Tesla’s long-anticipated Cybertruck received’t be seeing full quantity manufacturing till 2024, Elon Musk mentioned throughout the firm’s fourth quarter earnings name in the present day.

Through the name, Musk was requested whether or not the forthcoming car would meet a mid-2023 manufacturing goal that was set in Q2 final yr. Musk cagily confirmed that Cybertruck manufacturing would begin “someday this summer time,” however concluded that mass manufacturing of the polarizing pickup received’t begin till subsequent yr. “I all the time attempt to downplay the beginning of manufacturing,” Musk mentioned. “It will increase exponentially, however it is vitally sluggish at first.”

Cybertruck was initially introduced in 2019 to widespread curiosity, however has seen its manufacturing delayed a number of instances. Pre-production was initially supposed to start out in late 2021, however was delayed on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then slated for someday in 2023, a projection made a yr in the past. Moreover, final yr Musk informed traders Cybertruck’s specs and value “might be completely different,” (learn: might be costlier).

As a comfort prize, Tesla revealed on Wednesday that it has began putting in the manufacturing gear wanted for the Cybertruck’s meeting, together with the castings that may produce the electrical pickup’s physique. The Cybertruck is predicted to be largely manufactured on the firm’s Gigafactory in Austin, Texas.

Trade specialists warned that the timeline wanted to be sped up to ensure that the Cybertruck to have its desired impression. “Cybertruck might be hitting an more and more crowded sector of the EV market amid the F-150 Lightning, GMC Hummer EV, Rivian R1T, and sure the Chevy Silverado EV and RAM 1500 EV following intently behind,” mentioned Edmunds govt director of insights Jessica Cawell in an e-mail to The Verge. “The draw back for Tesla is that the Cybertruck virtually looks like outdated information.”

There’s nonetheless lots of consideration on the Cybertruck after its over-the-top unveiling that launched its aggressive, submit apocalyptic design. Perhaps if Tesla throws extra metallic balls round it could possibly get manufacturing rolling.