500 mile range? LOL

[Earl]

I wonder how it will be temperature controlled?

powerwall has its own thermal management. That is a solved problem.

 

[ucmndd]

powerwall has its own thermal management. That is a solved problem.

A Powerwall has a max charge/discharge rate of 5kw per 13.5kwh of storage.

Scale that up to the ~50kwh estimate to enable the extra range advertised and you'd have a max charge/discharge rate of ~20kw to stay within the thermal envelope of a Powerwall (which also has active heating and cooling, clearance requirements, etc. that sure don't seem possible within the confines of a pickup truck bed given the render).

I'd estimate power output would need to be at least double if not triple that of a Powerwall for this thing to be useful for heavy load towing.

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

it really does seem to need a coolant loop to function properly.

It could just have its own system. Duplicating other systems.

powerwall has its own thermal management. That is a solved problem.

Sure. It’s a bit different application since there’s no way to predict when charging will be required, though. Is it going to have multiple kW of heating capability like the truck itself does (skipping preconditioning for a Supercharger isn’t catastrophic right now, though obviously preferred), in order to heat up rapidly to allow fast charging?
How much self-heating can a Powerwall do? (I knew it had its own system but I know nothing about the specs.)

 

[ucmndd]

Range extender is already patented…

By Rivian

Rivian already has a patent on Tesla's Cybertruck 'range extender'

Tesla delivered the first Cybertrucks yesterday, and with that delivery event came the revelation that in order to get the...

electrek.co

 

[ThomasD]

If you need to park the Cybertruck in a residential Garage because you can't or don't want to park on the Street or in a Driveway, where is someone going to store the range extender Battery? Then you have to have a way to get it in and out of the Truck. I think the range extender will be a permanent part of the Truck.

 

[jebinc]

If you need to park the Cybertruck in a residential Garage because you can't or don't want to park on the Street or in a Driveway, where is someone going to store the range extender Battery? Then you have to have a way to get it in and out of the Truck. I think the range extender will be a permanent part of the Truck.

Crane sales are up today, I hear

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Crane sales are up today, I hear

Nah, they only need a hoist. Keeps footprint minimal. Just have to make sure it is secure and there’s sufficient vertical clearance.

CyberHoist will be shipping early 2025.

 

[jebinc]

Nah, they only need a hoist. Keeps footprint minimal. Just have to make sure it is secure and there’s sufficient vertical clearance.

CyberHoist will be shipping early 2025.

“Early 2025,” is that Elon time?

 

[texas_star_TM3]

For some time to come, Tesla will sell all the Cybertrucks that they can make and there will still be a queue.

so does the Hummer EV and Rivian ... this "they will sell all vehicles they make" take is moronic. All depends how low production volume is. Will Tesla sell every CT they make at $80k+ when the production is 50k next year as predicted by Wall Street? Sure. absolutely. Could they sell 200k CTs at $80k+ ... no way.

 

[coleAK]

I never lifted a motorcycle. That's what wheels are for.
All of these arguments are lame. I'm looking for a real showstopper folks, otherwise, I'll be very disappointed that, perhaps there is a fundamental limitation on BEV pickup trucks that can haul or carry large loads. Clearly, Ford and Rivian have shown that body-on-frame can't handle it.
I'm still remaining positive that Franz may have it figured out. If no range extender comes out in about a year, I'll give up and assume a PHEV is the only heavy-duty pickup option.


Battery swap at Harris Ranch worked fine. It just wasn't economically preferable to fast charging.

Do you move many wheel-less motorcycles into the bed of your truck? Or move a motorcycle in your truck, pick it up, then remove the wheels and bolt it in place?

And how can a body on frame not handle what?

 

[electrifyme]

620 mile roadster is a joke. That's putting in two battery packs into a small coupe chassis. It just doesn't add up. The roadster miles is true vaporware. Did he just make that up on the fly? It's Elon, of course he did.

 

[jebinc]

620 mile roadster is a joke. That's putting in two CT battery packs into a small coupe chassis. It just doesn't add up. The roadster miles is true vaporware. Did he just make that up on the fly? It's Elon, of course he did.

Truth.

620 mile roadster is a joke. That's putting in two CT battery packs into a small coupe chassis. It just doesn't add up. The roadster miles is true vaporware. Did he just make that up on the fly? It's Elon, of course he did.

Truth.

 

[Evee]

BEAST MODE TRIM REFRESH REFRESHED MODE

 

[gtgarner]

Whelp.

Either way it goes I believe the range of any CT will be further than range of my bladder.
There is absolutely no way I have a 500-mile bladder.

Getting older has its advantages.

 

[jebinc]

Whelp.

Either way it goes I believe the range of any CT will be further than range of my bladder.
There is absolutely no way I have a 500-mile bladder.

Getting older has its advantages.

But, if it’s cold and you are towing, your blatter will have more range than the truck!

 

[gtgarner]

But, if it’s cold and you are towing, your blatter will have more range than the truck!

150 to 200 miles.

Thats the vehicle I need.

Anything more would just be.....extra. I pull over at SC's every time anyway.

 

[texas_star_TM3]

150 to 200 miles.

Thats the vehicle I need.

Anything more would just be.....extra. I pull over at SC's every time anyway.

200 miles towing = well over 400 miles EPA range needed

For non towing i agree… the most we drive without a stop is 200 miles give or take…. Don’t mind a quick stop every ~3hrs

 

[Earl]

A Powerwall has a max charge/discharge rate of 5kw per 13.5kwh of storage.

Scale that up to the ~50kwh estimate to enable the extra range advertised and you'd have a max charge/discharge rate of ~20kw to stay within the thermal envelope of a Powerwall (which also has active heating and cooling, clearance requirements, etc. that sure don't seem possible within the confines of a pickup truck bed given the render).

I'd estimate power output would need to be at least double if not triple that of a Powerwall for this thing to be useful for heavy load towing.

clearly a different design will be needed but I don't see any reason that adding cooling to the range extender can't be done so the only vehicle interfaces are structural and electrical, possible with some modification to the tonneau cover to allow for cooling system ventilation.

there’s no way to predict when charging will be required, though

I assume the initial assumptions would be that charging would be the same as with the rest of the vehicle.

 

[Earl]

Do you move many wheel-less motorcycles into the bed of your truck? Or move a motorcycle in your truck, pick it up, then remove the wheels and bolt it in place?

Why can't there be wheels on the range extender? If it just rolls on and off of the bed and onto a concrete garage floor they wouldn't have to be very big. The whole thing could be clamped into place, possibly resting on the wheels or they could, possible retract. All part of the details but I don't see it being too much worse than handling a big piece of cargo.
With the Model S battery swap, they had to fit the battery between the wheels. This required a vertical lift which isn't very feasible for home use. The GM EV1 was originally designed to have its T-shaped battery slide in and out through the rear of the car in hope of avoiding the need for a hoist - that didn't work out though but the shape persisted and the later Volt had the same T-shaped battery.

And how can a body on frame not handle what?

The extra Specific Energy (aka Gravimetric Energy Density - Wh/kg) of batteries compared to gasoline or diesel ICE. One of the challenges to designing a vehicle is that as the Specific Energy decreases, the mass of carried energy increases, which increases the required structural mass to carry it which requires more energy to handle it. This spirals back on itself. At some point, there is a limit to the amount of energy one can carry which is proportional to the Specific Energy of the energy source. This is a huge problem with aircraft design but it applies to cars as well.
The original idea of the exoskeleton was to increase the load-bearing strength without increasing the structural mass to leave more mass for the batteries. Its a big reason that Tesla has made such aerodynamic vehicles - so they don't have to carry as much battery. Trucks hauling or towing can't cheat that way.
It isn't clear from anything I've seen whether the CT has actually overcome this limitation. There is indication that this limitation may have been reached at about 300 miles of range with the standard I-beam structure of body-on-frame.
Although the haters are patting themselves on the back, I don't think the last word has been spoken.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

So we basically got an X with a stainless body.

Wonder if I could mount a generator on a front hitch and get 500 miles of range. I really miss those wing doors in the bed for tools. Did the ramp disappear too? Looks like the ATV vaporized as well..