We head to the Malaysian capital to snag a first look at Tesla’s controversial stainless steel-bodied Cybertruck, and we ask THAT the important question…

PHOTOS: Lim WeiJie, Wynton Lee

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

So… what were we doing across the border? Well that’s a story we are working on. But here’s another interesting one. So, we made a stop in KL, to snag a first look at the Tesla Cybertruck.

For first impressions, the Cybertruck is slightly larger than it looks on paper. For scale, it is some 545mm longer and 172mm wider than a Toyota Hilux. The feature which would not likely go unnoticed is the stainless steel body, to which Tesla mentioned that the low-maintenance 300 series stainless steel panels (which while visually seem to be a nod to the DMC DeLorean), are cold-rolled thirty times, and formed into shape via a in-house developed “air bending” process. The result is an ultra hard body, which they claim is actually the vehicle’s exoskeleton. The strengthened body is matched with “Armour Glass” windows and windshields, the latter to which the peeps at Tesla claim is able to stop small calibre firearm projectiles.

But beyond being a definite conversion piece, the “truck” part of the Cybertruck is also fulfilled, as it is able to handle over a tonne of load, while the range-topping tri-motor AWD variant is able tow in excess of 6.3 tonnes. Globally (or more like where it is available), the Cybertruck is available in three variants. The base truck is powered by a Single Motor, driving the rear wheels, with a range of approximately 400km. The AWD Dual Motor has a range of around 480km. The Triple Motor AWD dubbed the “Cyberbeast” tops the line-up, delivering what Tesla claims is a range in excess of 800km, while doing 100km/h in just 2.7 seconds.

Charging is pretty quick too, with the AWD variant able to recover approximately 220km of potential mileage in just 15 minutes, with a charging speed of 250kW.

All Cybertruck variants are equipped with an adjustable adaptive air suspension which allows for 30cm of travel and 40cm of clearance (and also allows you to tip the vehicle forward or rearward for easier access), so that you can satisfy that go-anywhere urge; while steer-by-wire and rear steering provide more freedom of manoeuvrability. 

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If you are a fan of the minimalist interiors offered by current Tesla vehicles, the Cybertruck has kept to the same design principle. The only tech visible would be the 18.5-inch central infotainment touchscreen, and the rear 9.4-inch unit. But while the interior has been kept simple, it easily seats five in comfort.

So on asking Tesla about when the Cybertruck will be made available in Singapore. The short answer is it will not be sold here, nor will it be sold in Malaysia for that matter. But for sure, we cannot rule out a change in plans right?

Tell us your thoughts…

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