Tesla starts taking configurations of $79k non-Foundation Cybertrucks
Over ten months after deliveries started, Tesla is now taking configurations for the non-Foundation series Cybertruck.
The first Cybertruck deliveries occurred on November 30th last year, so we’re just over ten months past that date.
As it often does, Tesla started fulfilling deliveries from the top down – it shipped higher-optioned, limited-edition models first, expecting to ship cheaper versions later. It did this previously with the Roadster, Model S and Model X, for example.
With the Cybertruck, this took the form of the fully-loaded “Foundation Series,” which is a package that includes several options and costs an additional $20k.
But unlike Tesla’s previous “Founders” or “Signature” series vehicles which had hundreds or a thousand vehicles in them, the Foundation series lasted much longer, with tens of thousands of trucks delivered with the optional Foundation package.
Originally, Tesla said that it would start delivering non-Foundation series vehicles months ago, but in July it pushed that timeline back to “late 2024”.
Well, now that time is here, as Tesla has started sending emails to reservation holders inviting them to configure their non-Foundation series vehicles, with an expected delivery timeline of Oct-Nov 2024 – so, within the next month or two.
The website’s standard Design your Cybertruck page only shows the Foundation series so far, but for those who have existing reservations, emails have started going out inviting them to configure.
It looks like these will likely be sent out in batches, and it’s likely that those who reserved earlier will get access first. So it may still be some time before everyone gets invited, depending on how long the mythical million-Cybertruck order backlog actually is.
Without the Foundation package, the All-Wheel Drive model starts at $79,990, and the Beast model starts at $99,990.
Despite the lower base price, which is under the $80,000 MSRP cap for the US Federal EV Tax Credit, Tesla makes no mention of the tax credit on its website. This could be just a clerical issue that will be sorted out, or it could be an actual issue preventing credit availability on the Cybertruck. We’d ask Tesla to clear this up, but, well…
The new base price of just under $80k is a nice ratchet downwards from the previously sky-high, six-digit-minimum price for the truck, but it’s still a far cry from what the truck was originally announced at.
Back in 2019, when the truck was first unveiled, it was promised at a starting price of $39,900 – half of today’s base pricing. Even the top-end tri-motor AWD version was predicted to cost $69,900, $10k less than the current base price. These models were supposed to be available in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
Tesla said in the past that it intends to release a further lower-end rear-wheel-drive-only version of the Cybertruck in the future, but it recently removed the single-motor option from its website. So it could be that “double the promised price” is the lowest we’ll ever see. Stay tuned.
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Chinese electric scooter manufacturer NIU Technologies (NASDAQ: NIU) is experiencing a remarkable surge in 2025, with its stock price nearly doubling year-to-date. This impressive performance is fueled by a significant increase in electric moped sales, particularly within its domestic market, despite facing challenges such as international tariffs and rising freight costs.
Domestic market is driving growth
In the first quarter of 2025, NIU reported a 57.4% year-over-year increase in e-scooter sales, totaling 203,313 units. Notably, 183,065 of these units were sold in China, marking a 66.2% increase compared to the same period last year.
This domestic growth was boosted by China’s consumer trade-in program, which incentivizes the replacement of older scooters with newer, more efficient models.
The company’s revenue for Q1 2025 reached RMB 682.0 million (approximately US $94 million), a 35.1% increase from the previous year. However, the average revenue per e-scooter decreased by 14.2% to RMB 3,354, indicating a shift towards more affordable models.
NIU CEO Yan Li explained: “In China, we are advancing our intelligent product development strategy by integrating automotive-grade technologies such as millimeter-wave radar, dual-channel ABS, and AI Smart Ecosystem to enhance the user experience. Our retail network has continued to expand in-line with our expectations, with new stores opening during the quarter. This synergistic combination of product innovation and omni-channel growth is driving measurable increases in domestic sales and market penetration.”
International challenges remain
While domestic sales certainly provided strong tailwinds for NIU, international markets still present challenges for the company. Sales outside China grew by a modest 6.4%, totaling 20,248 units. Factors such as US tariffs and increased freight costs were noted in NIU’s Q1 2025 earnings report as impacting international margins. Despite these hurdles, international sales contributed RMB 60 million (approximately US $8 million) to the quarterly revenue, a 22.4% increase year-over-year.
NIU’s gross margin declined to 17.3% from 18.9% in the same quarter last year, reflecting the pressure from international trade policies and logistics costs. Nevertheless, the company’s net loss narrowed to RMB 38.8 million, down from RMB 54.8 million in Q1 2024, indicating improved operational efficiency. While still operating at a net loss of around US 5.4 million, these numbers indicate a strong turnaround for the company – reflected by the nearly doubling of NIU’s stock price so far in 2025.
Looking ahead, NIU is anticipating continued growth and projecting Q2 2025 revenue to increase by 40% to 50% year-over-year. The company says it is also exploring strategies to mitigate international challenges, such as diversifying its production and focusing on markets less affected by tariffs.
As Li continued, “Globally, the market is undergoing structural shifts, with US trade policies experiencing increased volatility. However, we are leveraging innovation and agile infrastructure to mitigate geopolitical challenges, enabling sustainable global growth through proactive production adjustments.”
Electrek’s Take
If you’re a NIU fan like I am, this is great news that helps claw back some of the losses seen in the last couple of years. The entire micromobility sector has navigated choppy waters after the pandemic bubble burst, and NIU was certainly not immune to the drop in sales. But these numbers paint a promising return that industry analysts and scooter riders who depend on the company alike have been hoping for.
I visited NIU’s factory a few months ago and saw firsthand how much care and precision goes into building its millions of electric two-wheelers. That kind of in-depth look is rare in this industry, and it gave me keen insight into what separates NIU’s high-tech and high-design models from much of the industry.
Now it seems that sales are starting to catch back up to where such innovative pieces of tech deserve to be. Here’s to hoping for another good quarter to follow.
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On today’s sunny side up episode of Quick Charge, we take a look at the latest from the world of solar power, and discuss Congressional Republicans’ plans to limit your energy independence by eliminating a critical tax credit for homeowners nearly ten years early. (!)
We’ve also got a quick review of a massive solar farm powering 200,000 homes in Indiana and the biggest solar project East of the Mississippi – both part of a record 98% of all new power generation and grid capacity introduced in 2025 coming from wind and solar. Those are jobs, those are lower utility rates, those are energy independence … so why are Congressional Republicans working to make that more expensive?
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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A Waymo autonomous vehicle drives along Masonic Avenue on April 11, 2022 in San Francisco, California.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Alphabet’s Waymo unit has received approval to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service to more parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose.
In March, the company submitted a request to the California Public Utilities Commission to gain approval for its latest passenger safety plan, a key step in gaining permission to operate driverless vehicles across a broader area. On Monday, the proposed expansion was approved, allowing for Waymo’s driverless coverage to extend from San Francisco down through the Peninsula.
“We’re very excited to share that the CPUC has approved our application to operate our fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service in the South Bay and nearly all of San Jose!” the company wrote in a post on X on Monday. “While this won’t change our operations in the near-term, we’re looking forward to bringing the benefits of Waymo One to more of the Bay Area in the future.”
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