Elon Musk launches new Tesla Cybertruck electric pickup truck starting at $39,900

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk-led Tesla has just anunced company's first pickup truck -- Cybertruck. Musk took a st at an event in Losa Angeles, California to anunce Cybertruck in 3  variants: Single Motor Rear-Wheel Drive, Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive and Tri-Motor All-Wheel Drive.

Tesla's new addition to its electric vehicles is to start at a whopping $39,9000 (about Rs 29 lakh). However, it won't be hitting roads until next to next year, probably late 2021. Any way, preorders can be placed on Tesla's website. Go check out tesla.com/cybertruck.

"Cybertruck is designed to have utility of a truck and performance of a sports car. vehicle is built to be durable, versatile and capable, with exceptional performance both on-road and off-road," company says.

Tesla launches Cybertruck in three versions

-- base variant, as y call it, is single-motor rear-wheel-drive. With a towing capacity of 7,500-pounds, this one can reach 0 to 60 mph in less than 6.5 seconds with 250 miles of range. It comes at price of $39,900.

-- Coming up next is middle variant in form of dual-motor all-wheel-drive with 300 miles of range and a towing capacity of 10,000-pound. It reaches 0 to 60 mph in less than 4.5 seconds. This one costs $49,900.

-- Last but t least, most expensive versions -- tri-motor all-wheel-drive -- reaches 0 to 60 mph in less than 2.9 seconds, featuring a towing capacity of 14,000-pound. It costs $69,900. However, this variant won't go into productions until late 2022.

With launch, Tesla is edging into most profitable corner of U.S. auto market, where buyers tend to have fierce brand loyalty.

Many pickup truck buyers stick with same brand for life, choosing a truck based on what ir mom or dad drove or what y decided was toughest model, said Erik Gordon, a professor at University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

“y’re very much creatures of habit,” Gordon said. Getting a loyal Ford F-150 buyer to consider switching to ar brand such as a Chevy Silverado, “it’s like asking him to leave his family,” he said.

READ | Elon Musk says new Tesla auto factory will be set up in Berlin

Musk unveiled in truck in a punk-show styled reveal event, showing off truck’s stainless steel body and super-strong “armour glass” windows. A sledgehammer did t make a dent in car’s doors.

But event went slightly awry while testing window’s strength. Metal balls hurled at car cracked two windows — though glass did t completely shatter into pieces.

“Well, maybe that was a little too hard,” Musk joked of throw.

(With AP inputs)