Connect with us

News

Tesla launches cheapest and longest range Cybertruck trim yet

The new Cybertruck trim features a single rear motor and 350 miles of range.

Published

on

Credit: Cybertruck/X

Tesla has launched the Cybertruck Long Range Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) in the United States. The vehicle was announced by the electric vehicle maker on social media platform X Thursday night.

The Cybertruck Long Range RWD is the cheapest variant of the all-electric pickup truck.

Cybertruck Long Range RWD Price and Range

The new Tesla Cybertruck trim is the most affordable variant of the vehicle yet, starting at $69,990 before incentives such as the $7,500 federal tax credit. With the federal tax credit, the Cybertruck Long Range RWD could be acquired for $62,490 before options.

In comparison, the dual motor Cybertruck Long Range All Wheel Drive (AWD) is priced at $79,990 before incentives, while the top of the line Cyberbeast is priced at $99,990 before incentives.

For its price, the Cybertruck Long Range RWD offers a range of 350 miles per charge if equipped with its 18’’ Standard Wheels. This is longer than the 325 miles of range offered by the dual motor Cybertruck AWD and the 320 miles of range offered by the tri-motor Cyberbeast. It can also add up to 147 miles of range in 15 minutes using a Supercharger, compared to up to 137 miles for the Cybertruck AWD and up to 135 miles for the Cyberbeast. 

What You Miss With the Cybertruck LR RWD

While the Cybertruck Long Range RWD offers the cheapest price and the longest range, it does offer fewer amenities compared to its more expensive stablemates. Its towing capacity is the lowest in the lineup at 7,500 lbs, and payload capacity is just at 2,006 lbs. It is also the slowest Cybertruck in the lineup, with a 0-60 mph time of 6.2 seconds.

Inside, the Cybertruck Long Range RWD features textile seats, tactical gray interior, and front heated seats. The vehicle is also equipped with a standard console and no 9.4” second-row display. The vehicle’s audio system is equipped with just seven speakers with no active noise cancellation as well. 

For its exterior, the Cybertruck Long Range RWD is equipped with a standard 6′ x 4′ bed with upgradable soft tonneau cover that adds 12 miles of range, headlamps with no signature lamps, standard bed lamps, and standard tail lamps. The LR RWD also does not have the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast’s 2x 120V and 1x 240V power outlet on the bed, or the 2x 120V power outlets in the cabin. Lastly, the cheapest Cybertruck trim is equipped with an adaptive coil spring suspension instead of the adaptive air suspension in the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast. This means that the Long Range RWD does not have adjustable ride height.

Credit: Tesla

What You Still Get with the Cybertruck LR RWD

Just like its more expensive trims, the Cybertruck LR RWD features a steer-by-wire system, a suite of eight exterior cameras, an AI4 computer for the latest and best version of FSD, and a powered frunk. It also features mechanical rear locking differentials, which should give it some fair performance off-road. Of course, the Cybertruck Long Range RWD also features Tesla’s industry leading active and safety features, which should make it one of the safest pickup trucks in the market.

First deliveries of the Cybertruck Long Range RWD are estimated to start at June – July 2025.

Advertisement
-

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

Advertisement
Comments

Elon Musk

SpaceX announces new Starbase for ‘thousands of Starship launches annually’

Published

on

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX announced today that it would expand its launch capabilities into a new U.S. state: Louisiana.

Today, SpaceX, in conjunction with the Louisiana Economic Development Office, said that it will establish a new launch facility, which it will call Starbase, Louisiana. It will be located near Vermilion Parish, supporting thousands of launches each year, at least eventually.

CEO Elon Musk commented by stating, “Starbase Louisiana will ultimately have over a dozen launch towers, enabling more than 30 Starship flights per day and making it the biggest launch site on Earth!”

The expansion is SpaceX’s latest move to push its launch cadence to be more frequent than ever. SpaceX said that Starbase, Louisiana, will be built to “support thousands of Starship flights a year,” with the first coming in 2029.

SpaceX announced the new facility in partnership with the Louisiana Economic Development Office as it will bring a major influx of jobs and investments into the area. Currently, it will produce more than 3,000 new jobs in Louisiana, and SpaceX plans to invest at least $100 billion into the entire facility, ensuring that many jobs are created as a result.

Environmental Responsibility

SpaceX acknowledges the impact launches could have on marshlands, local wildlife, and water sources. Here’s how the company plans to help with the issues in Vermilion Parish:

  • Restoring the Shoreline: “In Vermilion Parish, the shoreline is eroding between 3.3 and 23 feet per year. We’re partnering with state and federal agencies to expand Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan and Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act projects, including Gulf shoreline protection breakwaters designed to reduce wave energy and slow loss along the Gulf edge.”
  • Rebuilding the Marshlands: “In working with the state, we’re planning thousands of acres of marsh creation using beneficial-use placement of dredged material and offshore sediment sources. Restoration will also include interior marsh bank stabilization and rebuilding marsh in remnant canals. These projects can reconnect fragmented wetlands, restore natural buffers against storms, and return habitat that has been lost to erosion and historic canalization.”
  • Preserving Coastal Wildlife: “Pecan Island and nearby wetlands are high-value habitat for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, and other coastal wildlife. SpaceX is not developing the full footprint of the land and will preserve wetlands and wildlife habitat. At existing launch sites, waterfowl and other birds continue to use nearby habitat during operations. Working with wildlife agencies, landowners, and conservation groups, SpaceX will support monitoring and management so this habitat stays productive and hunting, fishing, birding, and other recreational activities that are part of this coast’s culture can continue.”

SpaceX shares rose about 2.5 percent on the news.

Continue Reading

Cybertruck

Tesla just made Cybertruck more expensive

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla Cybertruck trims saw a big price change, at least on two of the three available to consumers, as demand for the all-electric pickup appears to be increasing.

Tesla bumped up its Base All-Wheel-Drive trim level up to $74,990 from $69,990 and the Premium All-Wheel-Drive configuration from $79,990 to $84,990. The Cyberbeast price remains unchanged at $99,990.

Despite questions of demand for the truck, Tesla is bumping its two least expensive trims up $5,000 to signal that there are plenty of buyers. Although SpaceX has been buying Tesla Cybertruck units to utilize as company vehicles, it is no secret that the Cybertruck is among the most sought-after Tesla models out there.

The issue has always been pricing, at least for the most part. When Tesla initially launched the Cybertruck AWD at $59,990 a few months back, the company stated that price would remain intact for just ten days due to the influx of orders it received.

Cybertruck Sales: Is It the Product or Pricing?

Depending on who you ask, you will likely hear one of two explanations for relatively low Cybertruck sales: either the product itself or the pricing.

Yes, this is the best-selling all-electric pickup on the market. However, there are people who simply hate the look of it, which I understand, but do not agree with. Look is totally subjective, and I love the look of the Cybertruck.

Some people will not buy the Cybertruck because of the look, but I am under the impression that sales would be much better if this truck were priced lower; something that might not be possible considering Tesla’s need to make money on its products. When it was unveiled in 2019, its most expensive trim level was $69,990. Now, the cheapest trim level is more expensive than that.

I would be in a Cybertruck if it were more affordable. I LOVE my Model Y, but Cybertruck is the best vehicle Tesla makes, and it’s not particularly close. Even in the base model, the steer-by-wire, the space, storage, and performance make it more desirable than the Model Y to me. I cannot be the only Tesla owner without a Cybertruck who feels this way.

If you’re interested in buying a Tesla vehicle, use my referral link.

Continue Reading

Energy

Tesla Semi factory is getting a celebration nobody expected

Tesla will inaugurate its Nevada Semi factory September 24, five months after production quietly began ramping.

Published

on

By

Tesla says it will officially inaugurate its new Semi factory in Nevada next month. The Tesla Semi account posted the announcement on X, sharing a graphic titled “Semi Rollout” with a date of September 24. No further details were given about the format of the event or who would attend.

While Tesla’s dedicated Semi plant in Sparks, adjacent to Gigafactory Nevada, opened back in April, with the first trucks rolling off the high volume line on April 29, the timing for the factory inauguration comes at a surprise. The ribbon cutting event five months into production is a break from how Tesla has usually handled its other factories, where the first truck or car off the line typically served as the milestone moment.

The 1.7 million square foot factory was built as part of a $3.6 billion expansion Tesla announced in early 2023, and it shares a site with the battery cell lines that feed the Semi’s structural pack, a decision meant to remove the supply bottleneck that delayed the truck for years. The plant is designed for 50,000 trucks a year at full ramp. Semi program director Dan Priestley has said production “is now ramping” rather than claiming it has reached scale.

Nine years passed between the Semi’s 2017 unveiling and this stage of production, with the truck slipping from an original 2019 target through hand built pilot units for PepsiCo and a slow build out of the Nevada plant. An inauguration event now gives Tesla a stage to talk up that ramp and reset expectations for how many trucks it can begin delivering at scale.

The September date also lines up with the Semi’s next milestone. Tesla confirmed the truck is heading to Europe with a full unveiling at the IAA Transportation trade show in Hannover, Germany, running September 15 through 20. Between the Nevada event and the Hannover reveal, Tesla has roughly a week and a half in September to make the case that the Semi is now a truck being built and sold on two continents rather than tested in a handful of fleets.

Continue Reading