While I was in China, Tesla introduced its 6-seat Cybertruck. At $40,000 for the 2WD version, it does not seem overpriced (and the 4WD version at $50k with 16″ of ground clearance would have the potential for good off-road performance, right?). Operating cost here in Massachusetts (22 cents/kwh electricity) should be about the same as a gas-powered mid-sized car, maybe 7 cents per mile? Practicality with the locking bed cover (standard?) should be good, except for parking.
There is the image question. With today’s Teslas, one expects the driver to emerge and deliver a lecture on climate change, the merits of Elizabeth Warren, unions (except at Tesla itself), and a larger government, etc. What would the image be of someone who drives what looks like a high school kid’s first SolidWorks project?
How did they pick the name? This is for people who used to say “I’m using the Interweb”?
How are they going to deliver this car at $40-50k profitably? Isn’t stainless steel expensive?
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Maybe it’s just designed to get attention and maybe raise the stock price and they don’t plan to make too many if it’s not a big money maker. Maybe it will mostly appeal to rich d-bags who like the idea of driving around in a super cool manly “truck”, sort of an updated Hummer. My own feeling is that it looks like a Delorean got busy with an El Camino.
Maybe it’s the same steel that SpaceX Is using for it’s rocket.
Seeing as the current crop of trucks is moving towards using aluminum for their bodies, stainless steel seems like a big Win. Those aluminum trucks ae going to provide lifetime employment for the ‘Dent Doctors’, etc out there.
A renter in San Diego (Demuro) protested it as extremely overpriced & the bed cover being germane for trucks. In reality, it’s going to be a bargain in 2 years when all other trucks cost $60,000.
The cybertruck looks like it does because it’s an exoskeleton instead of the I beams all trucks have used since the model T. It’s the look of the original Delorean & who hasn’t wanted a Delorean since 1985? At least the single headlight will be as normal as Tesla headlights on are everything else today.
There is no way they will ship it at the announced price. (And practically they never did with any other cars before – you can’t buy cheapest Model 3 anymore, and produced just few of them anyway).
Even at the increase price it will sell like hot cakes.
There are many, many of us, even here in Silicon Valley, who would never dream of lecturing anyone about anything except how much fun Teslas are to drive. On that topic, we can go on and on.
Even though the Cybertruck looks weird, I’ll be happy not to be surrounded by so many pickups that look exactly the same. It will be nice to see something truly different. Until, if Tesla are lucky like they were with their other cars, other pickups start looking like the Cybertruck. We’ll see.
The first generation Honda Ridgeline – now that’s a cool-looking truck!
The people who buy high torque trucks actually need to carry loads and tow things, often quite far. Once you load up this e-truck I’m sure the range is minuscule, defeating the entire purpose.
There might be a tiny market for landscapers or such with reliable known short distance routes. Crews at Disneyland and at airports?
There’s a landscaper who works in my neighborhood and uses exclusively high-quality (and quiet!) electric mowers and tools.
I will lay money he loads those electric tools into a diesel V-8.
Fun fact, those brushed stainless steel panels are nearly impossible to repair if you get even a small bump in them. With regular cars you just get it more or less in shape, apply bondo to make it smooth, and paint over the whole thing.
There is practically no way to do traditional bodywork an make it smooth enough, match the grain structure etc.
The plan with the Delorean was that you’d just swap out damaged panels.
I immediately wondered if it was named after the big badass boss in Doom, the Cyberdemon. I very nearly pissed my pants when I first encountered it decades ago. I had the same reaction to the Cybertruck, except occasioned by laughter rather than fear.
I want one. I currently drive an original production Model 3, another configuration you can no longer buy new. I don’t lecture anybody about saving the planet for human habitation, because it’s not worth the effort. When people ask how I like my GPU cluster on wheels I tell them about torque when getting on highways and letting the car do all the driving in bad traffic. If the truck is in production in three years I plan to buy one. It would be perfect for hauling a trailer containing the replica biplane I’m building. I may not be the typical truck buyer.
It’s ugly as hell, the least inspired thing I’ve ever seen. I think it’s some kind of litmus test to discover whether automotive journalists will stiff Musk and call it the ugliest thing on wheels. It’s going to make a great police vehicle post-apocalypse, assuming the departments have their own power to keep them charged.
I am in 100%. Demuro is on the wrong side of history.