Added expense aside, the ability for all four wheels to steer would be invaluable on tight mountain road switchbacks, as well as maneuvering through areas with narrow and / or older street designs (Europe). It could conceivably allow the truck to “crab“ much like the rear axle steered tiller on a ladder firetruck. This ability would be useful with parking, negotiating obstacles in close quarters, and allow more-stable emergency maneuvering, say to avoid a crash. GMC, Audi, Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Lexus, and others already have - or had - models with 4WS...
and cost a $hitload for what it is worth. Option? Sure. (By that I mean if Elon becomes senile). As a standard feature...less than 2% of the buyers would use it .0005% of the time.
Its not that long. You won't need it. Just need to learn how to park a larger vehicle. Chevy or Ford (cannot remember which) offered an all-wheel steer option on their trucks a few years back. The only good use for it was backing trailers. I remember they had a commercial showing them backing a trailer going around and around in a figure-8 pattern at moderate speed. I doubt they sold hardly any. The other use for all-wheel steer is for high speed cornering performance. As in when you are pulling close to 1g at over 100 mph and you need to control the back end by turning the rear-steering the opposite of the turn (and only just slightly). Doubtful you will need that in your truck.
The newer Porsche 911's have all wheel steering. The rear suspension control rods can lengthen or shorten, effectively changing the direction of the rear tires.
The truck isn't any bigger than most full size trucks on the road and is smaller than a lot of trucks. There is a reason why other manufacturers have had ( the operative word being had) model with 4ws.
I definitely think 4-wheel steering is a viable option for the Cybertruck, it was an option on G.M trucks called quadrasteer for a few years and it was a fantastic system. It definitely made parking easier, and it definitely made trailing much much more stable. Currently ZF is revisiting the concept and it’s likely to part of the newest version 1/2 and 3/4 ton F-series. I absolutely think 4-wheel steering has a place on Cybertruck.
4 wheel steering on trucks helps with 1. turning into parking slot in parking lots with narrow lanes 2. turning right on intersections with tight corners and narrow lanes 3. towing at high-speed and lane change 4. low speed towing forward and turns 5. low speed towing backing up and turning Want extra cost option on Cybertruck 1. 5th wheel ( removable sail panels or version with no sails) 2. 4-wheel steering --------- Chevy's Quadrasteer: Four-wheel steering makes this rig ideal for tugging trailers. A Trailer Puller's Dream GM Quadrasteer added an extra 2,300 lbs towing capacity
Ford patents rear-wheel steering for F-Series pickup trucks By Joel Feder January 7, 2020 Fisker promises a $37,499 Ocean for 2021, but we have questions ** has info on how GM mishandled rollout of Quadrasteer feature * Will Rear-Wheel Steering Change The Game For Future Pickup Trucks? | Talkin' Trucks Ep. 66 With companies like GM developing Quadrasteer with the early 2000s and ZF working on rear-wheel steering technology now, is it time for the feature to make its way into modern trucks? Andre and Kent discuss rear-wheel steering, August 2019 truck sales and answer your questions. Sep 5, 2019
Ooops. wrong link for Ford patent article. Here is correct link Ford patents rear-wheel steering for F-Series pickup trucks By Joel Feder January 7, 2020 Ford patents rear-wheel steering for F-Series pickup trucks
Nexteer (Delphi Steering original maker of GM Quadsteer) now has Active rear wheel steering in video, skip to 09:40 Nexteer's New High-Output Electric Steering + Quadrasteer Still Alive! Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk 2020 July Quadrasteer Reborn? Here's How Engineers Make Your Truck Steer Like A Car! Nexteer TFLtalk Aug 12, 2020
The sails are structural. The Cybertruck would probably break in half if they were removed from the design. OK, I exagerate. But they would be very difficult to remove.
We do not know for sure if sails are needed structurally for the Cybertruck payload & tow ratings. Maybe it is but we do not have access to data Sail is needed for vault cover but if you need 5th wheel that probably much more important. Right now, without changes, the many many people that have 5th wheel trailers can not even consider the Cybertruck. There are huge profit margins that Cybertruck could get by getting customers that used to by F-250, Silverado 1500, RAM 2500
ZF produces steering systems for cars, trucks & buses Twice the steering power: ZF launches next generation AKC active rear axle steering system in volume production Latest Generation AKC offers rear steering angle of up to ten degrees Steer-by-wire" rear axle steering improves agility of longer electric vehicles 2020-Oct-14 Twice the steering power: ZF launches next generation AKC active rear axle steering system in volume production