The internet has been abuzz with news about the Tesla Cybertruck over the past week. Some people love it while others hate it but regardless of your personal opinion, it’s impossible to deny that it has already made a big splash and is bound to sell in huge numbers.
One of the major criticisms leveled against the Cybertruck since its production debut relates to the range. Tesla initially said the flagship model would cost $69,900 and have 500+ miles (805+ km) of range but in reality, it starts at $99,990 and has a 320-mile (515 km) range. Customers who want more range than that can order a so-called ‘Range Extender’ that increases range to a claimed 470+ miles (756+ km). This Range Extender isn’t cheap.
Read: The Production Cybertruck Pales In Comparison To Tesla’s Earlier Promises
While Tesla provided little to no details about the range extender during the Cybertruck’s live unveiling, it has since been revealed that it is an additional battery pack that sits in the bed of the pickup. Information hidden within the source code of Tesla’s website indicates that this additional battery will set back shoppers an eye-watering $16,000, meaning the price of a Cybertruck with a near-500-mile range has effectively jumped from a promised $69,900 to $115,990.
Technical details about this additional battery haven’t been announced. However, InsideEVs has calculated that it likely has around 47 kWh of useable storage which would require approximately 575 of Tesla’s 4680 battery cells. These cells alone will weigh approximately 450 lbs (204 kg) and the casing of the pack and other necessary parts means it could weigh between 550 lbs (250 kg) and 600 lbs (272 kg).
If true, this means that the Range Extender battery pack will not be something that owners can easily fit and remove when needed. In all likelihood, some special machinery will be required to install it. While it does give the Cybertruck significantly more range, it also fills roughly one-third of the bed, decreasing the practicality of the truck. Not ideal, then.
