It seems that as far back as 2006, Elon Musk had visions of producing all “major forms of terrestrial transport” under the Tesla banner. It should come as no surprise that a Tesla pickup truck would be in the mix at some point as pickups, in general, continue to sell millions of units annually. As an automaker, Tesla has experienced a series of setbacks but continues to benefit from their investors’ faith and willingness to buy into the company. One could argue that the withdrawal of the Mercedes-Benz X-class pickup could either open up the unique pickup truck market or spell doom for Tesla’s offering. 

What to expect from a Tesla pickup truck

There should be little doubt that the Tesla pickup will be different from any other truck available. A recent MotorTrend article reports that Musk is proclaiming the upcoming Tesla pickup truck will be a better truck than a Ford F-150 and a better sports car than a standard Porsche 911. Selling this truck to the existing pickup truck market may prove tricky, as Musk reveals that its appearance will be more “sci-fi” and will not look like a “normal pickup truck.” 

Sci-fi appearance aside, the Tesla pickup truck is definitely not going to be a normal pickup truck in any sense. Car and Driver suggests the Tesla truck could have an 800-volt system similar to Porsche’s Taycan EV. The Porsche system claims to allow the vehicle to travel 250 miles by connecting to a fast-charging system for only 15 minutes. Tesla’s current Model Y power technology can go up to 168 miles on a 15-minute charge. 

Inside EVs lists some of the statements, both official and speculative, about the Tesla pickup. The “$49,000 base” price point that Musk has planned for the truck seems to raise the most eyebrows, although it’s clear that the price goes up from there. Other specification speculation includes a range of 400 – 500 miles on a single charge and the potential for all-wheel drive with an electric motor for each axle. Load sensitive, dynamically adjusting suspension and “crazy amounts of torque” allowing the truck to tow more than any other full-size pickup by a substantial margin are also in the rumor mill.

Given Tesla’s dedication to safety and technology, it seems logical to assume that a Tesla pickup truck will be well built and provide all of the technologically advanced features available in other Tesla models. Upgraded options could include 12-way power-adjustable heated seats, premium audio with up to 14 speakers plus subwoofers and amps, satellite-view maps with live traffic visualization, internet browser, and auto-dimming, power-folding, heated side mirrors just to name a few. In addition, Tesla provides advanced driver-assist features that will undoubtedly be available on any pickup truck they would bring to market.

When to expect it

Rumor has it that Musk is predicting the truck will be “revealed” sometime in 2019 but if he holds true to what he puts on Twitter it won’t be available until after the Model Y, a compact crossover, is released. According to Tesla’s website, “Model Y production is expected to begin in late 2020 for North America.” It is possible that “revealed” could mean there will be a concept design released this year. It will be interesting to see what Tesla is able to offer when it finally does enter the full-size pickup truck market.

What’s next?

It seems apparent that the first Tesla pickup truck will not be available to the general public until sometime after 2020. It will be interesting once the final product is revealed to find out if any of the rumors are true. Until then the speculation will continue to increase the hype surrounding the Tesla pickup truck.