Tri-motor Cybertruck teased as Performance model by Elon Musk referring to its 'kickass' acceleration

Elon Musk managed to shed some light on the Cybertruck trim levels to expect at launch by tipping what one of the versions could be called. "I just drove the performance Cybertruck today and it kicks ass next-level," he wrote, perhaps referring to the top tri-motor AWD version that the Cybertruck will allegedly be released with.

A recent rumor claimed that Tesla employees who signed up for early Cybertruck deliveries have started receiving communication where they are being asked if they'd want the dual- or tri-motor launch options. This is essentially what Tesla does now with the Model X and Model S which are sold in two versions - both AWD - but one with two motors, and a tri-motor Plaid or Performance option.

In addition, a rumor from another source indicated that the first Cybertruck deliveries that Elon Musk is supposed to announce in the next weeks will go out to industry insiders and influencers. The source then went on to add that showrooms around the country will also get batches of those first deliveries, at the rate of 5 or 6 per location.

When said influencers asked about the final Cybertruck price, they reportedly got a range of "mid to high 70s" as an answer instead of a firm tag. When Tesla announced the Cybertruck, it listed three configurations:

• Single-motor RWD with 250-mile range, 0-60 MPH in 6.5s., 110 MPH speed, and US$39,900 price.
• Dual-motor AWD with 300-mile range, 0-60 MPH in 4.5s., 120 MPH top speed, and US$49,900 price.
• Tri-motor AWD with 500-mile range, 0-60 MPH in 2.9s., 130 MPH top speed, and US$69,900 price.

According to an industry analyst, the dual-motor would start from $59,900, while the version with extra motors will cost about $79,900. If that's the tri-motor "Performance" model that Elon Musk just teased, with the promised insane 2.9 seconds acceleration, a "mid to high 70s" price sounds entirely plausible.

Still, such a tri-motor Cybertruck price would be quite a bit higher than what Tesla announced at the beginning, before it pulled down all Cybertruck version information and only left the "up to" references for range and acceleration.

On the other hand, if Tesla prices the Cybertruck Performance version even a dollar under $80,000, it will make the truck eligible for the federal new EV subsidy of up to $7,500. The US government's tax credit will then essentially lower the tri-motor Cybertruck price very near to what it was listed for in 2021, before Tesla pulled all Cybertruck price tag references down.

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