Musk on Tesla Pickup: ‘Coolest Car I’ve Ever Seen’

Speaking at Tesla’s 2019 shareholders meeting on Tuesday, Chief Executive Elon Musk continued to build hype for the planned Tesla pickup.

“I think it’s the coolest car I’ve ever seen, to be frank,” Musk said of the truck which is said to have a “cyberpunk” design. “Not everyone may share that opinion, but worse-case scenario, we build a normal looking truck.”

Musk said the pickup will likely be unveiled by the end of the summer. It’s going to be interesting to see just how far the pickup’s design differs from other trucks on the market.

“This is something that if you’re driving down the road it looks like it came out of a sci-fi movie,” Musk said.

He said the company aims to build “something more functional than a [Ford] F-150, but a better sports car than a basic [Porsche] 911.”

Tesla’s pickup plan seems necessarily aggressive. In order to win over pickup buyers, Tesla’s truck needs to exude toughness, utility, and performance that will help compensate for doubts that an electric pickup is equally capable of heavy jobs.

When a shareholder asked if the Tesla pickup would be capable of carrying her horses, Musk said Tesla would match or exceed the towing capability of Ford’s F-150.

Musk recently said the pickup will start at $49,000. “You should be able to buy a really great truck for $49k or less,” Musk said.

 

[Vaamo]

Just out of curiosity. Tesla showed video of a car on the begging and end of shareholder meeting broadcast. First It was Model 3/Y in grey(the hood). Then the animation cuts, and there are some new shapes. Seems as the back of the car.
Haven't found them on any of current unveiled lineup.

Seems a little like a blade runner design language.

with timestamp:

Any thoughts?

 

[Silicon Desert]

yes, no surprise. Every parent thinks their new born baby is the most beautiful, coolest, wonderful thing they have ever seen
I'd like to see it. Where is it? It probably is a cool machine.

 

[SSonnentag]

I was disappointed to hear Elon state that the F150 was the targeted competition for the Tesla Pickup. I was hoping for something with a higher weight rating for towing an RV. An F150 can't take much of a load on the hitch or in the bed.

 

[Uncle Paul]

I have loved the styling and functionality of all the cars that Elon has released so far. Believe that the new truck design will be stunning and very capable. Great anticipation to see what comes out of his creative mind. Go Elon!

 

[Curt Renz]

Electrek - 12 minutes ago: Tesla Pickup truck imagined based on new teaser info - Electrek

 

[SSonnentag]

I see charging as one of the biggest holdups for using an EV pickup as a cross-country tow vehicle, such as for 5th wheels, horse hauling, etc. While supercharging locations are fairly well spread, the vast majority don't have pull-through layouts. Nobody is going to want to spend 15 minutes unhitching, and another 15 minutes hitching up again so that they can fit their EV truck in a charging stall. If Tesla gets their semi charging infrastructure up and running, perhaps the pickups will be able to use those chargers???

 

[CT36MS]

I see charging as one of the biggest holdups for using an EV pickup as a cross-country tow vehicle, such as for 5th wheels, horse hauling, etc. While supercharging locations are fairly well spread, the vast majority don't have pull-through layouts. Nobody is going to want to spend 15 minutes unhitching, and another 15 minutes hitching up again so that they can fit their EV truck in a charging stall. If Tesla gets their semi charging infrastructure up and running, perhaps the pickups will be able to use those chargers???

For that reason I could see them potentially either moving the current charge port location to the front or adding an additional charge port location to the front instead maybe. Just my thoughts on your comment. Or you would possibly end up charging where the semi is going to charge instead? maybe when attached to a trailer. Obviously the Semi isn’t going to attach and detach and charge at the local supercharger. Or at least I wouldn’t think so...

 

[CT36MS]

I see charging as one of the biggest holdups for using an EV pickup as a cross-country tow vehicle, such as for 5th wheels, horse hauling, etc. While supercharging locations are fairly well spread, the vast majority don't have pull-through layouts. Nobody is going to want to spend 15 minutes unhitching, and another 15 minutes hitching up again so that they can fit their EV truck in a charging stall. If Tesla gets their semi charging infrastructure up and running, perhaps the pickups will be able to use those chargers???

Oh, and also I don’t believe that an F150 has a fifth wheel towing option from factory at least. I’m sure it could technically be done but it wouldn’t be advised for an F150 from what I know of their towing capacity, the F150 is more of a lightweight truck vs the 3/4 ton and full ton versions meant for towing such large loads as a fifth wheel normally demands.

 

[malcolm]

Yeah but he said that the dash on the 3 was gonna be a spaceship so...you, know.

Pinch of salt.

 

[Fred42]

I was disappointed to hear Elon state that the F150 was the targeted competition for the Tesla Pickup. I was hoping for something with a higher weight rating for towing an RV. An F150 can't take much of a load on the hitch or in the bed.

To cover the market they'll need more than one version. But we'll see if they do that.

 

[SilverGS]

I think the reason why Tesla is targeting the F150 (in the beginning anyway) is simply because the F series is the best selling pickup truck in ( Best-Selling Pickup Trucks In America – February 2019 | GCBC ) N/A (no idea how what subset of that is the F150). Target the masses first and then expand.

 

[rdunniii]

Bah! After seeing the Model Y I have no reason to believe the pickup won't be anything other than a model X with the rear hatch removed and a tailgate added. Add a partition behind the front seats and weld up the rear doors. A complete fail to me. If I cannot lay a full 4x8 sheet of plywood inside the bed it has no value to me.

 

[jrwaters1]

Speaking at Tesla’s 2019 shareholders meeting on Tuesday, Chief Executive Elon Musk continued to build hype for the planned Tesla pickup. “I think it’s the coolest car I’ve ever seen, to be frank,” Musk said of the truck which is said to have a “cyberpunk” design. “Not everyone may share that opinion, but worse-case scenario,...
[WPURI="https://teslamotorsclub.com/blog/2019/06/12/musk-on-tesla-pickup-coolest-car-ive-ever-seen/"]READ FULL ARTICLE[/WPURI]

Cut the crap and build it. Would like one before I go to my great reward.

 

[SilverGS]

Bah! After seeing the Model Y I have no reason to believe the pickup won't be anything other than a model X with the rear hatch removed and a tailgate added. Add a partition behind the front seats and weld up the rear doors. A complete fail to me. If I cannot lay a full 4x8 sheet of plywood inside the bed it has no value to me.

Too funny but not entirely implausible!

 

[Lucky_Man]

I see charging as one of the biggest holdups for using an EV pickup as a cross-country tow vehicle, such as for 5th wheels, horse hauling, etc. While supercharging locations are fairly well spread, the vast majority don't have pull-through layouts. Nobody is going to want to spend 15 minutes unhitching, and another 15 minutes hitching up again so that they can fit their EV truck in a charging stall. If Tesla gets their semi charging infrastructure up and running, perhaps the pickups will be able to use those chargers???

I agree that most Superchargers I've visited aren't 'drive thru' (Seaside Oregon is). However, potential EV pickup drivers pulling RVs could use either the 30A or the 50A power sources available at most campgrounds (one for the RV, one for the truck). We charge our MS at home on a 32A circuit and my wife has a 'full tank' each morning. While I've personally pulled RVs around this country, I've never owned or hauled horses, so I can't speak to that aspect.

 

[CarlK]

Pickup was mentioned by Elon in this vedio (@10:10). It definitely will not like your traditional pickup truck.

 

[DrGene]

I'm interested in the Tesla Truck being able to power tools and other electrical devices requiring 120 VAC power. A plus would also include a 240 VAC outlet with the Truck. This would give the Tesla Truck new working tools not available in ICE trucks.

 

[Merle]

Considering one of the best-selling vehicles in the US is the light weight pick up truck - this makes absolute sense. Even most contractors throw stuff in the back because it's convenient and rarely come to the GVWR. It's not really a long distance vehicle, nor something you'd use for commuting either. But it definitely fills a need for a huge percentage of America.

If you're towing or hauling heavy, torque is great, but you're also going to need a higher GVWR (or rear GAWR) and potentially training wheels - all which is going to nail the wh/mi the same way it affects your MPG. The EV wins due to torque, but even Cummins have options for allison transmissions if you're going that route.

So no, if you're in the hotshot or RV hauling business ... diesel.

But if you're in a Class C ... there are some massive benefits for an EV. And as for charging at certain locations (not pull in, or not wide enough) an extension cord?

 

[azjohn]

Came across a graphic designer on youtube known as The Sketch Monkey. Using photoshop transferred a Model X into his version of a Tesla Truck