Mere days after removing the Cybertruck’s pricing and specifications from its website, Tesla has announced that they are testing new Cybertruck prototypes.

During its Q3 earnings release, Tesla was approached about the status of their upcoming Cybertruck. To this, the company confirmed that they have built a number of alpha Cybertruck prototypes and are currently testing them.

“As you may have seen recently in social media, we’ve built a number of alphas and are currently testing those to further mature the design. And while those point out a few key additions like rear steering, there are also a number of smaller or less visible improvements, though the product is largely true to the initial vision. We’ll continue to work through the product in the beta stages that we’re in now and look to launch [the Cybertruck] by next year.”

— Lars Moravy, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, Tesla

The good, the bad, and the Cybertruck-ly

The fact that the final product will, for the most part, be faithful to the original Cybertruck unveiled in 2019 is good news. However, that doesn’t mean everything will be left untouched.

To the chagrin of many, Tesla has opted to include removable side mirrors. Now, the keyword here is “removable.”

As Elon Musk says, automakers must attach side mirrors to their automobiles. In the US and Canada, all new vehicles must have an externally mounted rear-view mirror on the driver’s side. 

“As we’ve mentioned before, after Model Y in Austin, our next product launch will be Cybertruck, and that timing depends on increasing cell capacity both from our suppliers and through our in-house cell, as well as many other headwinds we face in supply chain and completing our currently full plate of products on the table.”

Tesla Q3 2021 Financial Report

As you can see in the video below, the Cybertruck prototypes do indeed include side mirrors. However, you can also see the rear steering function mentioned by Lars Moravy during the Q3 2021 Financial Results.

Tesla is already casting the Cybertruck’s initial exoskeleton and will launch the Cybertruck next year. Worth noting is that the company is no longer talking about the launch as being delayed until late 2022.