Blade Runner Redux - Tesla Cybertruck!
 

Cybertruck, you can try to beat it but it'll beat you back!

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media...xma1ipeico.png

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media...pafamerfmk.png

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7atGkba-Z8

Oops! gotta call that glass supplier.

https://www.tesla.com/cybertruck

Under 40K before incentives! The ATV is optional.

Is this real life *checks if it's April 1*...

Elon is the worst at unveiling new stuff, as if he didn't rehearse, which he probably didn't. I assume he was thinking of more interesting stuff than how to present a product in front of millions of people.

The deposit is only $100 this time, for a target date 2 years out. Either Tesla doesn't need to raise the capital as badly as last time, or people aren't falling for that trick again.

Still can't believe the style is that stark and cold. I don't see it having mass appeal. Perhaps Musk solved the "production hell" by not forming anything. Just take the raw flat sections of material and weld them on. Eliminate half the tooling.

The price seems incredibly good if it's as advertised... like a major leap in battery manufacturing good. 250 mile range in the base truck for $40k... It's got to have a ~125 kWh battery... in the lowest range option. Twice that for the long range version. That's more than twice the capacity of the Model 3+ (~50 kWh) at the same price point.

I don't know what the deal with the bulletproof doors and tough windows are. Unless the body is structural, it doesn't need to be so tough. Always thought the stainless steel of the Delorean was neat and wondered why nobody else had copied that.

EDIT: I bet the the guy was supposed to throw the steel ball at the front windshield and not the side one. It's the front ones that are laminated, and the side ones use safety glass.

Price and timeline all won't happen. Specs, maybe. I'm sure the engineers love that they purposely made some unnecessarily poor aero choices while promising longer range at a lower price.

Well, this time Tesla seems to have control over the battery situation, and they've learnt a thing or 2 from the Model 3 production hell; the Model Y for instance will have way less wiring and the floor is a single casting.

The truck should be easier to build still; no need to press body parts into shape if the required shape comes straight like that from the steel mill. No need for a paint shop either. And exoskeleton is just a fancy word for a self-supporting body, like the existing models have.

I like it! Styling wise Musk kept his promise. It indeed looks somewhat like an APC, it is tough, it certainly is like nothing else on the road.
I'd never buy one though - I'd immediately sell it if I got it for free. But just because it is too big to move around in Europe, can't park it wherever I have to.

The real news is the incredibly low price for its specs. That brings hope that the other models may drop in price in the future.
If Tesla ever makes a Model 2 it would be really affordable.

The issues with the Delorean were: generally had to replace the damaged panel then do a tedious process to re match the "grain" . pricey parts and labor intensive

Musk is secretly very jealous of a particular car

At least it will be easy to aeromod with all the nice flat mounting surfaces.
JJ

Random thoughts

I think Musk was correct when he said earlier that most people won’t like the styling.

Once again he boxes himself in by announcing pricing before the design work is complete.

Is it on an existing platform or yet another one.

I missed the intro where he says the body is part of the structural integrity and is thicker steel than usual. If that's the case, then that would explain the flat body panels. I'm wondering if the overall cost to manufacture is reduced by going this route, and by how much?

What I'm very curious to see is if contractors will be buying these trucks. Onboard air compressor and inverter would appeal to them, as well as the price. 250 mile range is adequate for contract work. 500 mile range is adequate for contractors that travel long distances and use the truck all day.

EDIT: Forgot to comment about the headlights. I can't see that making it to production since they need to be adjustable. Maybe the whole bar is adjustable? Is that really an improvement in lighting? Perhaps...

Regarding styling; it's real bad, but I could get over it quickly if the utility, and cost of ownership of the truck is as good as described.

...oh, and I just noticed no mirrors or external cameras. So something has got to change before the release because each one has Autopilot.

Absolutely the biggest takeaway from this despite the styling. It can carry more, tow more, and go over more than any other light truck in production now or likely to be available at the time of it's intended production - and at a price that will likely be competitive if not handily beat out competitors like Ford or Rivian.

Even a base F-150 is just shy of $30k. They didn't go into all of the features, but a tilting bed and built in retracting tonneau cover are absolutely not part of the Ford feature set.