Non truck use cases for CT (or any truck)

[zantosh]

Ok so everyone, everywhere, has an opinion about the cybertruck but have we collectively stopped to ask why this truck should even exist?

So I was in my "office" thinking and I realized that the CT is actually quite a brilliant marketing gimmick. Let me explain.

The Model S and Model X are now old product lines. There have been incremental improvements and there will yet be more but as a line, it's old.

What would succeed it? Something that appeals to those segments, and hopefully a new segment. Hence the CT.

The CT has a bunch of features that overlap with the S and the X. Then it has the obvious truck features. All hard core truck enthusiasts have issues with what it supposedly can't do but in fact that is the point of the marketing angle. The more that truck enthusiasts take issue with it, the greater the relevance it is to the Model X market.

And tbh it does a lot of truck things just fine so it's no slouch but it's not a super duty or titan.

What does this mean?

1. Truck lovers give Tesla free marketing and publicity
2. Truck lovers highlight all the "shortcomings" of the CT to this market that won't buy another model truck today but will buy a CT because it's truck enough but SUV enough also
3. The technical features of the CT will appeal to Model S owners who are due to replace their vehicle due to a growing family or other changes in their lives
4. This vehicle will appeal to law enforcement in some way in the future and so we shouldn't ignore that revenue stream
5. Tesla will test out the new tech in the CT and then refresh the S and X lines

In summary, CT is less than perfect but it seems to have a combo of features that has been carefully put together. It may not be a combo that is intended for you but there is a strategy here that we will have to watch and see how it plays out.

 

[scottf200]

2. Truck lovers highlight all the "shortcomings" of the CT to this market that won't buy another model truck today but will buy a CT because it's truck enough but SUV enough also

Trucks have been evolving for decades LONG before Tesla. Now most are like SUVs with a short pickup bed.

 

[zantosh]

Trucks have been evolving for decades LONG before Tesla. Now most are like SUVs with a short pickup bed.

View attachment 1042367

Great point. IMHO the short bed is pretty useless and about the same as the trunk space in the X. The advantage I see in the CT config is that the interior is like an X in styling and quality while the bed is deep enough to put longer items e.g. bicycles, mattresses, IKEA boxes etc. Think soccer Dad stuff, not single guy stuff.

 

[EvilNuff]

The vast majority of pickups aren't used for "truck" things. From wikipedia:
87% use for shopping/errands
70% for pleasure driving
28% for personal hauling
only 7% for towing.

So the "truck things" narrative is just an overrated misinformation story. The CT fits the needs of over 90% of truck owners. So who cares about use cases.

 

[zantosh]

The vast majority of pickups aren't used for "truck" things. From wikipedia:
87% use for shopping/errands
70% for pleasure driving
28% for personal hauling
only 7% for towing.

So the "truck things" narrative is just an overrated misinformation story. The CT fits the needs of over 90% of truck owners. So who cares about use cases.

I guess that's my point, it's going to work just fine. It just looks different and it's electric so I think there's a valid point about the range being less than adequate but as far as all the other functionality goes, it appears to me that it'll be just fine as a truck but be more appealing to the SUV market.

 

[EvilNuff]

I guess that's my point, it's going to work just fine. It just looks different and it's electric so I think there's a valid point about the range being less than adequate but as far as all the other functionality goes, it appears to me that it'll be just fine as a truck but be more appealing to the SUV market.

Absolutely, the only thing that the CT really cannot (realistically) do is tow but no EV truck can tow because of range issues. Barring the upcoming Silverado of course because it has so much more range. So its really pretty simple, if you need to tow, don't buy an EV. If you don't need to tow then the CT fits everything you'll use your truck for.