One of Tesla's most unique EVs has gone almost completely unnoticed. The Tesla dirt bike is an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) companion to the Tesla Cybertruck, which was initially unveiled in November 2019. Customers who purchase the all-electric pickup truck will have the option to purchase the considerably smaller electric ATV as an add-on. The Cyberquad is small enough to fit in the back bed of the Cybertruck, according to press pictures.
The vehicle appears to be a first for Tesla, which has hitherto concentrated on automobiles and trucks. However, while initial speculation claimed the Cyberquad was just a slightly modified version of an existing ATV, Tesla CEO Elon Musk subsequently disclosed it has previously unknown advantages.
“The ATV is an interesting design challenge because ATVs are pretty dangerous,” Musk said at the annual Tesla shareholder meeting. “We want to make an ATV that is the least dangerous.”
Elon Musk at the shareholders meeting - October 2021
Tesla remained tight-lipped about the Cyberquad at the time of its initial introduction. Thanks to 110-volt and 240-volt outlets, Musk demonstrated how the ATV could be charged from the Cybertruck itself. Because of its 100 cubic feet of storage space, it can also fit in the back of the truck.
Tesla had previously stated that production would begin in late 2021, but that date has since been pushed back to 2022. Tesla's vice president of vehicle engineering Lars Morav stated during the firm's second-quarter 2021 earnings call in July that the business will enter the "beta stages" of Cybertruck manufacturing this year.
However, during the recent 2021 shareholder meeting, Musk stated that the Cybertruck will most likely begin production in 2022, with full volume manufacturing beginning in 2023.
While Tesla attempts to ramp up Model Y manufacturing at its Texas facilities, the Cybertruck and accompanying Cyberquad appear to be on hold for the time being. Future models were predictably high on the list of subjects discussed at Tesla's annual meeting of stockholders held in Giga Texas on October 7.
Elon Musk gave an update on the Cybertruck, Roadster, and Semi, all of which will be available in 2023—technically, the first Cybertrucks will roll off the Giga Texas assembly line in late 2022, but commercial production will begin in 2023.
Giga Texas, according to Elon Musk, will produce both the Cybertruck and the Tesla Cyberquad. Tesla's goal is to make the Cyberquad as safe as possible, according to the executive. ATVs are inherently dangerous vehicles; therefore, Tesla's goal is to make the Cyberquad as safe as possible.
“The ATV is an interesting design challenge because ATVs are pretty dangerous. And so, we want to make an ATV that is the least dangerous ATV... So, it will have a really low center of gravity because the battery pack will be down low. And I think we could do some things with the suspension and just make it really hard to roll this thing.”
A van is another vehicle Tesla is considering developing in the future. Musk said he's a great fan of the original VW Bus, which was "really cool," when asked about plans for such a vehicle. “I think over time, Tesla would make basically all major variants of vehicles, why not? One in every significant category.”
After a price boost for the Model 3 and Model Y earlier this week, the long-awaited Cybertruck is now the lowest-priced product in Tesla's range, at $41,100 based on the order site and today's $1,200 destination fee. The Cyberquad's price has yet to be determined by Tesla.
Cybertruck with the ATV
Musk revealed that Tesla will relocate its headquarters to Austin, Texas, confirming what he said in May 2020, when the company was embroiled in a legal battle with the government over the Covid-19 protocol. Tesla, on the other hand, isn't leaving California; Musk stated that the company will continue to expand its operations in the state, and that production at Fremont will actually increase.
Tesla's pilot plant in California is manufacturing enough additional, larger-format 4680 cells for Giga Texas to begin ramping Model Y production in 2022, according to the CEO. He didn't link that to the Cybertruck, but he has previously stated that they are necessary for the project due to their high energy density.
