Ok so everyone, everywhere, has an opinion about the cybertruck but have we collectively stopped to ask why this truck should even exist?
So I was in my "office" thinking and I realized that the CT is actually quite a brilliant marketing gimmick. Let me explain.
The Model S and Model X are now old product lines. There have been incremental improvements and there will yet be more but as a line, it's old.
What would succeed it? Something that appeals to those segments, and hopefully a new segment. Hence the CT.
The CT has a bunch of features that overlap with the S and the X. Then it has the obvious truck features. All hard core truck enthusiasts have issues with what it supposedly can't do but in fact that is the point of the marketing angle. The more that truck enthusiasts take issue with it, the greater the relevance it is to the Model X market.
And tbh it does a lot of truck things just fine so it's no slouch but it's not a super duty or titan.
What does this mean?
1. Truck lovers give Tesla free marketing and publicity
2. Truck lovers highlight all the "shortcomings" of the CT to this market that won't buy another model truck today but will buy a CT because it's truck enough but SUV enough also
3. The technical features of the CT will appeal to Model S owners who are due to replace their vehicle due to a growing family or other changes in their lives
4. This vehicle will appeal to law enforcement in some way in the future and so we shouldn't ignore that revenue stream
5. Tesla will test out the new tech in the CT and then refresh the S and X lines
In summary, CT is less than perfect but it seems to have a combo of features that has been carefully put together. It may not be a combo that is intended for you but there is a strategy here that we will have to watch and see how it plays out.
So I was in my "office" thinking and I realized that the CT is actually quite a brilliant marketing gimmick. Let me explain.
The Model S and Model X are now old product lines. There have been incremental improvements and there will yet be more but as a line, it's old.
What would succeed it? Something that appeals to those segments, and hopefully a new segment. Hence the CT.
The CT has a bunch of features that overlap with the S and the X. Then it has the obvious truck features. All hard core truck enthusiasts have issues with what it supposedly can't do but in fact that is the point of the marketing angle. The more that truck enthusiasts take issue with it, the greater the relevance it is to the Model X market.
And tbh it does a lot of truck things just fine so it's no slouch but it's not a super duty or titan.
What does this mean?
1. Truck lovers give Tesla free marketing and publicity
2. Truck lovers highlight all the "shortcomings" of the CT to this market that won't buy another model truck today but will buy a CT because it's truck enough but SUV enough also
3. The technical features of the CT will appeal to Model S owners who are due to replace their vehicle due to a growing family or other changes in their lives
4. This vehicle will appeal to law enforcement in some way in the future and so we shouldn't ignore that revenue stream
5. Tesla will test out the new tech in the CT and then refresh the S and X lines
In summary, CT is less than perfect but it seems to have a combo of features that has been carefully put together. It may not be a combo that is intended for you but there is a strategy here that we will have to watch and see how it plays out.