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| Tesla rolls out a Cybertruck-inspired ATV for kids |
When Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed a prototype of his futuristic Cybertruck in 2019, he ended the event with a surprise: a matching all-terrain vehicle, which rolled onto the stage and into the bed of the stainless steel, wedge-shaped pickup.
In a tweet the following day, Musk said a two-person electric ATV “will come at first as an option for Cybertruck.”
Supply chain constraints have delayed the launch of the Cybertruck, which was originally due this year, but a Tesla ATV has reached the market — just not the version of two years ago.
Instead, Tesla is selling a $1,900 electric quad bike for kids. Sales opened on Dec. 1 and, according to the order website, the vehicle is already out of stock.
The four-wheel ATV, designed by Radio Flyer in partnership with the Tesla Design Studio, is called the Cyberquad for Kids. Its styling is inspired by the Cybertruck, but unlike the pickup — which isn’t expected to enter volume production until 2023 — the Cyberquad for Kids will ship in a few weeks, according to the automaker. Deliveries are available only in the continental U.S.
The ATV is powered by a 36-volt lithium ion battery and has a maximum speed of 10 mph and a range of about 15 miles. Tesla says the vehicle is suitable for kids ages 8 and older.
As for a full-size Cyberquad for adults, Musk told shareholders in October that the ATV would “probably” be built at the same Texas factory as the Cybertruck.
“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,” he said.
“We will have a really low center of gravity because the battery pack will be down low, and I think we can do some things with the suspension, just make it really hard to roll this thing … because when ATVs roll is when bad things happen.”
— Leslie J. Allen
What you need to know
Ford caps F-150 Lightning reservations around 200,000 as production nears Ford Motor Co. on Wednesday stopped taking reservations for the upcoming F-150 Lightning electric pickup as it prepares to open its order bank for the truck next month. Ford CEO Jim Farley told Automotive News in November that reservations for the pickup were “approaching 200,000 units.” A spokeswoman on Wednesday echoed that same figure without giving a more precise number. The spokeswoman confirmed the end of the Lightning reservation system after a Ford customer who learned the news from a dealer shared it on an F-150 forum earlier Wednesday. Ford has not said how many Lightnings it will build initially, although it plans to ramp up to an annual rate of 80,000 in 2024, the vehicle’s second full year of production.
Biden to order end of gasoline-powered vehicle purchases for federal fleet by 2035 President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order vowing to transition to the acquisition of only zero-emission vehicles by 2035 for the federal vehicle fleet, the White House said. The U.S. government owns more than 600,000 vehicles. Biden’s executive order also pledges 100 percent zero-emission light-duty vehicle acquisitions by 2027, according to a fact sheet seen by Reuters. “The federal government will work with American vehicle, battery and charging equipment manufacturers and installers to transform its fleet into the largest zero-emission vehicle fleet in the nation, reaching 100 percent zero-emission vehicle acquisitions by 2035,” the fact sheet said.
Mobility is going big Trucks have been described as the backbone of the economy. With little fanfare, they’ve also become a smart platform for self-driving and electrification technology. The December issue of Shift, distributed with this week’s Automotive News, outlines the ways mobility is transforming the industry and the potential impact on truck-driving jobs and the supply chain.
Roundup
Self-driving tech company Robotic Research Inc. said Thursday that it has raised $228 million in its first round of outside funding. Lidar company Luminar is among the investors.
Stellantis says it will roll out hands-free Level 3 automated driving technology within its vehicles starting in 2024.
Intel to take Mobileye unit public in 2022.
Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess stays on to steer VW into electric future.
As EV prospects ramp up, Tesla veteran JB Straubel tears batteries down.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation issues 10 recommendations for public EV charging stations.
SAIC Mobility, Momenta ready public pilot of robotaxi service.
Brain food
EV era calls for unprecedented recycling effort, Automotive News editorial says.
Last mile
The new NBC sitcom “American Auto” features an early storyline about self-driving cars.