Tesla Cybertruck: Specs And Tow Capacity Unveiled

Comparing Electric Pickup to Rivals

Official characteristics of the current Tesla Cybertruck have been unveiled, giving us a better prospect of what to anticipate from this electric pickup.

The unmistakable sign posted at the San Diego Tesla showroom verifies that the angular Cybertruck is capable of carrying and moving sizable objects in its truck bed, totalling a commendable 2,500-pound limit. And it doesn’t end there; the made-in-Tesla pick-up can tow an impressive 11,000 pounds. This all sounds fantastic, but how does this electric vehicle (EV) measure up against its US-made rivals from Ford, General Motors (GM), and Ram that are popular on the highways?

In terms of cargo hauling capability, the Cybertruck outperforms all its gasoline powered competition. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 can pack up to 2,260 pounds depending on which engine is specified and what configuration is selected. At maximum, some models offer a capacity of only 1,500 lbs. The Ford F-150 fares worse, providing a mere 2,455 pound maximum load.

A sign at United Technologies Center Mall unveiled confirmation of the #Cybertruck’s capability to handle 2500 pounds of payload and 11,000 lbs of towing. The visual was shared as a tweet associated with this news.

With the launch of the MY2024 facelift being celebrated, the F-150’s uppermost load rate was surprisingly cut back by 860 lbs due to the deduction of the Heavy Payload Package from its selection. But about Ram? Is it feasible for the 1500 to carry more weight than the Cybertruck? Sadly, no – the 2024 model offers a peak load percentage of 2,300 lbs.

And Tesla’s CyberTruck is victorious still, even when put up against electric competitors. To demonstrate, the Ford F-150 Lightning only has a maximum hauling capacity of 2,235 pounds with their Standard Range battery, and 1,952 lbs when packing the Extended Range battery. The Chevrolet Silverado Electric Vehicle outdoes it again by having an extremely limited payload capacity at only 1,300 lbs.

The Rivian R1T and GMC Hummer EV Pickup do not come close to the pulling power of the cybertruck. While this would seem to make for an easy win for Tesla’s armored vehicle, how does it measure up against its rivals in terms of towing?

As indicated, the Cybertruck can haul up to 11,000 lbs, which is adequate. In contrast, it cannot compete with its petrol-operated counterparts. The re-worked Ford F-150 can pull up to 13,500 lbs with its modernized design, and slightly less at 13,300 lbs for the Silverado 1500. Even though the Ram 1500 lags behind its longstanding rivals at 11,580 lbs, it still outperforms the Tesla.

The Rivian R1T is equivalent to the Cybertruck concerning hauling capability, yet the Silverado EV and F-150 Lightning fall behind both of them by 1,000 lbs. Despite its husky presence and hefty mass, the Hummer EV has the least relative power with 8,500 lbs.

Bypassing the battery-driven competitors for a spell, the Cybertruck is found wanting in yet another area. As we’ve observed, while towing a trailer, an electric truck’s range is diminished noticeably, rendering it less functional compared to gasoline-powered trucks, especially for long excursions.

It is uncertain to which edition of the Cybertruck these stats will relate. Tesla presents two models, a dual-motor arrangement and a tri-motor version, which each offer multiple capability choices. Documents provided by the NHTSA demonstrate that the former has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) between 8,001 to 9,000 lbs, compared to the latter’s GVWR range of 9,001 and 10,000 lbs.

Anticipation is running high ahead of the November 30 delivery of Tesla’s highly-awaited Cybertruck. After having been unveiled four years ago, the electric vehicle giant has finally put the wheels in motion for its launch. Though there are sure to be further spec. announcements forthcoming, only time will tell whether Tesla’s innovative strategies will be enough to capture a major slice of the vehicle market.