Tesla unveiled its very first pickup – the Cybertruck – years ago to much fanfare, but that model wound up facing years of delays before deliveries actually began. Since then, demand for the Cybertruck has waned – which is also the case with EV pickups in general, such as its rival, the Ford F-150 Lightning – prompting Tesla to cut production and offer discounts as a way to spur interest. Regardless, it seems as if at least one Tesla executive is interested in a proper Ford Ranger rival as well, one that’s perhaps something a bit more conventional when compared to the Cybertruck.
“For me, I personally would love to see a true competitor to the Ranger and the HiLux,” Tesla Australia country director Thom Drew told Drive in a recent interview. “I’d love to fill every category to meet the demand, right? Obviously. We have famously had a very small range of vehicles, so I know there are different ideas being bounced around, but I’m not privy to actual timelines or what’s coming through. As far as less expensive vehicles go, I know obviously our executive team have talked about this for some time. I expect we will see something soon, but again, they don’t tell me too much around what’s upcoming.”
Currently, Tesla doesn’t even offer the Cybertruck in Australia, though Drew noted that making a right-hand drive variant for that market wouldn’t be too terribly complicated. In fact, he noted that he’s “working pretty hard” to make that reality. “Cybertruck to one side – being the top end – I’d really love to see that. I have absolutely no insight as to if that’s coming, but as an Australian segment, that’s pretty key for us.”
If Tesla does ultimately decide to create a proper Ford Ranger rival, it could be facing off directly against a forthcoming all-electric version of that popular Blue Oval model, too. As Ford Authority previously reported, FoMoCo’s skunkworks team is currently developing a low-cost EV platform set to underpin a variety of future models – including, to start, a mid-size pickup of some sort, which may or may not wear the Ranger badge.
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