Elon Musk on Twitter
In comparison Ford trucks are around 0.40
Improving Aerodynamics to Boost Fuel Economy | Edmunds
In comparison Ford trucks are around 0.40
Improving Aerodynamics to Boost Fuel Economy | Edmunds
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Elon: with a lot of work we can get cybertruck cd down to 0.30
- Thread starter DanCar
- Start date
A CD of .30 would be incredible for a truck, but Elon admits it will very difficult to get the Cybertruck that low. If US DOT would allow cameras for side mirrors that would certainly help.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk: Cybertruck could hit Cd of .30 "with extreme effort" - Electrek
Tesla CEO Elon Musk: Cybertruck could hit Cd of .30 "with extreme effort" - Electrek
Fishy Fish
Member
I wonder if some accessory could be made that would allow the tailgate to be at a half open position, with the accessory (carbon fibre, or fibre glass, or fabric) that would latch into place covering the opening, and creating a wedge shape with the tailgate (when viewed from the side) instead of the flat panel to at least partially fill in the low pressure zone at the rear end and allow for smoother reattachment of the airflow going over and under the truck. It would have to allow for tail lights to work properly, but led's could be incorporated into it that plug into the trailer plug.
The accessory could latch directly to the main tailgate latches, creating an extension or bridge to the tailgate allowing it to still be opened fully for access, albeit with a smaller opening area. The tonneau could still open with the accessory in place as well to allow access.
The accessory could latch directly to the main tailgate latches, creating an extension or bridge to the tailgate allowing it to still be opened fully for access, albeit with a smaller opening area. The tonneau could still open with the accessory in place as well to allow access.
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MichaelP90DL
Active Member
Fishy Fish
Member
Actually, if this accessory were made from stainless steel, it would match better but also with the tailgate dropped all the way open with it attached it could also act as a bed extender not unlike the Ford Explorer Sportrac or Subaru Baja had, giving the Cybertruck a sort of 8' bed, albeit with worse airflow, but greater functionality. It wouldn't be inconceivable to add fold out flaps to make it an enclosed bed extender attaching to the tonneau when the tailgate is all the way down.
destructure00
Active Member
muleferg
Active Member
Hopefully their "tweaks" to improve the aerodynamics don't further impair the cargo functionality. The sloping bed cover achieves aerodynamic efficiency, but it requires the high bed side "sails" that already impair loading and unloading. If they have to narrow the wheel track to tuck the wheels under smaller fender flares, hopefully they don't narrow the cargo bed (wheel wells intruding in the bed are better than narrowing the whole bed).
Based on Tesla past practices, I also hope they don't compromise headroom in the cab to lower the roofline in the name of efficiency. I barely fit in the front of an S-series, and wouldn't buy a truck that felt that cramped. I use my truck in the winter with a bulky winter coat, hat, gloves, boots. It takes a few inches of extra space.
As a pickup buyer, I care little about the efficiency of a vehicle that I cannot fit into and is too inconvenient to use for the intended purpose of hauling stuff.
My suggestion would be to toss an extra battery pack in that trunk under the bed to makeup for the inefficiency for an extra $5k-$10k (maybe optional), and make it more like a pickup truck. They are so close to being able to tap into the entire pickup market, but the obsession with range vs price is making it into a niche vehicle that won't accomplish the main goal of converting a substantial number of ICE pickup buyers into EV pickup buyers.
Based on Tesla past practices, I also hope they don't compromise headroom in the cab to lower the roofline in the name of efficiency. I barely fit in the front of an S-series, and wouldn't buy a truck that felt that cramped. I use my truck in the winter with a bulky winter coat, hat, gloves, boots. It takes a few inches of extra space.
As a pickup buyer, I care little about the efficiency of a vehicle that I cannot fit into and is too inconvenient to use for the intended purpose of hauling stuff.
My suggestion would be to toss an extra battery pack in that trunk under the bed to makeup for the inefficiency for an extra $5k-$10k (maybe optional), and make it more like a pickup truck. They are so close to being able to tap into the entire pickup market, but the obsession with range vs price is making it into a niche vehicle that won't accomplish the main goal of converting a substantial number of ICE pickup buyers into EV pickup buyers.
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What inefficiency? We don't even know what the actual CD numbers are? Don't create problems.
It only took 10 years for the Prius to REALLY catch on here (2000-2010) in the U.S., and now Detroit has to answer, or continue to lose their share. Toyota took the RAV4 and corolla into the Hybrid and PHEV markets, eating more of Detroit's pie.
Now, Detroit JUST went all in on a "truck market" ditching most of their car lines. Trucks and SUVs are THE most profitable segment as the prices have been jacked and they are stupid-easy to build. Your "main goal" of converting ICE truck owners doesn't happen overnight, but that is not Musk's main goal anyway. I think he's just having fun building this kick-ass truck.
The current design does not impair the load/unload, with the sail aspect of design. The buckets of Bobcats and other front loaders safely goes over the current design EASILY, to drop sand/gravel/dirt into the bed. Don't create problems. (Anybody who does NOT own a p/u truck now, can go watch the load/unload area of any Home Depot or farm store; NOBODY loads plywood, drywall, buckets of paint, lumber OVER the side.)
This is not a pick up truck, and MOST of us do not want the 100 year old design of Detroit's pick up, anyway. It is BETTER than any pickup out there, even the Rivian which starts at $70K with it's lower range! Where in MN are you?
The aerodynamic inefficiency of having an open pickup bed which is what I would prefer it to have. They are talking of making it even more efficient while I think they have already compromised too much of the truck functionality in the name of efficiency.
I think Elon's tweet is warning people the final design is still subject to further changes they might not prefer as they are working to hit the range/price point they already promised. I cannot imagine those big knobby tires and fender flares help hit the desired range/price points. But they sure do sell trucks.
Just hope in the name of efficiency the truck doesn't become a rattle trap. A truck needs the design in all parts to be a little more rugged than my Model S. Door handles as an example. Design the truck to last as long as the motor and the pack. Keep hearing about a million mile motor and pack. Hopefully the same thought is put into the other parts of the truck.
Delivering mail to the remote North Fork area challenging
I need a truck that can do the ^ and not fall apart. That road puts a truck of mine in the shop at least once a year. 3 or 4 flats minimum. Hopefully a suburban mall crawler truck is not the final product.
Delivering mail to the remote North Fork area challenging
I need a truck that can do the ^ and not fall apart. That road puts a truck of mine in the shop at least once a year. 3 or 4 flats minimum. Hopefully a suburban mall crawler truck is not the final product.
With all due respect, you're talking in circles here; the vault has a roll-down cover, and they have also designed a camp topper for the camping/overlanding crews. So, far, there has been zero compromise on function OR efficiency; we don't even know what the CT actually is. Actually, the AWD is far and away better than 4WD-being from MN you should know this already.
2nd, the Tesla final products have always been better than the prototypes; he's not warning anybody, about anything....
3rd, the fender flares hold aesthetic appeal and cameras, replacing mirrors, improving the CD. Yes, I love those tires. Many of us in the Off-road community like them, but you can change them with a trip to Wal-Mart if you want. Get a 2nd set of wheels as MANY of us do for all of our upper midwest vehicles; snow tires and regular tires.
4th, it's AT the price point I pre-ordered at; we'll add the solar kit(s) and flame thrower for fun. Come with us. I'm planning a CT-based support crew for the Rally Car of America stages in our upper Midwest, from MN-Michigan. You'll love it.
brucet999
Active Member
I loved the irony of the last paragraph where a Chrysler spokesman said they were "not about to produce an aerodynamic car that no one will buy." They should know, since the infamous 1934 Chrysler and Desoto Airflow vehicles caused sales declines that nearly bankrupted the company.
MichaelP90DL
Active Member
I think it was when Tesla introduced the original Roadster that Chrysler, along with several other automakers, chimed in with claims they were working on electric cars and would be introducing them shortly. Then *crickets*. Does anyone else remember that?
Tes*la*rosa
Member
AlanSubie4Life
Efficiency Obsessed Member
The best part about the CyberTruck is that vampire drain will probably be scaled down by a factor of 2, in terms of miles per day. 
CoyoteJim
Member
Cd: Elon says as low as .30. Some won’t say, but think it’s lower than most trucks
Tesla Cybertruck Aerodynamics Explored In Detail
Some think it more like .38
CFD Analysis of Tesla Cybertruck
Some think .47
CFD Analysis of Tesla's Cybertruck : Infographics
Thanks for the links! I hadn't seen the middle one before, and also the link to the simulation he did, even though I came across his CAD models. Will run some of my own there.
I think the dimensions aren't quite accurate with those models. In particular the two front side angles that deflect the air around the wheels as also the wheelbase etc, which i have at 4m not 3.8m.
I'm also wondering how it will do at lower speeds than those simulated so far. There was talk that there's a high pressure zone in front of the vehicle that helps separate airflow smoothly along the surfaces even though it's not round there. I thought that was quite smart. The tail can do with some better streamlining, or at least some plastic vanes to maintain smoother vertices behind the vehicle rather than the turbulent drag inducing ones.
CoyoteJim
Member
I saw somewhere a comment attributed to Elon that the suspension lowers as speed increases. In his presentation he said “you can go very low or very high, so you can be efficient on the highway” which alluded to that. I haven’t seen anything about what the lowest would be or at what speed, but that would have to be factored into the modeling.Thanks for the links! I hadn't seen the middle one before, and also the link to the simulation he did, even though I came across his CAD models. Will run some of my own there.
I think the dimensions aren't quite accurate with those models. In particular the two front side angles that deflect the air around the wheels as also the wheelbase etc, which i have at 4m not 3.8m.
I'm also wondering how it will do at lower speeds than those simulated so far. There was talk that there's a high pressure zone in front of the vehicle that helps separate airflow smoothly along the surfaces even though it's not round there. I thought that was quite smart. The tail can do with some better streamlining, or at least some plastic vanes to maintain smoother vertices behind the vehicle rather than the turbulent drag inducing ones.
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