Musk’s Cybertruck Is Already a Production Nightmare for Tesla

The Cybertruck hasn’t even hit the market yet, and Elon Musk already is lamenting that Tesla Inc. has dug its own grave.

Its stainless steel body may be able to withstand bullets and arrows, but it’s going to be a bear putting the panels together. It will be Tesla’s first high-voltage vehicle, offering the benefit of faster charging, but also potential pitfalls. And it will be Tesla’s only product dependent on in-house battery cells that are years behind schedule.

In these respects and others, the Cybertruck will be a big step backward from how Tesla has progressed in its approach to carmaking. The ...