Work Truck Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Tesla's Electric Pickup: Is It a Work Truck?

An up-close dose of Tesla’s Cybertruck from last night’s reveal in Hawthorne, Calif. answers some initial questions on whether it can function in a traditional fleet capacity.

Chris Brown
Chris BrownAssociate Publisher
Read Chris's Posts
November 22, 2019
Tesla's Electric Pickup: Is It a Work Truck?

The night of broken glass: In the event’s soon-to-be legendary “uh-oh moment,” Musk asked Tesla’s chief designer, Franz von Holzhausen, to test the window strength by throwing a steel ball at it. It broke, twice.

Photo by Chris Brown

4 min to read


Holy cow that was one heckuva party. Famous movie cars, a Vegas club laser show, a Ramen bar, an alcohol bar, Dr. Megavolt getting zapped by a giant Tesla coil, a hologram introduction, and of course, Elon Musk. The event — held Thursday night at Tesla’s Design Center next to SpaceX in Hawthorne, Calif. — was fanboy heaven. As it was meant to be.

Ad Loading...

And then there was the truck, which crawled on stage from an alternate universe or a Paul Verhoeven movie. In the default universe, new vehicle models are first teased as concepts in the cliched glamour of a traditional auto show. By the time the production model drives into showrooms, the concept has morphed from inspirational to utilitarian. We accept this bargain.

Ad Loading...

Whatever images were leaked or conjured of the Tesla Cybertruck, the model we saw onstage was more cyberpunk, more polarizing, more, more, more everything than the pre-reveal speculations.

Elon Musk, the other star of the show.

Photo by Chris Brown

First off, the look: The truck is more futuristic mini troop carrier than pickup. It’s got so many sharp angles you might get impaled. The truck’s profile forms a near-perfect 120-degree angle peak from the front grille to the rear tailgate. Traditional headlights have given way to a thin bar projecting a sliver of light. Any outward display of pickup truck-ness is concealed by an angled tonneau cover that covers the bed.

Form over function? I can just see the engineers at Knapheide with arms crossed and quizzical stares. With its angled sides, the Cybertruck is not designed for rack and bin packages, truck caps, ladder racks, or wheel well toolboxes — at least traditional ones.

With those angled sides, it’ll be much harder to swing tools and gear into the bed. Access is better served from the tailgate, removing traditional pickup functionality.

There is a pickup truck bed under there, somewhere.

Photo by Chris Brown

Let’s be clear, what rolled onto stage may not exactly be what rolls into driveways in late 2021 or early 2022. (And we’ve played Tesla’s waiting game before.) When I jumped on stage and beelined to the truck, I was caught by security before I could touch the supposedly bulletproof stainless-steel alloy compound.

Ad Loading...

The specs, however, are eye popping, at least on paper. The truck can carry 3,500 lbs. and maxes out towing at 14,000 lbs., putting it in the range of a ¾-ton pickup. The all-wheel drive truck will be available in single-, dual-, and tri-motor versions, which offer 250-, 300-, and 500-mile ranges. The tri motor is purportedly able to do 0-60 in 2.9 seconds. Wow.

The Tesla Cybertruck is already polarizing the pickup market — as Tesla intends.

Photo by Chris Brown

The price reveal — $39,900 for the base model — drew approving gasps from the crowd, particularly as there was speculation the truck would retail for just shy of $50k. But let’s be real, whatever price tag Elon Musk tosses out on stage is disassociated with the reality of supply and demand and the vehicle itself.

The Tesla Model 3 came with a well-publicized $35,000 base sticker, which is still only a phantom for the great majority of buyers. The Cybertruck, with more range, an unbreakable skin, and able to tackle extreme off-road tests like the Rubicon (said Musk onstage), is leaps ahead in the engineering department.

The max price of $69,900 for the tri motor feels more like the range this truck will play in for the foreseeable future. As a comparison, the almost-production ready Rivian R1T electric will start at $69,000.

Is this — could this ever be — a work truck? Work trucks don’t live in polarizing environments, particularly when they need to deal with all types of customers with whom contractors and plumbers interact. Who knows, companies like Red Bull will look to make a statement in the Cybertruck.

Ad Loading...

On the passenger side, fleets can soon look forward to more Model 3 sales, and Model Y (compact crossover) sales down the road. For the Cybertruck, we’ll have to wait to see how production specs, pricing, and customer acceptance fare before anyone touches it in a work capacity. That might take a while.

Some speculated on the show floor that the Cybertruck could be an off-road pursuit vehicle. If I’m to be arrested in any vehicle, I suppose it’d be that one.

Originally posted on Charged Fleet

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

More Green Fleet

Kalmar Ottawa electric terminal tractor drives on a paved roadway with an operator in the cab, showcasing the zero-emission yard truck in an outdoor commercial fleet setting.
Green Fleetby News/Media ReleaseJuly 24, 2026

WTC Group Expands Sustainable Operations with Kalmar Ottawa T2 EV Fleet

Commercial adoption of the Kalmar Ottawa T2 EV terminal tractor continues to grow as customers add the zero-emission yard tractor to their fleets. WTC Group has placed an order for a Kalmar Ottawa T2 EV.

Read More →
A man in a blue blazer stands beside a ROUSH CleanTech truck and propane autogas fueling dispenser at an industry trade show.
Green Fleetby Lauren FletcherJuly 23, 2026

Where Propane Autogas Fits in Today's Fleet Fuel Strategy

Learn more from PERC's Joel Stutheit, as he explains why propane autogas remains a practical alternative for fleets seeking to reduce emissions without sacrificing operational flexibility.

Read More →
Schneider Electric Charge Pro Level 2 AC commercial EV charger mounted in a parking garage, with an electric vehicle parked nearby. Promotional graphic highlights the Charge Pro charging solution for commercial electric vehicle fleets.
Green Fleetby News/Media ReleaseJuly 22, 2026

Schneider Electric Simplifies Commercial EV Charging with New Charge Pro for the U.S.

Schneider Electric’s updated Charge Pro Level 2 chargers deliver reliable, flexible charging for multi-unit dwellings, fleets and workplaces, as well as public and destination charging locations such as hotels and retail centers.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Cover of the "Top 50 Green Fleets" report presented by Automotive Fleet and Inspiration Fleet, featuring an aerial nighttime photo of a lit highway interchange with looping ramps.
SponsoredJuly 16, 2026

The Top 50 Green Fleets

The List Is in: The Top 50 Green Fleets

Read More →
Two ChargePoint fast-charging stations branded ONVO stand in a roadside charging area, flanked by signs reserving parking for electric vehicles while charging.
Green Fleetby News/Media ReleaseJuly 14, 2026

ChargePoint and Onvo Expand Highway Fast Charging Across the Northeastern U.S.

ChargePoint is working with Onvo, a locally owned travel plaza brand headquartered in Pennsylvania, to install ultra-fast EV charging stations at locations in the Northeastern U.S.

Read More →
Graphic featuring the Mack logo, a map of Canada, and two orange Mack LR Electric refuse trucks outside the Kingston manufacturing facility, highlighting Mack’s electric truck operations in Canada.
Green Fleetby News/Media ReleaseJune 29, 2026

The City of Kingston Celebrates Purchase of 2 Mack LR Electric Refuse Trucks

The City of Kingston, Ontario, Canada, a municipality with a vision of being “Canada’s Most Sustainable City,” recently showcased two Mack LR Electric refuse trucks following their successful deployment in 2025.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Promotional graphic for a TruckChat interview at an industry trade show featuring Mike Wade of E.J. Ward. Large text reads “At the Show” and “One Partner. Every Solution.” Wade stands beside fleet fueling or charging equipment, discussing integrated fleet technology and fuel management solutions.
Green Fleetby Lauren FletcherJune 9, 2026

Fuel Management's Next Evolution Centers on Connected Fleet Technology

Learn how fleets are integrating fueling, telematics, tank monitoring, EV charging, and data systems to improve efficiency and visibility.

Read More →
Illustration of alternative-fuel commercial vehicles, including a shuttle bus, pickup truck, and delivery truck branded Landi, set against a green landscape with wind turbines, trees, and city buildings, emphasizing sustainable transportation and clean energy.
Green Fleetby News/Media ReleaseJune 8, 2026

Landi Technologies Achieves CARB Certification of Ford 7.3L RNG/CNG Platform

Landi Technologies has gained CARB certification of its Ford 7.3L Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) platform for the Ford E-450, F-450/550/600, F-650/750, and F-53/59 platforms.

Read More →
wheel geotab image
SponsoredJune 1, 2026

Turning Connected Vehicle Data Into Decisions That Matter

Fleet leaders have more data than ever, but turning that data into clear, actionable decisions remains a challenge. This white paper shows how leading organizations are using connected vehicle data to improve safety, reduce costs, and optimize fleet performance. Learn how to turn insight into action across your fleet.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
fleetio coast pay
SponsoredMay 29, 2026

Are You Tracking Your Fleet's True Total Cost of Ownership?

Bobit Business Media surveyed 190 fleet professionals and found that while most fleets are tracking costs, fragmented systems and data gaps are keeping true TCO visibility out of reach. With rising pressure to control spend in an increasingly volatile environment, the gap between what fleets think they know and what the data actually shows is wider than you might expect. See how your peers are managing costs today and where the industry still has room to improve.

Read More →