Pharrell Williams arrived at a Louis Vuitton store in Miami in a Tesla Cybertruck, but the “Happy” singer was left grimacing after failing to parallel park the futuristic-looking electric car.
The award-winning producer spent about 10 minutes trying to squeeze the unwieldy 18.5-foot stainless steel SUV between two cars in the Design District last week before finally handing over the keys to a valet.
The sight of the world-famous pop star struggling to parallel park attracted a small crowd of onlookers, who immediately pulled out their cellphones and began snapping photos.
Farrell was one of the first celebrities to be spotted driving Elon Musk's much-hyped $61,000 electric vehicle. The EV finally went on sale late last year after several delays.
“This will definitely appeal to affluent customers who can afford the price point and want something unique and quirky,” said Jessica Caldwell, director of insights at automotive research firm Edmunds. he told Reuters.
“Especially in areas where interest rates are high, there’s not a huge segment of the population that can afford that.”
Musk, who has reportedly drawn concerns from company executives over drug use allegations, promised the trucks would be significantly cheaper.
In 2019, Musk estimated the Cybertruck could sell for $40,000. At the time, more than 1 million people paid a $100 deposit and were entitled to a Cybertruck once it rolled off the assembly line.
Instead, the company priced it more than 50% higher than the originally proposed MSRP.
Constructed from polished stainless steel and shaped like a flat plane, the truck is partly inspired by the car and submarine in the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. Mr. Musk said.
New body materials and unconventional styling increase production complexity and cost, experts say, and threaten to turn off traditional pickup truck buyers who value practicality.
But Musk has priced the three variants of the car between $60,990 and $99,990, saying the Cybertruck is “more practical than a truck” and “faster than a sports car.” ” he said.
The vehicle will enter the hot pickup truck market, competing with Ford's F150 Lightning, Rivian Automotive's R1T, and General Motors' Hummer EV.
The longest-range version of the Cybertruck can travel an estimated 340 miles and comes with a “range extender” or additional battery pack that increases range to 470 miles.
In 2019, Musk said the truck would be able to travel more than 500 miles on a single charge.
However, test drivers found the range to be less than 300 miles.
