Tesla Cybertruck’s 470-Mile Range Max Range Battery Costs More Than Just A Ton Of Money

Tesla has confirmed that the Cybertruck range extender – due sometime shortly – will not have removable hardware. Cybertruck engineer Wes Morrill said via X that “any range extender offered by Tesla will be structurally mounted so it’s safe in a crash,” quashing any claims that the range extender pack would be detachable.

The range extender option would increase the Cybertruck’s range by up to 130+ miles, which will come in handy for customers who drive longer distances or tow heavy items. However, clients who eventually opt for this will now have to sacrifice bed space, as the range extender takes up a fair chunk of the load bay – approximately one-third, according to earlier claims from CEO Elon Musk.

More Range, But At What Cost?

Electric trucks have many benefits. They’re more efficient than their ICE-powered counterparts, and they’re much quicker too (that doesn’t matter much, though). But in the real world, they fall short, with range figures dropping significantly when towing trailers and caravans. A range extender is a fine way of getting around the problem, but with the Cybertruck, this comes at the expense of cargo room – very important in a truck.

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Despite this, Musk says a Cybertruck with a range extender option would have plenty of space for cargo. While annoying, Morrill’s reasoning regarding safety makes sense. However, we wouldn’t blame customers for looking elsewhere, and perhaps considering a hybrid truck (like the Ford F-150) in the interim.

It Will Be Very Expensive

Introduced at the same time as the Cybertruck, the range extender will only be offered on the dual-motor Cyberbeast and AWD variants. In the latter, the range extender adds 130+ miles, for a final figure of 470+ miles. While that’s 30 miles short of Musk’s original 500-mile claim, it would push the Cybertruck beyond the Chevrolet Silverado EV in the range stakes.

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Pricing and availability for the range extender has yet to be confirmed, but Tesla’s source code suggests it will be a $16,000 option. That makes it very expensive; customers will have to fork over at least $95,990 in AWD guise. Whereas Tesla will bundle the Cybertruck with an electric range extender, rivals have gone for more traditional solutions. Ram, for example, is using a 3.6-liter V6 as a range extender in the Ramcharger. The engine isn’t actually connected to the wheels and acts as a gas-powered generator, allowing for a combined range of 690 miles. While that’s far better than the Cybertruck, fans of the electric vehicle would argue it is nowhere near as environmentally friendly, even though both trucks produce fewer emissions than a conventional truck.