Blade Runner Redux - Tesla Cybertruck!

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by oldtamiyaphile

Earlier in the year Tesla bought out Maxwell and their solid state battery technology, they said it would be market ready in 2020/21. That happens to be when the Cybertruck comes out. Tesla's already said it will weigh the same as a F150, and the only way they'll do that is with solid state batteries.

Game over. Solid state batteries are the last nail in the ICE coffin.

That would be cool, but no possible way they sell a single truck in 2020, slim to none 2021, I personally don't believe it will be 2022 either. Good news on the idea of solid state batteries though as that gives them more time to make that a possibility. I still bet the model year is 2023 and it just uses the same thing they have now but 200-225 kWh and overall weight of 6000-6500 pounds.

[freebeard]

I'm very grateful that there are people that purchase new vehicles and subsidize new technologies so frugal people like me can reap the trickle down benefits at a delayed date.

50-75 years from now there will be used Cybertrucks that haven't yet begun to rust.

[RedDevil]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

That would be cool, but no possible way they sell a single truck in 2020, slim to none 2021, I personally don't believe it will be 2022 either. Good news on the idea of solid state batteries though as that gives them more time to make that a possibility. I still bet the model year is 2023 and it just uses the same thing they have now but 200-225 kWh and overall weight of 6000-6500 pounds.

You assume Tesla will hit delays like they did in the past.

But Tesla learned and is doing things differently now.
The China factory was finished ahead of schedule and is producing cars already.
Production of the Powerwalls and grid storage are way up; battery supplies must have accelerated.
The Model Y was expected to hit the market late 2020, but the last signs are the Y production line in Fremont is almost ready.
Parts suppliers have received increased parts orders for the Y and the Semi, so pending official confirmation it is expected Model Y production will actually start in Q1 2020.

With everything going crescendo, why should the truck not join the trend?

[oldtamiyaphile]

Originally Posted by Xist

What is the ROI on $2,500 for 7 miles a day? How does that tiny amount of charge balance with your truck being warmer because you parked it in the sun? How often do you take road trips with four adults and luggage? How often do you drive and need AWD?

I'm undecided on the solar option, but I don't think it will cost that much. My van has about the same area as the CT tonneau in panels. Cost me $1000 including all installation supplies and controllers, using quality products. In two years I've gotten 140kWh out of them, parking in the shade whenever possible. That's pretty good considering my OEM battery is generally full after a couple of hours, the rest goes to waste (other than running front and rear dash cams while parked).

The angle of the tonneau is potentially far more suited to panels than my flat roof. I'd guess the ROI will be around 20 years, but they would be worth in for remote area travel if you do run out of juice, a few miles a day could be the difference between making it out alive and not - or even just saving a $2000 tow bill.

I know from my Jeep, which has similar range, that ~300miles is barely adequate. I don't think I can stretch to the 500mile model though.

I'd love for them to do a shorter two door version, but you can only buy what they sell. I'll probably gut the rear seat and that will be bike transport (or possibly sleeping quarters? - could almost fit a bunk bed in there ).

[ldjessee00]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I'm not looking for you to justify what you want, as no explanation is necessary, nor do I have any negative opinion of those wealthier than me that spend money differently than I would.

...(snip)...

Perhaps when I'm older I'll value the money less and the cutting edge stuff more.

Having driven our Leaf for just over 2 years now, we do not keep it charged at 100%. I would not plugin and charge at home every day, just like I do not put gas in my Subaru every day. Unless it is going on a big trip, if it gets below 50%, then I put more gas in it. With the Leaf, it is usually in the 30% or sometimes 20% range before we charge it.

I expect the same thing with this Cybertruck (or any other EV we purchase).

Money, for me, is only a means to an end. The value relative to material products shifts around (almost always downward), so saving it does not have much benefit, when the cost of inflation outpaces most savings interest rates, unless I am willing to have more limited access to said funds (CDs, etc). I grew up pretty poor for parts of my life, which I am sure has lead me to have a less than logical view on money.

And yes, I am open to compromise, but due to the wife getting slowed down by several public chargers not being in working condition the one time she tried taking a trip in the Leaf, I think I will not have a problem with getting it 'approved'... and I am very much aware of the proliferation of Tesla charging facilities in my area.

I watched several people try to build an EV jerry can (portable charger to add a few miles of range to help get an EV to a recharging station) and it does not seem to work at all... Maybe I am gravitated to this option (the solar panel bed cover) thinking it might help in those situations? But you are probably correct, the money would be better spent on using for electricity or even putting together my own solar charging system and only carrying it when needed.

Just spit-balling: 4x 300 watt solar panels, micro-inverters, charge controller/BMS, and combination of capacitors and batteries with say 1kW of storage and the circuitry and connectors to dump that out effectively so Tesla's would see it as a valid power source... sounds like a lot of work and experimentation...

Cost would be... oh, $400 for LG monocrystal panel, so that is $1600 for panels. $800 for an Lithium Iron Phosphate battery... another $800 in electronics and add-in a connector... I am over the $2,500 for the option trying to make something DIY.

We get direct sunlight, we just get about 2 to 3 hours in the winter months and 4 to 5 in the summer months, due to the tree shading. The last time we had it analyzed, it looked like we needed 6+ in the summer and 4+ in the winter to really make it viable and due to the trees on the property line to the east and the trees on other peoples property to the south and west, not going to happen... all the trees on my property are to the north, which I like (about 1/3 to almost 1/2 my land has mature, tall trees).

Normally I am less taken with 'neat' technology the older I get, but there are somethings I hold important, like trying to move to EVs. I am considering selling my house and getting one with more southerly exposure so I can put up solar panels. Then we can provide for some of our own electrical uses.

[ldjessee00]

Originally Posted by oldtamiyaphile

I'm undecided on the solar option, but I don't think it will cost that much. My van has about the same area as the CT tonneau in panels. Cost me $1000 including all installation supplies and controllers, using quality products. In two years I've gotten 140kWh out of them, parking in the shade whenever possible. That's pretty good considering my OEM battery is generally full after a couple of hours, the rest goes to waste (other than running front and rear dash cams while parked).

The angle of the tonneau is potentially far more suited to panels than my flat roof. I'd guess the ROI will be around 20 years, but they would be worth in for remote area travel if you do run out of juice, a few miles a day could be the difference between making it out alive and not - or even just saving a $2000 tow bill.

I know from my Jeep, which has similar range, that ~300miles is barely adequate. I don't think I can stretch to the 500mile model though.

I'd love for them to do a shorter two door version, but you can only buy what they sell. I'll probably gut the rear seat and that will be bike transport (or possibly sleeping quarters? - could almost fit a bunk bed in there ).

What is the wattage of your panels and the size of your battery?

My understanding the seats fold up and there is under seat storage, so I could definitely see a sleeping option, especially if it is as wide as some claim it is.

What is it about your Jeeps range you find inadequate? I have been around Jeeps off and on and have wanted one for decades (my mom ran an offroad club for a while). (Nevermind, I see that you live in Australia, one of the places that makes the US look crowded)

Having driven around the US, I found that many people do not realize the time they spend off the road in a long car trip. The stops for bathrooms, eating, gas, and 'to stretch the legs'. The older I get, the more often these happen. I have driven 600 miles in 10 hours, but that was not fun nor enjoyable. Sure, it is no Cannonball high speed run, but that included two stops for gas/food/bathroom and another stop just for bathroom/drinks.

[TheEnemy]

Part of the problem with the battery gas can projects I have seen so far is that they make a battery pack, with an inverter to hook into the ac charger on the car. There are a lot of losses involved with that double conversion. If they would apply a DC-DC converter, or build a pack with slightly greater than 400v more of the energy from the "gas can" would make it to the car.

I am on the fence so far about the solar tanaeu cover as well and I live in an ideal locaton for solar. It would depend on how much it costs, and whether or not our budget can handle the extra cost. As it is we might be pushing the upper limits on what we can/are willing to afford.

I am hoping that there will be an option to get the 500 mile pack for the dual motor.

[redpoint5]

The tesla might have a more "ideally" angled cover for solar, but that assumes it's parked ideally also. Parked non-ideally, the angle would be worse than a flat mounted panel. You'd need to always park north facing (on this side of the hemisphere). In a big city like Manhattan, fuggedaboutit. They get zero sunshine year round unless you park on top of a skyscraper.

[Xist]

Musk is crazy, but I do not see him claiming the pickup can drive up a skyscraper.

If they could modify the steering for extreme angles at low speeds, I would think that it would be easy to have the pickup creeping from side to side to chase the sun.

[freebeard]

(on this side of the hemisphere)

Northern side of the Western hemisphere?

A 10x20 quick canopy would fit into the bed. Now if it had thin film solar, you could store and transport it and then erect and drive out from under it occasionally.