In March, during the reveal of the Tesla Model Y, an image of the possible Tesla pick-up truck was on the screen behind Musk, in it’s vague and cryptic glimpse, it was only shown for a few minutes to an audience completely unnoticed.
The image, shown below, is sketchy to say the least, but appears to be the front, or is it the back of their upcoming electric truck to be announced later this year. What it looks like, is really secondary, to what will it be able to do. Ask any agency owner and they will tell you, fuel is their highest expense. Might this be the answer to restoring profitability?
While Tesla has pushed back the production of it’s semi-truck production into 2020 out of its Nevada production facility, Elon Musk had also announced the coming of it’s long awaited smaller commercial sized pick-up truck later this year in 2019.
Described as having “cyberpunk overtones”, it is suspected to be stylistically challenging with squarish 80’s design influences.
Musk has given away very few details about the upcoming truck model, which he has been touting for some time now as being a developing product that he is very excited about, but assuming he holds true to his word, it will feature dual motors and “a suspension that dynamically adjusts for load,” as standard. Its range could be as high as 500 miles and will reportedly “crush the competition” in towing capacity, making a stab at the Dodge Ram, with a reported 300,000 pounds of towing capacity.
Musk has set the bar very high for Tesla’s upcoming pick-up, but the real questions should surround just how much it will sustainably tow, and at what cost to the overall range and drivetrain wear. The pickup was expected to have been ready for a sneak peek late this summer.
If customization to accommodate vehicle towing equipment is feasible, this could be a game changer. Obviously, other considerations will come into play, but none more than the price. Will the price of purchase, customization for towing, charging and maintenance be enough of an offset to fuel costs and similar expenses to make this a viable option?
The more attractive Dodge Ram styled version, offering a front tailgate and trunk, is clearly a more attractive truck, but, as previously mentioned, the devil will be in the details.
As is the issue with all Tesla’s, customization is practically impossible, but considering the multi-purpose nature of the truck, I would find it difficult not to imagine some upgrades or built-in functionality for it to accommodate a slide in unit for towing.
I think everyone in the repossession industry knows that 2019 will be a transformational year. There will be more consolidation, probably more agencies closing and definitely higher insurance rates. The emergence of a viably priced electric tow truck could provide for major relief from fuel expenses to a profit thin repossession industry. All of that is of course IF it lives up to it’s hype.
Kevin
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