Tesla Unveils Radical Cybertruck.

[Mchart]

I like all the features and bells and whistles. If it all holds up with 3500lbs of cargo while driving up a grade (or whatever the hardest test would be, IDK much about trucks) then it looks good to me.

I just think it looks hideous and not in a "hehe but it's neat so I like it" way. It just looks fucking ugly as hell and would embarrass me wherever I went (except knowing a percentage of people are in the "hehe but it's neat so I like it" camp.)

I think it looks better than most modern trucks. Modern trucks have become hideously large, and have awful front ends.

 

[NightReaver]

I think it looks better than most modern trucks. Modern trucks have become hideously large, and have awful front ends.

While true, that is a pretty low bar. Modern pickups have become over-inflated hot wheels, imo of course.

 

[Archaea]

Mchart

No experience with that myself as I only know one person with a Tesla and I think his is the cheapest price model and has been problem free.

I do admit thinking the same thing when I saw cybertrucks door handles disappear into the door to make the flush look. Just leave the doors handles static on the outside of the door. Why complicate something needlessly? I’d much prefer the 1/2 one percent range lost due to increased drag on the static door handles than a certain future troublespot.

 

[Mchart]

Mchart

No experience with that myself as I only know one person with a Tesla and I think his is the cheapest price model and has been problem free.

I do admit thinking the same thing when I saw cybertrucks door handles disappear into the door to make the flush look. Just leave the doors static on the outside of the door. Why complicate something needlessly?

Because it’s a consumable product. Not a true long term work vehicle.

 

[Colonel Sanders]

I think it looks better than most modern trucks. Modern trucks have become hideously large, and have awful front ends.

I'm not a fan of most modern automotive styling myself. Doesn't mean a trapezoid is now automatically better.

 

[Tsumi]

I have an f250 diesel lifted on 35's, leather interior, crew cab. I use it to bring trash (no trash pickup in my rural area), tow vehicles, pickup loads from Lowe's/homedepot and bring it on trips to my parents. I also pull a 19' trailer with 4 wheelers, dirt bikes, go karts and anything else I need. Why can't I have a nice truck AND use it..for it's purpose. Everyone here seems they are mutually exclusive. Just because one day I drive it you don't see if fully loaded doesn't mean it doesn't get used.
Rant over, and to your (and others) point. Around me a lot of trucks do get used, but I see plenty that don't as well. I like some of the specs, but I wouldn't trade in my truck for that... Looks like something I would have drawn in preschool (to be fair, my artistic skills probably haven't improved much since then). Where does my fifth wheel attach? 10k pounds is ok for most things. No clue what batter life would be like towing 5k+ that my trucks sees. 500 miles is pretty good though depending on weather, load and if your driving up/down mountains. But man is it ugly, someone turned down the settings to low poly mode to get faster speeds.

It's a 1/2 ton competitor, not a HD competitor. No 1/2 ton is going to be pulling 5th wheels, and none are rated for more than about 12k.

Model X loses about half its range towing ~4k lbs. Depending on the weight of the Cybertruck, I would expect 50% range loss in the neighborhood of 6-8k lbs.

The settlers didn't have the luxury of stopping every few months at a Tesla service center to have their vehicle fixed under warranty for the ~nth time because some overly complicated piece of software/hardware combo broke down again.

I don't know many people who have a Tesla as their only vehicle. It's almost always a secondary vehicle, and the things are in the shop frequently.

Again, these Teslas are great if you live near an urban area, but they are non-starter in most of the country. It's not even due to the electrical requirements, it's due to the service issues. It's the same reason modern Volvo's, for instance, you never see outside of suburban/urban areas anymore because they've become so complicated and you need to be near a big city for any service outside of an oil change / tires.

A large majority of the population is in urban/suburban areas though. Also, I will probably not buy anything newer than ~2012, damn cars have gotten way too locked down.

I think it looks better than most modern trucks. Modern trucks have become hideously large, and have awful front ends.

Ford, GM, and Chevy have gotten super ugly, but I think the new Rams have a nice front end design.

 

[Snowdog]

Because it’s a consumable product. Not a true long term work vehicle.

With a 3mm Stainless steel body, Cybertruck will likely outlast that "true long term work vehicle", especially where people are dealing with winter.

Many of us in the Rust Belt are salivating at the idea of Stainless Steel vehicle. Bonus for being dent/scratch resistant.

I hope Tesla builds more Stainless vehicles (Small SUV please), it's a massive competitive advantage around here.

I expect to see competitors building Stainless cars/trucks in the next decade, as Tesla shifts the automotive industry again.

 

[Mchart]

With a 3mm Stainless steel body, Cybertruck will likely outlast that "true long term work vehicle", especially where people are dealing with winter.

Many of us in the Rust Belt are salivating at the idea of Stainless Steel vehicle. Bonus for being dent/scratch resistant.

I hope Tesla builds more Stainless vehicles (Small SUV please), it's a massive competitive advantage around here.

I expect to see competitors building Stainless cars/trucks in the next decade, as Tesla shifts the automotive industry again.

Oh I have no doubt the body will last. The issue is everything else attached to the body.

 

[Krenum]

You never owned one of those did you? I did. It made it much more difficult to pedal your bicycle even on flat ground it added so much drag to the wheel. Your bike wouldn't coast any more it constantly slowed when you stopped peddling. There's no such thing a perpetual motion engine. EVERY type of mechanical energy regeneration doodad requires more input energy than it provides as output.

I did, which is why I brought the topic up. I had one on my Columbia.

 

[Snowdog]

Oh I have no doubt the body will last. The issue is everything else attached to the body.

What is this everything else you are worried about?

Electric motors more reliable, lower maintenance than Internal Combustion engines and transmissions.
Tesla design target for the drive-trains going forward appears to be one million miles.

The battery should easily last between 250 000 and 500 000 miles, and probably much more as they improving all the time, because guess what the goal is for the battery technology. That's right: one million miles.

Thick stainless steel bodies, drivetrains designed for a million miles, and batteries that should last at least quarter million, and possible a full million miles...

But sure, stick with tissue paper thin, rust prone sheet metal, high maintenance, transmission/engine systems because that's what a "true long term work vehicle" needs.

 

[Fremunaln]

Awesome truck for folks who never intend to use this as a full blown work truck or folks who were in the market for say a ridgeline. My inclination to this is price alone says that; Surprisingly there not going after the bulk work truck market.

Motors and batteries aside (believe this shares a lot of propulsion systems with the model 3), lets talk about delaminating screens, mmc failures, and of course a whole new type of material they intend to use/bring to market on their pickup (they indeed have an awesome track record to bringing to market things on time when its all new....lol).

But the real endgame here is that we can credit Tesla with, is that in a bout a decade, the competition will yield an actual electric work truck that folks will get behind (may it be Tesla or some other automaker). As of right now, its all about the beta testing provided by the 146k preorders Tesla have gotten, and of course future launches from the status quo makers and their first gen beta products.

 

[Mchart]

What is this everything else you are worried about?

Electric motors more reliable, lower maintenance than Internal Combustion engines and transmissions.
Tesla design target for the drive-trains going forward appears to be one million miles.

The battery should easily last between 250 000 and 500 000 miles, and probably much more as they improving all the time, because guess what the goal is for the battery technology. That's right: one million miles.

Thick stainless steel bodies, drivetrains designed for a million miles, and batteries that should last at least quarter million, and possible a full million miles...

But sure, stick with tissue paper thin, rust prone sheet metal, high maintenance, transmission/engine systems because that's what a "true long term work vehicle" needs.

I worry about the stupid overly complicated shit, like the retracting door handles, as an example.

As for 'rust prone sheet metal' and 'high maintenance engine/transmission'; None of these are things that I can't easily fix myself. I own a '91 Tacoma that I use a mud/fun truck, and we have a '86 F-150 still being used for ranch duty without issue. Both have received nothing outside of regular fluid changes, and replacement of things like tie-rods. Which, by the way, the Cyber Truck still has.

It amazes me how people assume these Tesla's are maintenance free because they don't have traditional ICE/Transmissions. They still have a traditional suspension/underbody, cooling system/rads, etc. Then you compound the issue that everything is controlled by a far more expensive computer, and touch screen.

Our 30 year old trucks interiors have gone to shit, but there is nothing in there besides the steering wheel, seats, pedals, and stickshifts that are needed to make those vehicles run. My 1995 daily driver Accord is still fine as well, and that thing lived many winters in the rust belt, i'll point out.

I assume you don't know a whole lot about cars/trucks talking the way that you do. Or your only experience with cars are the modern overly complicated vehicles that have over-engineered systems, and engines that weren't engineered to last.

 

[Snowdog]

I worry about the stupid overly complicated shit, like the retracting door handles, as an example.

As for 'rust prone sheet metal' and 'high maintenance engine/transmission'; None of these are things that I can't easily fix myself. I own a '91 Tacoma that I use a mud/fun truck, and we have a '86 F-150 still being used for ranch duty without issue. Both have received nothing outside of regular fluid changes, and replacement of things like tie-rods. Which, by the way, the Cyber Truck still has.

It amazes me how people assume these Tesla's are maintenance free because they don't have traditional ICE/Transmissions. They still have a traditional suspension/underbody, cooling system/rads, etc. Then you compound the issue that everything is controlled by a far more expensive computer, and touch screen.

Our 30 year old trucks interiors have gone to shit, but there is nothing in there besides the steering wheel, seats, pedals, and stickshifts that are needed to make those vehicles run.

I assume you don't know a whole lot about cars/trucks talking the way that you do. Or your only experience with cars are the modern overly complicated vehicles that have over-engineered systems, and engines that weren't engineered to last.

So still the original exhaust systems, catalytic converters, belts and hoses after 30 years... That's pretty amazing.

You sound like your are so far down the Luddite curve that you are out of the new vehicle market forever, and are thus already irrelevant.

 

[Mchart]

So original exhaust systems, catalytic converters, belts and hoses after 30 years... That's pretty amazing.

You sound like your are so far down the Luddite curve that you are out of the new vehicle market forever, and are thus already irrelevant.

I own/owned a 2019 Hellcat Charger, a 2018 Focus RS, a 2018 Volvo V60 Polestar, a 2017 E63 AMG S Wagon, A 2014 Chevy SS, a 2015 stickshift Chevy SS, a 2015 VW Golf R, and a 2016 Audi RS3 sportback while in England. I won't even go over what i've owned farther back through the 2000's, but it was a lot. My personal favorite from that decade being my first brand new car I ever bought which was the Mazdaspeed 6. I regret getting rid of that vehicle.

Basically, i'm the type of person who spends a shit load of money on cars, and really i'm confident you have no idea what you are talking about. If you are going to toss around names, you seem like a sheltered yuppie to me. That or a hippy-boomer. By the way, i'm 34. So if Tesla wants my money they still have another 30 years or so to get it. That being said, you are correct, most of the manufacturers are moving towards designing consumable products. This is largely why they all are moving to EV's. They understand that with EV's they will only make the vehicles more locked down and consumable. So you are absolutely correct, the 2019 Hellcat may very well be the last new vehicle I ever buy.

And yes, I replaced the exhaust systems on my taco and the ranch truck. That cost me a total of like $50 between the two. Welding in new exhausts isn't hard, and neither are running expensive OEM cat's anymore. Something you may not understand is that there are things called junkyards where you can go and get old parts to build/repair your own cars with. Another thing that will likely go away as EV's take over and become completely non serviceable.

 

[hititnquitit]

An aztec ate a delorean and puked this up. Fuuuuugliest vehicle ive ever seen. Seriously my 18 month old granddaughter could come up with a better looking design.
Ill stick with one of the all aluminum body 2019 ford f150s( theyve been building aluminum trucks since 2015 i believe). It gets 30mpg with their new diesel engine! Altho most of the big3 have been replacing steel body parts consistantly for years to try and cut weight down to improve mileage. Not so much now that gas prices have gone down. So who knows i may go with another silverado.
I can handle all of the maintenance and repairs myself( been doin it for 25yrs so far.) and with the f150s aluminum body i dont have to pay my body guy to chase rust anymore.
Im pretty sure i wont be able to do the same with teslas turd truck...just sayin.

 

[Youn]

Friend has had a volt for 5+ years, very easy to maintain and still feels like new... some reviews support that



Why would EVs become completely nonservicable?

 

[Snowdog]

By the way, i'm 34. So if Tesla wants my money they still have another 30 years or so to get it. That being said, you are correct, most of the manufacturers are moving towards designing consumable products. This is largely why they all are moving to EV's. .

You don't have to be old, to be stuck in the past. Luddite is an attitude, not an age.

Manufacturers are all moving to EVs because if they don't they will be left behind as the market shifts. The durability and lack of required maintenance terrifies the entire fossil car industry, from dealerships to part suppliers.

 

[Smoked Brisket]

Wow, that's one hell of a hyperbole.

So I'm keeping with the theme of the forum.

 

[NightReaver]

So I'm keeping with the theme of the forum.

Hey, fair enough lol.

 

[matt167]

EV being good or not, Tesla missed the mark this time.. People who need trucks won't buy this, and Ford gets a lot of their sales from fleet sales. A construction company will not buy a fleet of these, nor can Tesla actually build a fleet at a time to meet that demand. Ford has a hybrid F150 in the works, which is more inline with the future and practical

Tesla truck is a futuristic novelty at best.. all other Tesla vehicles at least make some amount of sense, like it or not. And I say that knowing I won't ever buy one

 

[Tsumi]

Friend has had a volt for 5+ years, very easy to maintain and still feels like new... some reviews support that



Why would EVs become completely nonservicable?

Because car manufacturers have been moving more and more towards proprietary parts that are difficult, if not impossible, for aftermarket companies to supply. Thus your only source of parts is OEM/dealers, which makes it significantly more expensive. We're no longer talking about mechanical parts these days, it's the computer and electrical systems that have become proprietary, difficult and expensive to repair, near impossible to reverse engineer, and seemingly quite prone to frequent failure. It's not exclusive to EVs, though Tesla, the first major EV manufacturer, is the first to do it across their entire lineup. We still have the option of buying older ICEVs if we don't like how locked down the newer ICEVs are. There are no used and open options for high performance EVs.

 

[EngrChris]

A few details in the tweet thread of the special SS alloy. The tool and die set could break during the stamping operation, or the weakest component of the press.
Still not enough information of alloy or the foundry who is making it for them.

 

[Aireoth]

Sure, when Tesla does it, it's radical, stunning and brave. Couldn't be ugly, no. Such a visionary. Fuck side access, it's damn radical, dude!

The Aztek is ugly as hell though, and not in a bad = good way.

The Tesla truck has grown on me, it’s ugly lovable like a pug.

 

[Snowdog]

A few details in the tweet thread of the special SS alloy. The tool and die set could break during the stamping operation, or the weakest component of the press.
Still not enough information of alloy or the foundry who is making it for them.

No surprise at all. A couple of us mentioned this before in the thread. I remember reading years ago that this was a big part of the reason there were few stainless steel cars ever made, and in this case these panels are at least 3x normal auto body thickness.

This is not a case of radical style for styling sake.

This is a case of Form following function.

 

[ymer]

A few details in the tweet thread of the special SS alloy. The tool and die set could break during the stamping operation, or the weakest component of the press.
Still not enough information of alloy or the foundry who is making it for them.

Yea not buying that explanation.

 

[Snowdog]

Yea not buying that explanation.

Yeah, in today's world, why would believe the obvious truth, when you can make up your own disparaging theories.

 

[hititnquitit]

What exactly is 30X steel? 304?

 

[FearTheCow]

Yeah, in today's world, why would believe the obvious truth, when you can make up your own disparaging theories.

Because what happens if another vehicle t bones the cyber truck and nothing crumples? I will give you a hint, the people inside turn into the crumple zones.

 

[Snowdog]

Because what happens if another vehicle t bones the cyber truck and nothing crumples? I will give you a hint, the people inside turn into the crumple zones.

What does that have to do with the design using flat panels because it's not practical to stamp 3mm hardened Stainless Steel?

 

[Snowdog]

What exactly is 30X steel? 304?

It's a a new 300 series Stainless. Exact composition unknown.

It's kind of in that twitter stream somewhere (I hate twitter).

Also they are now at 200K reservations on the latest tweet.

 

[1_rick]

Guys! They've identified the guy who designed the Cybertruck!

 

[odditory]

In the first pic the sides of the vault cover are blacked out - looks way better.

 

[IcePickFreak]

 

[BB Gun]

 

[N4CR]

Your pool of options are fast shrinking. Most car companies are owned by either VW, Ford, GM, Toyota, or Fiat and they're implementing these kinds of changes across all their brands. Others are following suit.

You're hoping that you'll still have options of car companies willing to not make more money than they currently are out of morals and good will. Good luck with that.

Buy your favorite body, swap the cancer out. Its not hard if you really like the platform.

 

[Youn]

Forget 0-60... the new standard should be 0-88

 

[Deleted member 243478]

Interesting discussion by some pros:


Interesting claim:
"The idea (of the exoskeleton design) was around before, but nobody had the balls to do it"

elon has balls, no one can doubt that out of any of his quirks and I respect him for it like any other unique icon in history.

Personally I look forward to the day that an Cybertruck is protecting our police, outrunning and catching perps and living out our Blade Runner / Robocop childhood dreams!

 

[IcePickFreak]

elon has balls, no one can doubt that out of any of his quirks and I respect him for it like any other unique icon in history.

Personally I look forward to the day that an Cybertruck is protecting our police, outrunning and catching perps and living out our Blade Runner / Robocop childhood dreams!

View attachment 202263

View attachment 202264

The solid axles w/differentials are a nice touch.

 

[N4CR]

Had a few days to think on this and consider most of the factors.

First up, this is the bravery apple likes to think they have. It's the most unique new vehicle I've seen since 30s or 40s, maybe 60s if you want to go that way too.
The specs and even base features are incredible.
Design is obviously a personal thing but for me I find it fucking sexy, in the same ways I find a chick with toned, chunky thighs sexy. It's a beast! It's the truck my childhood spirit always wanted. Anyone who grew up in the 70s-90s will 'get it'. The design could be released 5 years or 10 years from now, and it'd still be timeless - it's a future classic/future icon for sure.

I'm not a Tesla fan at all but I respect they are 6 years ahead of the competition - the king of electric cars himself says that too, he doesn't even do conversions anymore because you can't do a better job than a tesla for less and he's been doing it since Musk was at highschool. If anything I'm a fan of solidly engineered components and platforms, even in the shittiest cars you can find that if you are lucky. I love the LS platform. I love T56 trannys, ford 9" diffs, DSS shafts and a high end ecu (Link/Motec/etc). A great,lightweight chassis is a platform to behold. Great electric motors and batteries also.
Tesla is an amazing daily from what I've heard from most people who have driven them. Some of the earlier ones are not so reliable, that comes with early adoption. Battery life on Tesla has exceeded all expectations. Independent data I saw showed few percent degradation at six figure mileages... that's IMPRESSIVE.

On the truck application itself I've seen a lot of people saying 'its not a work truck', 'it's for hipsters and soccer moms'. LOL most hipsters can't afford this shit and a soccer mum (most of the usual ones) wouldn't be seen dead in it. When people say 'its not a work truck', I'd like to show you the legions of small utes outside of USA that infest building sites in AU/NZ/etc. they use VW amaflops, mazda BT50/Ford rangers, Hiluxes, holden utes you name it. Holden utes are really not a work truck but for light loads are perfectly fine.

So, yes it is, it's the ultimate work truck with all else considered for most applications (especially outside of US market). What other work trucks come standard with AC power and an air compressor? That's a godsend on some worksites! I can see that factor alone being a hit, I'd use it for my business any day, it's perfect. No fucking around with a genny, no fumes, no noise. Power goes out in rural location? No problem.. you have power. The aftermarket in this regard will be amazing..

LOCKABLE cover from factory. Most utes you have to spend a few grand for a cover with locks that can easily be jimmied open and are frankly decorative locks.
Stainless exo-skeleton; a huge game changer. You want a tough work truck? Concrete splashes are a worry of the past.. 4x2 bounces out of a barrow on the way past? Who gives a shit. One of my cars is a 90s camry daily bitch cockroach wagon. I don't wash it and don't give a flying fuck if someone backs into it/dings the door. I want that same lack of fucks with a new vehicle, which is impossible when they are made out of sheet steel/alu so thin that I can put a screwdriver through it.
ALON windows (just needs stiffer mounting/holding design to stop shattering when petanque balls are thrown at it..)
Air ride.
2.9 0-60? That's hypercar/superbike fast!!!
500 miles? That's better than most eco-diesel euro shitboxes.
Solar charging? Great if you sit it around in a sunny climate, or if it's a little colder - that can take the conditioning load off the battery. I'd take extra panels in the bed if going camping or 4wd camping, that would be a great little range extender or a perfect SHTF truck. Or make a fold-out panel setup (aka the tent bit with wings) for the bed that you can still put stuff on. A simple mechanical design could get you 2x the range if folding out... that approach is glorious to say the least.
So far, no new cars aside from exotic kit cars have caught my eye in a long time, maybe except the MR vette but I'd rather an exotic kit car it'd eat it alive on a track anyway...

People have mentioned aero who have no business discussing aero.
Yes the wheels/tyres are shit for aero, BUT the frontal cross section is actually quite reasonable.
The upright/stubby front part is also smaller than almost any other vehicle in any remotely comparable size bracket. The windscreen angle (the biggest factor for aero when frontal cross section is comparable) is a large part of why this truck gets 500 miles range and weighs what it will, without having to look like the same, common melted soap bar bullshit that people seem to not get enough of.

So, for a daily bitch, I can't see anything better for someone with business and daily use, by far. Signwriting alone on the giant rear gate are going to be great. I'd put a giant trump sticker on it to trigger the fuck out of the brainless and laugh as they try to key/dent it.
And reminds me, I need to design a portable laser marking system for it...

I will be pre-ordering once my billing is done this week.

p.s. the only option missing is a damn winch.

 

[odditory]