New Tesla Cybertruck videos show off a slew of features

midian182

midian182

Posts: 8,863   +111
Staff member
What just happened? The long-delayed Tesla Cybertruck had some of its features shown off at an event over the weekend, including what appeared to be ventilated seats. We also saw more of the vehicle's electric bed cover, a charging port, the rear wheel steering, and more.

The Cybertruck appeared at the Petersen Automotive Museum's inaugural Electrified Cars & Coffee meet, shown off by Tesla's chief designer Franz von Holzhausen. Twitter users have been uploading clips of the event (via Insider), giving us a closer look at the electric truck.

The Cybertruck's "vault" bed and its electric tonneau cover were particularly popular, with videos from attendees showing its smooth opening process.

Here's another one of the tonneau closing. It also includes the tailgate automatically dropping.

This video focuses on the bed of the truck and shows a square charging port integrated into the rear wheel arch.

Tesla boss Elon Musk has previously talked about the Cybertruck being extremely nimble and amazing in tight turns. This video shows an example of the rear-wheel steering in action, which should make navigating crowded cities and car lots in the hefty truck a lot easier.

Elsewhere, it appears that the truck will boast ventilated seats, and the interior, like other parts of the design, appears to have undergone a minor upgrade since the last time it was shown off publicly.

Here's another look at the truck as Holzhausen steps in to drive it away. Notice the lack of door handles, a change that was announced in April last year. The truck has sensors that detect when the owner is nearby and opens the doors automatically.

The Cybertruck at the meet looked like a final production model, but the EV has suffered plenty of production delays. A recent report suggests they could have been related to significant issues with its braking, handling, sealing, and noise levels, which were still present as of January 2022. The leak also revealed that the Cybertruck's design was still in the alpha stage early last year, despite initial promises that production would start in 2021.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/99217-new-cybertruck-videos-show-off-slew-features.html

 
p51d007

p51d007

Posts: 3,579   +3,351
If I were a road work, construction, farmer etc...I wouldn't want one of these (overpriced) things.
I'd be afraid day to day use would DAMAGE it. I wouldn't need electric rolling covers, automatic
open/close tailgates. Just more crap to break down.
If you are getting this as a day to day "car" that's one thing, but, if you are getting a "work truck"
THIS isn't for you. It's more about the stylish nonsense.
 
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captaincranky

captaincranky

Posts: 19,428   +8,551
p51d007 said:
If you are getting this as a day to day "car" that's one thing, but, if you are getting a "work truck"
THIS isn't for you. It's more about the stylish nonsense.
Click to expand...
While I agree that, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", this thing is solely Musk's concept of "beauty", which has been rammed down people's throats for going on 5 (??) years. It's a known fact that repetition is the delivery vehicle of propaganda. Although in this case, the vehicle is the delivery agent of Musk's propaganda. (See what I did there?)

True beauty stands the test of time. Witness the Cessna 310, first produced in 1953:It's still gorgeous 70 years later.
4X-CCL_Rami_Mizrahi.jpg

This? Not so much. It was ugly from before day one.
Gadget-Lab-Podcast--What-the-Truck,-Elon--Gear-Alamy-2AJT6J9.jpg


Although, I expect if you hung a machine gun turret on it, you could scare some primitive cultures witless with it.
They'd lay down their bows, arrows, and spears, then begin worshiping you as their god. :rolleyes:
 
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Scott Barnes

Scott Barnes

Posts: 47   +58
I'm currently waiting patiently for Munro and Associates to tear one of these down to its constituent parts to work out what the actual intent of the design is. If it does turn out to be actual cold rolled stainless steel in construction with an actually stressed exoskeleton as its chassis then I'd consider it as an option for a winter vehicle simply to not have to watch another car return to the earth from the salt up here in NL.

No door handles would be a deal breaker though as 7mm of sleet come fall would effectively weld the doors shut without some uber chunky points of leverage to yank on.
 
A

azicat

Posts: 207   +255
It's interesting to note that the reason why the F-117 stealth fighter has a faceted design is that the CAD programs of the time weren't powerful enough to calculate radar reflectance signatures with curved surfaces. The aerospace engineers dropped the flat panels when computing power finally caught up.

What I'm saying here is that there's no engineering reason for the silly flat panels on the Cybertruck, beyond its aesthetic function - and creating numerous resonant and turbulent surfaces that must be driving the NVH team mad.
 
Plutoisaplanet

Plutoisaplanet

Posts: 968   +1,482
azicat said:
What I'm saying here is that there's no engineering reason for the silly flat panels on the Cybertruck, beyond its aesthetic function - and creating numerous resonant and turbulent surfaces that must be driving the NVH team mad.
Click to expand...
Every car company does variations of what you describe. Why do BMW EVs have the largest grills of any modern vehicle? Why are there fake air intakes on the backsides of Toyota’s sedans? Why do some EVs have “start” buttons without any engine to start?
 
Scott Barnes

Scott Barnes

Posts: 47   +58
azicat said:
It's interesting to note that the reason why the F-117 stealth fighter has a faceted design is that the CAD programs of the time weren't powerful enough to calculate radar reflectance signatures with curved surfaces. The aerospace engineers dropped the flat panels when computing power finally caught up.

What I'm saying here is that there's no engineering reason for the silly flat panels on the Cybertruck, beyond its aesthetic function - and creating numerous resonant and turbulent surfaces that must be driving the NVH team mad.
Click to expand...
The most likely reason is to bring down costs, while stamping steel massively brought down the costs associated with the manufacture of metal goods which was continuously refined throughout the 20th century leading to the modern type of hydroforming it has always been advantageous to keep the complexity of the stampings to a minimum. Very few folks want to drive around in a box or wedge but it really is the most efficient way to manufacture a structure.

There has been a LOT of speculation about the reason for the Cybertrucks unique? design and its shortcomings but it seems like it is simply an attempt to satisfy the North American desire for a fullish size truck platform with a ruthless eye toward efficiency of design. All the glass on the vehicles is also completely flat allowing it to be very inexpensively manufactured or replaced if you live in the snowy north where 6ish months of salt and sand chunks getting flicked back at your vehicle is a normal part of winter.

The supposed pricing from 2019 of under 40K USD for the base version is extremely unlikely in light of the events of the last few years and its associated effects on the market but at the same time some of TESLA's products have seen price cuts or at least price parity over the same time period. Like it or loathe it, if this thing comes to market for anything approaching 40K and it isn't an obvious dumpster fire it's going to rewrite the rules on what pricing in the light truck segment will have to be.

Hydroformig;
en.wikipedia.org

Hydroforming - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Original Cybertruck specifics via third party;
www.motortrend.com

Tesla Cybertruck Pricing to Start at $39,900

Full-size pickup trucks typically transact for about $48,000, but the Tesla Cybertruck will go on sale with a projected starting price much lower than that.
www.motortrend.com www.motortrend.com

TESLA refinements and advancements that enable their lowered production costs compared to their peers as determined by third party engineering analytics firm Munro and associates;
 
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captaincranky

captaincranky

Posts: 19,428   +8,551
Alfatawi Mendel said:
Ventilated seats? Whatever will they think of next?
Click to expand...
They're part of the farting turn signal option package.

Although I suppose you could mic them up and do it yourself. You would have to time your biological expediences to when you're about to "turn the corner", so to speak. (And then, "lean into it").

Yes kidz, I have stooped to making fart jokes about Muskie's, "pride and joy". (Shamelessly too, and with no regret whatsoever).
 
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captaincranky

captaincranky

Posts: 19,428   +8,551
Scott Barnes said:
Like it or loathe it, if this thing comes to market for anything approaching 40K and it isn't an obvious dumpster fire it's going to rewrite the rules on what pricing in the light truck segment will have to be.
Click to expand...
Waiting years for this to release has already been a dumpster fire.

IMHO, this turd dropping on the market.at 40K is not even a remote possibility. At least not in the present form. Tesla has been fairly heavy handed with the pricing of their option packages. That said, a 40K variant would likely be 2 WD, and 2 wheel steering. With the price as it's described here, probably somewhere about 65 to 70K.

Were the price to actually be 40K as described, (4 WD .& 4 wheel steering) it would definitely be a "loss leader". Were that to happen, someone who is comfortable with driving around town in it without a paper bag over their head, should grab one ASAP.
 
Scott Barnes

Scott Barnes

Posts: 47   +58
captaincranky said:
Waiting years for this to release has already been a dumpster fire.

IMHO, this turd dropping on the market.at 40K is not even a remote possibility. At least not in the present form. Tesla has been fairly heavy handed with the pricing of their option packages. That said, a 40K variant would likely be 2 WD, and 2 wheel steering. With the price as it's described here, probably somewhere about 65 to 70K.

Were the price to actually be 40K as described, (4 WD .& 4 wheel steering) it would definitely be a "loss leader". Were that to happen, someone who is comfortable with driving around town in it without a paper bag over their head, should grab one ASAP.
Click to expand...
Motor Trend cited late 2021 for initial production in their 2019 article, looking more like end of 3rd quarter this year for the first few examples to trickle out and those will almost certainly be top spec versions seeded to higher profile folks for the virality factor. Basically they're currently looking like 2 years behind initial estimates which is similar to peers in the automotive space launching similar vehicles over the last couple of years. While the Corvette Z06 is a very different kind of vehicle it's also basically a toy for big kids and GM is still seriously production limited 2 years into its launch due to component shortages. Comparably Rivian has had their own headaches to deal with regarding the R1T between some battery/packaging redesign and parts shortages. Personally I'd have the Rivian over the Cybertruck as it gives me Toyota Landcruiser vibes especially in blue or yellow.

The supposed 40K version was/is the RWD, single motor variant with 250 mile supposed range 0-60 in 6.5s and a 110Mph tops speed (I'm a life long petrol head and I can't wrap my head around this want for a super fast SUV or Truck, just get a 20 year old 600cc class bike for pennies on the dollar of MSRP instead) 7500lbs. towing capacity.

The next supposed version was/is the AWD, Dual motor, 300 mile range*, 4.5s 0-60, 120Mph and 10,000lbs. towing capacity.

Finally full ridiculous would be 70K, triple motor, 500 mile range*, 2.9s 0-60, 130Mph and 14,000lbs. towing capacity.

The all wheel steering if done right and factored into the costs across the entire product lineup could make sense financially and to be fair it's going to be needed on something this size.
 
captaincranky

captaincranky

Posts: 19,428   +8,551
@Scott Barnes Over the years, I've probably sublimated my figures from TS' many articles on the truck..

In the distant past, I think was was GM's Fisher Body division, used to give kids blocks of wood, to let them design their own car. (That's a huge "IIRC", since I"m talking 6 decades or so in the past). Ostensibly, they would have likely come up with something this ham handed.

Moving over to "Gay Paree", and entertainment industry award shows, you'll see hideous fashions masquerading as "trends", with beyond outrageous prices tags, and a boatload of sycophants lavishing praise on some desperately ugly clothes.

For all the world, I think that's what Musk is trying to do with this abomination, ram his outlandishly bad taste in design, down people's throats.and proclaim it "the latest trend". Erstwhile hoping his groupies, cronies, and sycophants, will respond to his dog whistle.

Anybody who buys one, better hope to god they never break a windshield. ( I know prayer is bullsh!t, but if it gives you something to fall back on, what the hell, go for it)..

More succinctly, "Musk's ego is writing checks, that his drafting board can't cash".
 
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