AUSTIN, TEXAS – At a Tesla press conference today, Elon Musk announced a record-breaking contract with the Department of Homeland Security for 50,000 Tesla service vehicles. The vehicles, expected to be delivered later this year, will primarily consist of a new model from the electric vehicle company.
The new model was announced by Musk in an ambitious presentation involving country music, cold beer, and a 9mm pistol.
Reminiscent of the Cybertruck unveiling, the event began with a song by AI-generated country ‘band’ Breaking Rust, as the vehicle was driven out onstage by a cowboy hat-bedecked Musk. He stepped out of the truck holding a Lone Star beer, with a pistol strapped to his hip. “Yeah!” he began, holding the pistol and firing it into the window of the truck. The bullet penetrated the window, prompting the following response from Musk: “Oh my f–cking god. Maybe that was too hard.” He later clarified that the final model will have bulletproof windows.
The remainder of the unveiling centered around features of the vehicle. “This is the DieselTruck. We designed a liquid-based, uh, energy system that can be refueled in under five minutes at any of the nation’s 110, 115,000 fuel distribution centers,” he said. The company did not specify what the liquid-based energy system contains. Musk emphasized that the vehicle would not require charging infrastructure, calling it a “major step forward in energy independence.” He did not elaborate.
The truck is certainly unique looking, with a steel body-on-frame design, boxy styling, and four doors. “We embraced this kind of retrofuturistic approach where we really leaned into diesel culture,” said Musk. “It’s got true next-gen technology. Fuel tank cap, two-pedal driving, precision-engineered exhaust pipe. It’s got a high-output V6 twin-turbo engine and four-wheel drive.”
Tesla is known for its unique steering yokes, which are more oblong than circular in contrast to traditional steering wheels. The new DieselTruck yoke is no more conventional than previous models. In addition to the unique shape, it appears you can not only rotate it, but also pull it, twist it, shout it, and even bop it. It remains unclear whether you can pass it.
At press time, Tesla confirmed the vehicle would not be compatible with existing charging stations.