If you somehow haven't been made aware, or if you have been in hibernation recently, there's been plenty of excitement and controversy surrounding Tesla's newest addition to their family, the Cybertruck.

This is also to be Tesla's first pickup truck, and wildly different than any person could've imagined, as even imaginative renderings pale in comparison to Tesla's choice for design when it penned the Cybertruck.

An ecstatic entry from a growing carmaker, into a largely utilitarian market. While it's presently too early to say for certain how good it actually is, my first impressions are very pessimistic, and certainly difficult to explain.

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Too bold for this world?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

To begin, we can start looking into the design, no doubt the most divisive aspect of the Cybertruck. From a marketing point of view, the design certainly helps it to stand out, against a sea of similarly-looking pickup trucks. For a newcomer company as Tesla, this will help them to compete better against other pickup trucks, such as the oh-so-popular Ford F-150, the best selling pickup truck, with a very loyal following.

Regardless, I do believe Tesla's design team would've been able to accomplish that same objective, without such a polarizing design; which, while it may attract many potential buyers, at least 146,000 of them in fact, it may also turn away most consumers who may want something more normal (the design of Rivian's R1T comes to mind ).

It appears as though Tesla's designers were confined by the use of 1980s CAD programming, and even by that standard, the Ferrari F40 has some curves to break up all the straight lines. I'm very keen to get some opinions from my fellow vintage petrolhead @heroldius, and my designer friend @midlet, on what they think about Tesla's first ever pickup-truck.

It's no secret that Elon Musk is a sci-fi enthusiast, and the Cybertruck does seem more fitting for the set of a dystopian cyberpunk reality than the real-world, with its polygonal lines, and no curves.

Another interesting aspect about the angular design, is concerning safety regulations. Surely, that rigid steel body, and those sharp edges would cause significant pain to anything it collides against? Already, we have seen the sharp rise of pedestrian deaths in road collisions, just as large and heavy SUVs begin to take over the roads, so how would the Cybertruck help to curb that?

Talking about pedestrian, there is another design element of the Cybertruck which doesn't make sense for most consumers, and that is Tesla's decision to use reinforced/armoured steel and glass. Unless the Cybertruck is to be marketed to the military, or law enforcement, or for those people who live under dangerous circumstances, why would anyone want armouring on their car?

This is a feature that makes no sense for 95% of consumers. By adding reinforced/armoured steel for the (unpainted) body, and glass for the (seemingly unarmoured) windows, wouldn't that make the Cybertruck heavier than needs be, which could have real-world consequences, such as decreased efficiency?

There has been some speculation as to the design choices. The one most compelling speculation, other than Elon's fascination with sci-fi, is related to manufacturing. It's a well publicised fact that Tesla has had some troubles with their manufacturing quality over the years. It would make sense that an angular car, without any paintwork, can be stamped and cut into angles with greater ease, and at a reduced cost.

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Absolutely electrifying.

With that in mind, everything else about the Cybertruck seems fairly good thus far. The interior is minimalistic, with what appears to be a marble kitchen top as a dashboard, equally as angular as the exterior. The steering wheel mimics the design which is more at home in a Formula 1 car than a pickup truck, and there are few buttons or nobs in sight, as every control is placed in the large infotainment display.

It also appears to be spacious inside, with generous headroom, and seemingly ample room for up to 6 adults, with 3+3 seating afforded by the lack of a central transmission tunnel. For the more pickup truck-y features, the Cybertruck has a towing capacity between 7,500+ lbs. (3.1 tonnes), to 14,000+ lbs. (6.3 tonnes), depending on the variant. Regardless of any variant you choose, the Cybertruck has a payload of up to 3,500 lbs. (1.5 tonnes).

The more impressive aspects of the Cybertruck are the things that you don't see, and bear in mind of course, there is little that was revealed so far. Firstly, you have the choice of a Single Motor RWD, Dual Motors AWD, or Triple Motors AWD. Consequently, this will result in a 0-60mph time of <6.5secs, <4.5secs, <2.9secs, with top speeds of 110mph, 120mph, and 130mph, respectively. The Cybertruck also aims to provide good range, even by Tesla's standards, of 250+ miles (400km), 300+ miles (482km), and 500+ miles (800km), respectively.

Alongside it, you are also able to purchase a Tesla-branded ATV, that can be fitted onto the truck bed. Contrarian to my impressions of the Cybertruck, an electric ATV makes perfect sense. As for delivery dates and pricing; the Cybertruck is to commence production in late-2021, with customers likely to get their hands on one in early-2022, with a starting price of $39,900 for the Single Motor, and up to $69,900 for the Tri Motor, without configurations. As with every Tesla, you may also pay extra to opt for additional (somewhat dubious) self-driving abilities.

Only time will tell how the Cybertruck will be received, and I'm certain it will continue to garner much attention. Until then, we can only speculate as to whether the Cybertruck will become a design icon, revered and coveted by automakers around the world, or whether it will come to meet the same fate as the DeLorean DMC-12 once did.

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Images sourced from Tesla, Rivian, Giphy

Thank you for reading! Share with me on what you think about the Cybertruck… should Tesla have just used a more ordinary design, and whether the Cybertruck is Tesla's golden goose? While you're at it, be sure to follow along @zacknorman97 for more, coming soon :-)