ALL CyberTruck discussion

[woodisgood]

I'm curious what the interior is going to look like. If it will embrace the same setup as the Model 3/Y (seems likely?), S/X (seems less likely), or debut a new control layout. It seems to me that the unique use-cases of a pickup might call for a different control layout, but I don't really have a picture in my mind of what that would be.

If they're really going to try to get it in under 50K, the more it can share with 3/Y the better. I'd guess the same center screen. As for seats, I'd imagine they'll try not to add variation to what the seat factory is pumping out.

Wonder if there will be a bed camera on top of the cab looking back.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

Thats not $50K

$120k for the battery version a lot less on diesel.

 

[Cal1]

My first thoughts about the overall cab forward idea is not good. I don't think this will take on an F-150. Not even close to reality. It will be a niche vehicle at best. Wondering about dimensions. These military based pics are obviously too tall to fit in a garage. What scares me is Elon's inability to see reality over coolness. Falcon doors exhibit one. Honda had a hard time getting folks to accept the Ridgeline and it wasn't a bad vehicle (had one for 5 yrs) just not big enough to hang with real trucks. Of course performance will overcome so much if it can bring the goods at a reasonable price and great range. If it does turn out to be this design I'll be waiting for Ford or Rivian before I decide. Too bad because I wanted to not even think about it and just buy the Tesla truck. So much riding on next months reveal. For me anyway

 

[mkspeedr]

I so wish they would just release a X cargo van without falcon wing doors. I could replace our delivery vehicles and be so happy.

I am hoping I can put on shell on it and use it for half of our deliveries.

 

[JRP3]

Sedan.

No scarring the rednecks.

Or fleet managers.

Elon has said it's going to be weird and no one might like it.

 

[JRP3]

Then there is this

Did Musk Already Reveal The Tesla Pickup Truck To the World?

 

[nativewolf]

I doubt Oracle will need any trucks. Good looking or ugly.

And if you buy based on specs and utility, you haven't bought a pickup in America lately a Sprinter van would be far more useful.

Vans are great but on farms a pickup is king. So too for many General Construction teams, so too for hunters wanting to put the ATV in the bed, etc etc. Vans are useful but limiting as well.

 

[nativewolf]

I would be happy with these specs, just add the offload capabilty.

The Sprinter Cab Chassis delivers with a maximum towing capacity of 7,500 pounds. Whether you’re moving building materials or a smaller vehicle, the Sprinter Cab Chassis has the strength to get the job done. It’s also a capable hauler with a maximum payload of 6,400 pounds. Source: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Towing Capacity | Van & Cab Chassis Specs, Features

you can't put a gooseneck on a van, nor can you easily throw in a cord of firewood, nor do you want to throw in a deer carcass, etc etc. Having a pickup is very useful, speaking as someone that had a van and finally switched. Heck, the transfer of fuel is so much easier, enough to make it worthwhile all by itself.

 

[RobStark]

Elon has said it's going to be weird and no one might like it.

Elon said a Tesla would drive autonomously from Los Angeles to New York City 3 years ago.

He says lots of things to capture the public imagination.

Like Alien Dreadnought, Tesla Microbus replacing Municipal Buses etc.

Whatever happened to the 1950s style drive in Tesla Diner in Santa Monica?

The render I posted yesterday is plenty weird enough that most current full size truck owners won't like and won't consider purchasing.

But if 5% do purchase that is 150k units per year. If another 150k vehicle buyers that normally wouldn't buy a full size truck because of environmental reasons or TOC ICE reasons but could use the functionality of a full size truck do buy this Tesla truck that is 300k units per year. I posit this would include buyers in Australia and Scandinavia.

300k vehicles per year globally would be a niche vehicle in the grand scheme of 100M units per year automotive industry but substantial and profitable for Tesla.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

you can't put a gooseneck on a van, nor can you easily throw in a cord of firewood, nor do you want to throw in a deer carcass, etc etc. Having a pickup is very useful, speaking as someone that had a van and finally switched. Heck, the transfer of fuel is so much easier, enough to make it worthwhile all by itself.

the link was to their truck, not the van

 

[JRP3]

He says lots of things to capture the public imagination.

And many of them come true.

 

[RobStark]

And many of them come true.

And some don't.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

More cab forward design comparo's

 

[Cal1]

Well I guess I might have spoken too soon. This might not be too bad in real life! Can't wait to see the actual vehicle. I would consider something like this. I think it's all about the execution. Could be butt ugly or pretty cool. Of course beauty is in the eye....

 

[MC3OZ]

After thinking about this some more, i don't think Tesla would deviate from good design principles, in particular "Form Follows Function".
So if the truck looks Cyberpunk there is a reason for that...
I see a parallel with the Tesla semi, it looks different to a regular semi but has impressive performance, a lot of that performance is down to the design which in turn dictated the aesthetics...
The reason I am confident is the 50K price tag, if that is true the criteria are:-

• Strong
• Lightweight
• Streamlined.
• Efficient
• High load carrying capacity.
• Cheap (50K - for what it does)

I think the 50K price tag limits the size of the battery in the base model to probably no more than 100-125kW
For the truck body the criteria are probably:- Lightweight/Strong/Cheap...
To hit the criteria, perhaps it has to look different...

The combination of strong and lightweight isn't easy to hit, but lightweight helps with cheap...

It could be that some of the strength of the truck and a lot of the efficiency of the truck, comes from the shape of the truck....
That shape might not be a shape you would design, if you didn't have these criteria...

So Elon may be preparing us for something that looks different, the semi looked different, but the specs sold it, not many questioned the design, once they saw the specs...

Truck buyers are conservative, perhaps even great specs and good functional design for a very good price will not sway them,,,
But something that looks more conventional may cost more and not be as functional...

So my thoughts are a higher end model with a bigger battery pack and a higher price tag could look less Cyberpunk...

 

[JRP3]

I doubt they will change body style through the price range. I also don't see a 100kwh pack in the 50k model, more likely a Model 3 75kwh pack.

 

[nativewolf]

the link was to their truck, not the van

Ah, well that makes more sense. Yep, that is a useful form factor. Still, too low a tow capacity, it is an issue for all those class vehicles, I have a Hino flatbed, can haul 2x more than it's weight (say 16k-20k lb cargo) but can only tow 1/4 as much. This is really important if you need to move a skid steer, tractor, hay machine, livestock of any kind horses. To boot, that's a staged photo, no normal mulch company is going to do mulch in a development that way. They'd be moving with a skidsteer and bucket or theyd go kaput. Landscape companies with minimal towing needs (2 zero turns on a utility trailer for instance) love the isuzu type form factor (which this is). Outside of landscaping and light construction (gutters, roofs) t's not ideal for most working pickups and not "cool" for the suburban pickup crowd.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Remember that Elon's $50,000 price tag will most likely be higher when produced.
At first, only highly configured models will be available, at higher costs.

We saw Tesla struggle to release the long awaited $35,000 Model 3.

Realistically expect their initial run of Pickups to be significantly more than $$50,000, and that there will be a long line of people placing orders for them.

Imagine it will be quite the status symbol for job Forman and company owners to arrive to their jobsites. It Tesla can find a way to tap into the traction battery to power shop tools, they will find a niche with great demand. Portable power would sell all they can make.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

More cab forward design comparo's

What would be really cool, is if the canopy over the passenger area could be moved to the back for an open air driving experience..

 

[VT_EE]

I love the turbo diesel sprinter. I get your point, but Amazon committed to order 100,000 Van based Rivian's, so I think if Tesla choses the right chassis design (in my mind, cab forward) they will easily be able to convert this to a van, a camper, an ambulance etc, hell, they could even build a silenced LMTV War Pig for the military.

The military figured out a long time ago that cab forward provides the most utility and load carrying capacity and the construction industry figured that out as well.The Strengths of Low Cab Forward Trucks

I'm with you on weird looking stuff, I wanted the X to be a real SUV, not some freakshow butterfly door mini-van - my wife and I both abandoned our quest for a Tesla SUV when it came out.

If the truck ends up being a modified Model X, I will never buy one, and will most likely end up buying the Bollinger Motors (I am already a reservation holder) truck instead (if they fix its super short range issue).
The Rivian looks great for soccer mommies and a trip to the mall... too small, but I do love the larger battery pack (180 kWh ), which should give it good range. I would prefer not to invest in different charging infrastructure at my house when I already have 2 HPWC's installed, but if the Tesla PU is a turd, its off to BM for me.

Buy a couple TeslaTap J1772 adapters and you can charge other EVs with your current HPWCs.