Tesla Cybertruck

[Kaido]

'Through Sunday' is the rumor, no idea what time that means. It looks like there are lines to get in (no surprise there).

During the reveal I legitimately thought it was a joke. I expected them to roll out a far more normal looking vehicle and laugh at us all for being so gullible. I was seriously WTF when it just ended and that's what it was. Once I started thinking about it though the lack of paint to worry about and the overall value range/performance per $ etc I came around pretty quickly. If I'm honest I'd rather have a Rivian but the demonstrated value retention of Tesla combined with the Supercharger network makes it a hard sell to buy anything but a Tesla at this point. Aside from sports cars there really isn't anything I would buy right now that isn't made by Tesla. All daily driver type ICE cars are essentially obsoleted.

Viper GTS

Yeah, I definitely think Rivian has a better-looking truck, but I LOVE the interior of the Cybertruck! Plus:

1. All metal
2. Truck, so you can use it for truck-y things
3. EV ATV option
4. Use it as a battery for camping, on-site jobs, etc.
5. Supercharger network available nationwide
6. Self-driving tech is constantly improving
7. Fun entertainment center tech like karaoke, games, etc.
8. Full tank of juice every day if you charge up at home

I was in the same boat, was going to get a Y then a Truck, but with COVID, meh. My goal is to have my Mustang paid off (ICE MT as my forever car) & then add the Cybertruck on for winter driving, projects with the bed, camping, etc.

 

[herm0016]

1. All metal - yes
2. Truck, so you can use it for truck-y things - barely.... no way the bed is as useful as my current truck. its too tall on the sides, no way I can get a tractor of a reasonable size ( utility/compact/subcompact) to dump a load of dirt/mulch/compost in there over the side. the load floor is quite high. the angled cover would be super annoying as all my tools would have to be at the back window and not the gate for easy access like I have with a cap.
3. EV ATV option - this is an option for anyone. . .
4. Use it as a battery for camping, on-site jobs, etc. yes, and ford has it, GM has it in the works.
5. Supercharger network available nationwide- only an advantage if the rest works.
6. Self-driving tech is constantly improving - and will never amount to full self driving as said by tesla engineers.
7. Fun entertainment center tech like karaoke, games, etc. - none of this matters. the only way you are breaking into the truck game is something that you see people doing real work in. the sides of this make it usless for gooseneck/5th wheel trailers and thats the only way you can safely pull more than about 10k lbs.
8. Full tank of juice every day if you charge up at home - this applies to every EV.

I was in the same boat, was going to get a Y then a Truck, but with COVID, meh. My goal is to have my Mustang paid off (ICE MT as my forever car) & then add the Cybertruck on for winter driving, projects with the bed, camping, etc.

just being real. it does look like they changed the front bumper from the one on stage?

 

[Kaido]

just being real. it does look like they changed the front bumper from the one on stage?

iirc I think he said they are shrinking it by some percentage to fit in people's garages better.

As far as being a work truck goes, yeah, there are limitations. But like 90% of the trucks out there are garage queens that people just buy to feel manly lol. I suspect the Cybertruck will be a HUGE seller for Tesla, possibly beating out the Model Y, because getting an EV truck for $39k base that is wildly different than anything else out there is going to be pretty popular, at least initially, I think. It's the same reason why the Honda Ridgeline 2.0 isn't selling like gangbusters...it's the best truck for most people, but people buy personal trucks based on emotion, not reality-based needs. They just added a useless $2,800 HPD package (Honda Performance Development) package to help beef up it's image, and even just adding that helped increase sales:

Tested: 2021 Honda Ridgeline Gets Slightly More Trucklike

Revised styling aims to help Honda's pickup look more like a conventional truck, with mixed results.

www.caranddriver.com

I can't remember if it was Redline or some other show or article where they talked to people from Honda and they basically acknowledged the image situation, where they had designed a really great & useful truck, but then people had to justify it to their family, friends, and strangers, and simply offering the HPD "off road" package was enough to boost sales, even though it was merely an appearance package. Likewise for the Cybertruck, as weird as it is, it's a pretty macho design, so I think it's going to sell really well. Plus if you can get it with the electric ATV, people go bananas for that kind of stuff. Remains to be seen what the actual package costs will be & if they'll really start pumping them out this year or not.

For me, it'd be a Home Depot truck & a winter AWD truck, plus used for light camping. Plus the idea that I could potentially keep it for 20+ years with minimal maintenance & degradation is a pretty cool concept. There's an article from a few years ago about a 400k-mile Model S that held up surprisingly well, and the tech has only gotten better over time:

Here's how a Tesla Model S holds up after 400,000 miles in 3 years

Tesla’s vehicles are becoming increasingly popular with taxi and shuttle services, which are pushing their vehicles a lot over short periods...

electrek.co

As far as towing goes, I mean, EV's are pretty terrible at that because it eats up so much battery life. I couldn't imagine that the Cybertruck would be really useful other than for going down to the local beach or lake, as you risk cutting your range literally in half:

Tesla Model X Range Impact When Towing

The Model X is a great tow vehicle -- quiet, comfortable, and powerful. But its range is severely reduced when towing a heavy load. Actual range may be less than half that available in normal driving.

www.teslarati.com

So as a "car", I think the Cybertruck will do great. As a work truck & as a long-range hauler, it's kind of limited due to the design. Plus it'd be a hassle to charge up at a Supercharger & try to angle your boat or trailer or whatever into the spot or have to disconnect it while your charger or whatever, plus having to hit charging spots more often due to how much towing kills the battery.

 

[Viper GTS]

I made it down to the Tesla showroom. Took a few pictures maybe I'll post some tomorrow but it's been pretty well photographed so there's not a lot of surprises. It's sitting pretty low in the showroom which I think contributes to making it seem smaller than expected. It is wide though with a lot of tire outside the body lines. With the extraordinarily shirt front overhang it is very cab forward with a lot of truck behind you. Will be an adjustment I think I haven't spent a lot of time driving full size pickups but I have a decent amount of time in my GX though not a lot recently.

It is definitely getting a lot of attention lots of passers-by photos and a pretty healthy line to get in. They're letting people in in groups, giving them a fixed amount of time, then flushing everyone out for the next group. Was working well when I was there I was annoyed the line wasn't moving at all but then half the line went inside. Maybe 15 minutes total in line which really wasn't bad.

As for all the bitching about it being useless as a work truck - Nobody cares. If I could get this platform in a GX or Rivian R1S like package I'd buy that instead, I'm buying it in spite of it being a truck not because of it. It's a 500 mile, 0-60 sub 3 seconds, stainless steel no paint vehicle with more room for people and stuff than my 3P for $70k. Only $13k more than I paid for the 3 but way more vehicle.

They are going to sell a fuckton of these to people who never would have considered a traditional truck. They don't even need to win over the work truck crowd but I suspect they'll get a bunch of those too.

Viper GTS

 

[Red Squirrel]

I have a feeling we're going to actually see Cybertrucks in my area unlike regular Teslas. They seem to be decently priced compared to even ICE trucks so someone in the market to buy new, the Cybertruck is not really that much out of reach. I know there is at least one Tesla in my city, or it may have been someone out of town, but I did see one driving.

I hope EVs start to take off here, because it means there will be some on the used market.

 

[jlee]

I have a feeling we're going to actually see Cybertrucks in my area unlike regular Teslas. They seem to be decently priced compared to even ICE trucks so someone in the market to buy new, the Cybertruck is not really that much out of reach. I know there is at least one Tesla in my city, or it may have been someone out of town, but I did see one driving.

I hope EVs start to take off here, because it means there will be some on the used market.

Don't get your hopes too high -- used Teslas (of reasonably recent vintage at least) cost about the same as new ones.

 

[rstrohkirch]

Trucks already have high residuals. Assuming there are no release issues, a dual motor around here would practically appreciate. =]

 

[Red Squirrel]

Don't get your hopes too high -- used Teslas (of reasonably recent vintage at least) cost about the same as new ones.

I'm thinking more lower end like Nissan Leaf, Chevy Bolt etc. The issue though is the dealers don't really push those or even keep any on the lot and the average person does not even know they exist when they're buying a car. I feel EVs will not really take off if they continue to be treated as a niche thing.

I think ultimately if I really want an EV I will probably need to just do an EV swap myself on an old car or eventually bite the bullet and buy new. I need to work on ways to reduce my costs of living and eventually if I can do that I will be able to afford it.

 

[Wreckem]

Fords unveiling their F150 Lightning electric truck next week with deliveries around mid summer 2022. With the Cybertruck looking at delays until 2022 it appears Tesla may have some formidable competition unless Fords the lightning into a halo truck like GMC did with their electric hummer.

 

[jlee]

I'm thinking more lower end like Nissan Leaf, Chevy Bolt etc. The issue though is the dealers don't really push those or even keep any on the lot and the average person does not even know they exist when they're buying a car. I feel EVs will not really take off if they continue to be treated as a niche thing.

I think ultimately if I really want an EV I will probably need to just do an EV swap myself on an old car or eventually bite the bullet and buy new. I need to work on ways to reduce my costs of living and eventually if I can do that I will be able to afford it.

Bolts are down to ~$15k in the US now, readily available used.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Bolts are down to ~$15k in the US now, readily available used.

Nothing in my area though, I hardly see anything new let alone used.

I did see a leaf the other day though... so maybe in the next few years it will pickup here. People are too worried about cold weather performance. -30's etc. But we don't even get much of that anymore these days. A few days here and there and that's about it.

 

[AdamK47]

 

[ultimatebob]

Papa Joe Biden seems to like the new Ford F-150 Lightning prototype. It looks like the Cybertruck might have some competition!

Ford reveals new electric F-150 Lightning pickup during Biden's visit to Michigan plant

The electric F-150 Lightning resembles the automaker's current pickup with an internal combustion engine but has unique exterior styling.

www.cnbc.com

 

[heymrdj]

Papa Joe Biden seems to like the new Ford F-150 Lightning prototype. It looks like the Cybertruck might have some competition!

Ford reveals new electric F-150 Lightning pickup during Biden's visit to Michigan plant

The electric F-150 Lightning resembles the automaker's current pickup with an internal combustion engine but has unique exterior styling.

www.cnbc.com

Lightning looks to be, if Ford’s timeline is to be believed, the first true half ton electric pickup to be available on the market. I’m curious what kind of trims and configurations will be available when wheels actually hit dealerships. I’ll likely be in the market again late next year so it has my interest.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Hope the Ford one is priced competitively. I could see that one actually do well. People are a bit less weary when they can buy from a normal car maker. Ex: ones that have local dealerships everywhere and a warranty etc. The downside with Tesla is you're kind of on your own after you buy it. They're not known for having good after sales support and getting parts is very hard.

 

[sdifox]

Dang

Tesla Cybertruck camper system receives $50 million in orders, and it doesn't even exist yet

A third-party Tesla Cybertruck camper system has received over $50 million worth of orders even though the product doesn’t even...

electrek.co

That's Jeremy Clarkson's camper!

 

[zinfamous]

That's Jeremy Clarkson's camper!

Only ~4 meters shorter, though.

 

[Gardener]

Now Ken has a truck to drive alongside Barbie's corvette.

 

[sdifox]

Only ~4 meters shorter, though.

Pretty close in height no?

 

[Wreckem]

Hope the Ford one is priced competitively. I could see that one actually do well. People are a bit less weary when they can buy from a normal car maker. Ex: ones that have local dealerships everywhere and a warranty etc. The downside with Tesla is you're kind of on your own after you buy it. They're not known for having good after sales support and getting parts is very hard.

Starting price for base model is a hair under $40k + delivery fee. This is before tax rebate. This model is only 230 miles range.

The pricing goes up to $90k for the most fully loaded Platinum.

 

[Kaido]

Latest tally is over 1 million pre-orders:

Tesla has over 1 million Cybertruck reservations in latest tally

Tesla has already accumulated over 1 million Cybertruck reservations, according to the latest tally. The electric pickup truck still has...

electrek.co

 

[Red Squirrel]

Pretty crazy. Looking forward to these being on the road and to see how they do. Same with the new F150 Lightning. I can see that one being pretty awesome on remote work sites. I can totally see solar tonneau covers become a thing too. Would make lot of sense to trickle charge it while it's sitting there. I don't imagine you could get more than like 500w out of that but it's still something. If you're going camping you'd probably be bringing solar panels anyway, may as well have them on the truck.

 

[Kaido]

Man. I dunno about that yoke:

Tesla's new yoke steering wheel looks super awkward to use in first drives

We’re starting to see more people get behind the wheel of Tesla’s new Model S Plaid and getting footage of...

electrek.co

 

[heymrdj]

Man. I dunno about that yoke:

Tesla's new yoke steering wheel looks super awkward to use in first drives

We’re starting to see more people get behind the wheel of Tesla’s new Model S Plaid and getting footage of...

electrek.co

“The craziest part to me is that some early owners and people who had access to driving the car and said that they had issues with the steering wheel don’t want to go public about it, for fear of Tesla fans going after them.”

Man if that ain’t the truth.

But no, watching that parking situation was just silly. These cars aren’t going to be self driving anytime soon in all situations, until the I want something where steering isn’t like getting in a fight with your car.

 

[Kaido]

“The craziest part to me is that some early owners and people who had access to driving the car and said that they had issues with the steering wheel don’t want to go public about it, for fear of Tesla fans going after them.”

Man if that ain’t the truth.

But no, watching that parking situation was just silly. These cars aren’t going to be self driving anytime soon in all situations, until the I want something where steering isn’t like getting in a fight with your car.

I tend to drive with my left elbow resting on the window armrest & my hand on top of the round wheel. I dunno if I could ever get used to the yoke!