We are not talking about a generator, but about an additional battery
Tesla has released a slew of details about the Cybertruck, confirming that the vehicle offers a range extender option.
The all-wheel drive Cybertruck with dual-motor all-wheel drive and the top-spec Cyberbeast with three-motor all-wheel drive will receive range extender options that will increase their range from 545 to 755 km and from 515 to 710 km, respectively.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk didn't mention the range extender option during the presentation, but later clarified in X that we were talking about another battery pack. Asked to explain what a range extender is, Musk replied: “An additional package that takes up about 1/3 of the truck bed. At the same time, you still have enough space for a large amount of cargo. It's designed for very long trips or towing heavy trailers.”
This is a completely different approach to past “range extenders” in electric vehicles, which were typically gasoline generators (or even all-gasoline engines) that served to assist or charge the battery. The BMW i3, Chevrolet Volt and the upcoming Ram Ramcharger truck all work this way.
It is not yet clear whether Cybertruck owners will be able to independently install and remove the additional battery if necessary.