First edition Cybertruck will have four motors and crab mode, says Musk

The first Cybertrucks to be delivered to customers will have a quad motor configuration and be able to drive diagonally like crab, Tesla CEO and co-founder Elon Musk said on Saturday.

The revelation came in response to speculation about the reason for the removal of the configuration options on the Cybertruck order page.

Tesla has already removed pricing from the page, where the rule-breaking electric ute was originally priced starting from $US39,990 (about $A57,000) for a single-motor variant with 415km range, a top speed of a little under 180km/hr, and 0-100km/hr acceleration in 6.5 seconds when it was first unveiled a little over two years ago.

With no configuration options and no pricing, this has left Tesla watchers wondering what is going on – particularly since Musk recently claimed that the Cybertruck will be an “insane technology bandwagon” though its arrival – originally slated for late 2021 – will likely be further delayed by supply chain “nightmares”.

Musk has stepped in to clear up the matter, it would seem, saying, “Initial production will be 4 motor variant, with independent, ultra-fast response torque control of each wheel.”

Unsurprisingly, this not insignificant change to the Cyberttruck lineup has caused some consternation, as would-be customers asked if the configuration they registered for would stand.

While an answer for this has not yet been forthcoming from Tesla, one matter – what capabilities the new quad-motor option will have – has been elaborated upon by Musk.

“Could it turn like a tank,” Musk was asked.

“Will have both front & rear wheel steer, so not just like a tank – it can drive diagonally like a crab,” he answered.

Pricing for the quad-motor option is very much up in the air also. Originally, the most expensive option was a tri-motor variant that started at $US69,900 (almost $A100,000) with 800 kilometres of range.

Given the delay of the Cybertruck, it’s not surprising that Tesla would be considering upgrading the driving technology of the Cybertruck.

Its chief competitors, the GM Hummer EV and Rivian R1T, both offer groundbreaking ways of tackling all-terrain environments, with the Hummer EV being the first to offer crab mode, allowing all four wheels to turn diagonally in order to navigate difficult passes.

Equally, the Rivian is capable of what it calls a “tank turn”, in which it can circle on the spot just like a tank.

And with GM set to commence deliveries of its Hummer EV in December and Rivian stating first vehicles will be handed over to customers in early 2022, Tesla may just be giving its customers a reason to hang on just a little longer.