesla’s is partly due to objective reasons: the Xiaomi SU7 is a C-segment car, larger and with higher specifications, making it heavier and naturally increasing energy consumption. Of course, we will continue to learn from Tesla and further optimize its energy consumption performance!” Lei Jun wrote in a post on Weibo.
-->Lei Jun has repeatedly described Tesla as the global benchmark for EV efficiency, previously stating that Xiaomi may require three to five years to match its leadership. He has also been very supportive of FSD, even testing the system in the United States.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reveals what will make Optimus’ ridiculous production targets feasible
Musk recent post suggests that Tesla has a plan to attain Optimus’ production goals.
Elon Musk subtly teased Tesla’s strategy to achieve Optimus’ insane production volume targets. The CEO has shared his predictions about Optimus’ volume, and they are so ambitious that one would mistake them for science fiction.
Musk’s recent post on X, however, suggests that Tesla has a plan to attain Optimus’ production goals.
The highest volume product
Elon Musk has been pretty clear about the idea of Optimus being Tesla’s highest-volume product. During the Tesla 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Musk stated that the humanoid robot will see “the fastest production ramp of any product of any large complex manufactured product ever,” starting with a one-million-per-year line at the Fremont Factory.
Following this, Musk stated that Giga Texas will receive a 10 million-per-year unit Optimus line. But even at this level, the Optimus ramp is just beginning, as the production of the humanoid robot will only accelerate from there. At some point, the CEO stated that a Mars location could even have a 100 million-unit-per-year production line, resulting in up to a billion Optimus robots being produced per year.
Self-replication is key
During the weekend, Musk posted a short message that hinted at Tesla’s Optimus strategy. “Optimus will be the Von Neumann probe,” the CEO wrote in his post. This short comment suggests that Tesla will not be relying on traditional production systems to make Optimus. The company probably won’t even hire humans to produce the humanoid robot at one point. Instead, Optimus robots could simply produce other Optimus robots, allowing them to self-replicate.
-->The Von Neumann is a hypothetical self-replicating spacecraft proposed by the mathematician and physicist John von Neumann in the 1940s–1950s. The hypothetical machine in the concept would be able to travel to a new star system or location, land, mine, and extract raw materials from planets, asteroids, and moons as needed, use those materials to manufacture copies of itself, and launch the new copies toward other star systems.
If Optimus could pull off this ambitious target, the humanoid robot would indeed be the highest volume product ever created. It could, as Musk predicted, really change the world.
Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y dominate China’s real-world efficiency tests
