Tesla Cyber Truck (Most Hideous Truck/Tank Ever)

[Irace86.2.0]

Originally Posted by PulsarBeeerz

Ah, I see Tesla made the move to lithium accessory batteries back in 2021. The Li-ions batteries already go for 2X ~$200 more per unit than lead acid and the price increase wouldn't be dropping with more EVs coming on the market every year. Part of this strategy is about lessons learned and pulling value back lost from the original material change on past vehicles assuming this happens on more than one model. $200 more per battery on 1 million cars adds up fast. The engineering change cost is still getting ignored, but it easier to estimate material costs so I get it.
Wait, even if it was to be 48v on all new model wouldn't there be lack of reverse compatibility with the electronics of older models? So now you need to manufacture, and store parts for two voltage architectures??

The weight savings still isn't going to make a difference in the real world. It less than the average American woman.lol The general public doesn't care how much the car weighs. The Cyber truck is already 3tons+, a model S is 4600lbs. What is a 130lb going to do?
You are correct on some auto makers have been using aluminum already. I think Toyota is using it in their Rav4 Hybrid harness, check out "cablegate" sometime. But not worth delving more into as Tesla never said they were going to make use it.

FWIW, the lithium battery is a CATL battery, who is already a supplier, and it is designed to last the life of the car instead of the lead acid battery that needs replacing every four years. The price is a wash for the buyer, if not a savings on servicing.

The engineering change cost wasn't ignored. I said the savings would be immediate, and it would grow even more over time (as the industry/suppliers move components to 48V). Here is a larger analysis below. Multiple suppliers are already developing or have developed 48v components for cars that have 48v systems for mild-hybrids, so that those manufactures don't need a 12v system as well as a 48v system.

https://www.frost.com/frost-perspect...mission-norms/

The parts point is ehh. Apple was making a new iPhone every year. Tesla is constantly changing their cars like I don't think a single car is the same as the year before. There are 48v RVs, e-bikes, solar, etc. They can build old parts and new parts just the same. They are still building stuff for vehicles sixty years old. I don't see this as a real problem.

The weight benefit will matter for sports cars, but weight isn't the main point. It might result in a negligible improvement in range having a few hundred pounds less weight to carry. It is for a cost savings and electrical system performance. There is ZERO chance that Tesla did this change without knowing full well it was going to be better for their bottom line, or why do it? Do you really believe they are just speculating and hoping there could be benefits?

This is 8 years old.

[Irace86.2.0]

[Irace86.2.0]

Not 3mm panels... 1.8mm doors and 1.4mm hood and some other spots, which is why the crash test has the hood bending the way it does.

[Irace86.2.0]

[Irace86.2.0]

Pointless light show:

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Irace86.2.0

Pointless light show:

Not pointless, this is how Skynet starts. Make it a cute connected experience and the next thing you know they are ripping your arms off to the sounds of The Final Countdown.

[wbradley]

Tesla is all about demonstrating how innovative and ahead of the curve they are.
Meanwhile, other companies are establishing their place in the electrified vehicle market and are doing it with all privately raised money. Don't forget Tesla received massive government loans through the dept. of energy, iirc $550M at one point. There will reach a time when the electrification itself becomes pretty well established, probably everyone being able to access Superchargers etc. Consistency in the cooling, range, battery life, ability to resist spontaneous combustion, etc. At that point it will get back to who makes a car that you find attractive and useful and that you can easily live with.
I went with Volvo mild hybrid since my mileage is very low these days, but the deal maker was Android Auto.

[Dadhawk]

And now, it floats... can't believe all the stuff swirling around the Cybertruck becoming amphibious with the addition of some new seals to the doors.

This from the folks that brought you baseball proof windows. They definitely know how to keep the free marketing flowing (and of course I'm helping).

I love the video of the person being "amazed" by the CT driving in hard sand in the surf about the depth of a georgia highway mud puddle.

https://electrek.co/2023/11/21/tesla...o-water-float/

[wbradley]

Then there's the spectacle factor. If you drive one, do you mind being a spectacle on the road with the vehicle. I was never a fan of the original Hummers, just another platform for d*#k measuring contests. Where I live, AMG G wagons are common. I'm not sure that the predominantly female demographic I see driving those trucks would make the switch, it's just too much truck tor them, despite the initial flash. This will be a predominantly male driven vehicle , I'm thinking.
The lifestyle thing will apply more where the weather is warmer and without harsh winters. It would suck to run out of juice at the top of a mountain range or in a massive blizzard though. No jerry can will rescue you. But you can sleep in the tent until you're rescued. That tent reminds me of another beauty, Pontiac Aztec

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by wbradley

It would suck to run out of juice at the top of a mountain range or in a massive blizzard though. No jerry can will rescue you. But you can sleep in the tent until you're rescued. That tent reminds me of another beauty, Pontiac Aztec

Well you could always deploy some solar panels and trickle charge it for a month, or maybe carry a generator and a jerry can or two...

[Irace86.2.0]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

And now, it floats... can't believe all the stuff swirling around the Cybertruck becoming amphibious with the addition of some new seals to the doors.

This from the folks that brought you baseball proof windows. They definitely know how to keep the free marketing flowing (and of course I'm helping).

I love the video of the person being "amazed" by the CT driving in hard sand in the surf about the depth of a georgia highway mud puddle.

https://electrek.co/2023/11/21/tesla...o-water-float/

You know, I was wondering if they messed up with the windows. I don't know if they decided to use extra thick laminated glass instead of tempered glass, because that is what it looks like, but tempered glass is extremely strong, so yeah, maybe they messed up on that one. Also, people have had to break through the glass when the battery/system went down because everything works on electric (I think there is mechanical backup), and they couldn't open the doors, so I don't know about laminated side windows. Maybe it is similar to tint, but stronger.

On the plus side, maybe it'll make thieves less likely to try to break through the window.

[Irace86.2.0]

For reference (link below), this video shows how hard tempered glass is normally, yet the Cybertruck fractures like a laminated windshield.



https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=342785747109983

[wbradley]

The buying public in North America have made it clear that pickup trucks are the Swiss army knife vehicle for their lives based on sales numbers. How long has the F150 sold over half a million (more like >600K+) per year? A pickup is a large SUV cab with a flexible use rear cargo area isolated from the cabin. For North American companies plus Toyota, there are big stakes involved. Look at the average sticker price on pickup trucks and combined with units produced you get a pretty good idea how much of the pie they represent. What's changed though, is that the upper range of pricing for mass-production pickup trucks has well exceeded the six figure USD price from multiple suppliers. There are several contenders. So, pickup trucks are being sold as the ultimate do all vehicle.

[Irace86.2.0]

Originally Posted by wbradley

The buying public in North America have made it clear that pickup trucks are the Swiss army knife vehicle for their lives based on sales numbers. How long has the F150 sold over half a million (more like >600K+) per year? A pickup is a large SUV cab with a flexible use rear cargo area isolated from the cabin. For North American companies plus Toyota, there are big stakes involved. Look at the average sticker price on pickup trucks and combined with units produced you get a pretty good idea how much of the pie they represent. What's changed though, is that the upper range of pricing for mass-production pickup trucks has well exceeded the six figure USD price from multiple suppliers. There are several contenders. So, pickup trucks are being sold as the ultimate do all vehicle.

Don’t forget, trucks are also cheap. Someone can buy a Maverick for $20k. A 2022 F150 starts at $29k, and before the pandemic, a 2019 F250 started at $32k, and it was $36k for 4WD F250. That is pretty cheap if you compare the vehicle size, engine size, 4WD capability, turbo diesel power and gas mileage, etc. A 2023 F250 starts at $43k now—up quite a bit. Trucks are still a good value.

I don’t know if Cybertruck is playing the same value game. Fast, sure. Towing range and payload is not great for the price. Features are atypical. Tech is good, but it is relying on the weird factor, acceleration and the tech, which is fine for the premium, but this isn’t great value or the same type of Swiss Army Knife as other trucks, so it is a bummer the price jumped by $50%. Their vehicles don’t do well at luxury pricing levels. Maybe this will be the exception, but I think not. Musk was probably right when he said they dug their own grave. They do better at premium prices.