Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made no secret of his plans to launch an all-electric pickup truck in the very near future. We could see it for the first time later this year, though it likely won't go on sale until 2021. But how much will it cost? The Tesla Model S and Model X aren't exactly cheap and even the Model 3 (and presumably the Model Y once it hits the market) can get pricey with added options. Well, Musk just made a revealing comment about the new pickup truck's starting price during an appearance on the Ride The Lighting Podcast.

Turns out that truck could be fairly affordable. "We don't want it to be really expensive. I think it got to start at less than $50,000 – it's got to be like $49,000 starting price max. Ideally less. It just can't be unaffordable," Musk stated. "It's got to be something that's affordable. There will be versions of the truck that will be more expensive, but you've got to be able to get a really great truck for $49,000 or less."

Compared to other pickup trucks, Musk's target base price is darn reasonable. He's also absolutely correct that it must be affordable for a majority of truck buyers. Where the Tesla truck will deviate from trucks like the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado, however, is design. Musk specifically stated during the podcast interview the truck's design will be very different from what we're used to:

"It's got to have incredible functionally from a load carrying standpoint, look amazing – but it won't look like a normal truck. It's going to look pretty sci-fi. That means it's not going to be for everyone- like if somebody just wants to have a truck that looks like trucks have looked like for the last 20 to 40 years, it's probably isn't for them."

Musk also confirmed a previously released teaser image at the Model Y premiere was actually the truck's front end. In the past, Musk said the truck will have a "Blade Runner-like" design and that some people will think "it doesn't look much like a truck." What Musk did promise is a vehicle that'll be "better than (Ford) F-150 in terms of truck-like functionality."

Check out the cheapest new trucks.