Even after four years in the oven, the Tesla Cybertruck may still be half-baked.
A photo posted on the Cybertruck Owners Club forum of the vehicle’s dealer spec sheet shows that the much-anticipated electric truck will have a towing capacity of up to 11,000 pounds. This figure is significantly lower than what was promised by the company’s CEO, Elon Musk, when he unveiled the EV in November 2019.
It should be noted that an 11,000-pound towing capacity is more than respectable for a battery-powered pickup. If the spec sheet is accurate, the Cybertruck will be able to tow as much as one of its main rivals, the Rivian R1T, and 1,000 pounds more than another, the Ford F-150 Lightning (the upcoming Chevrolet Silverado EV will also tow 10,000 pounds), according to Car and Driver. But this figure is quite a bit lower than the 14,000 pounds Musk quoted for the most powerful, three-engine version of the EV when it made its public debut. It also looks like the Cybertruck’s towing capacity will soon be surpassed by that of the Ram REV 1500. The Detroit manufacturer claims that its pickup will be able to tow 14,000 pounds.
The towing capacity isn’t the only specification that came in lower than promised on the spec sheet. The same photo shows that the Cybertruck will be able to carry a maximum payload of 2,500 pounds. This is better than the competition – the R1T’s payload capacity is 1,760 pounds and the F-150 Lightning’s 2,235 pounds – but 1,000 pounds less than the mark first mentioned by Musk. It’s also less than the REV 1500’s claimed payload of 2,700 pounds.
Tesla did not respond to Robb Report’s request for comment on Tuesday morning.
Towing and payload aren’t the only promises Tesla has struggled to keep with the Cybertruck. The EV will have an angular stainless steel body, as promised, but the feature has led to major difficulties, according to the Wall Street Journal. The material is particularly difficult to shape, which has led to numerous fit and finish issues. It also remains to be seen whether the Cybertruck will be able to “briefly serve as a boat”, although a video posted on Reddit suggests it can at least drive through a few inches of water.
