The Cybertruck from the perspective of a cultural critic
December 8, 2023 5:30 PM Subscribe
I kept reading despite my difficulties getting past "... throwing steel balls at the impact-resistant windows..." with no mention that THE WINDOWS BROKE. I guess that part was kind of telling who the writer was going to let off the hook re: her point.
The point being (correct me if I'm wrong; it didn't seem that nuanced) that we're clamoring for post-apocalyptic war cars so Musk is just giving us a post-apocalyptic war car, but there's very little examination about whether increasing militarization of vehicle design is actually manufacturer-driven or purchaser-driven. It was noted that truck/SUV drivers want something "safe." Okay, but how does that translate into a truck front grille that is taller than the average American?
Vehicle manufacturers accelerated this whole thing back when emissions standards rolled out (making bigger trucks that were exempt from passenger vehicle standards), and they've just kept on that path. Bigger. Scarier. Don't Tread On Me-ier. They need to take a little responsibility here, and this seemed a little flimsy in terms of that.
posted by queensissy at 5:53 PM on December 8, 2023 [33 favorites]
The point being (correct me if I'm wrong; it didn't seem that nuanced) that we're clamoring for post-apocalyptic war cars so Musk is just giving us a post-apocalyptic war car, but there's very little examination about whether increasing militarization of vehicle design is actually manufacturer-driven or purchaser-driven. It was noted that truck/SUV drivers want something "safe." Okay, but how does that translate into a truck front grille that is taller than the average American?
Vehicle manufacturers accelerated this whole thing back when emissions standards rolled out (making bigger trucks that were exempt from passenger vehicle standards), and they've just kept on that path. Bigger. Scarier. Don't Tread On Me-ier. They need to take a little responsibility here, and this seemed a little flimsy in terms of that.
posted by queensissy at 5:53 PM on December 8, 2023 [33 favorites]
It was noted that truck/SUV drivers want something "safe." Okay, but how does that translate into a truck front grille that is taller than the average American?
I think it's the feeling of safety as a zero-sum game: I can only be made safer if you are made less safe. I know that you aim to hurt me, so my only safety lies in hurting you first. It's the "police training video for the urban jungle" school of social relations.
posted by clawsoon at 6:08 PM on December 8, 2023 [40 favorites]
I think it's the feeling of safety as a zero-sum game: I can only be made safer if you are made less safe. I know that you aim to hurt me, so my only safety lies in hurting you first. It's the "police training video for the urban jungle" school of social relations.
posted by clawsoon at 6:08 PM on December 8, 2023 [40 favorites]
If by "interesting" you mean "profoundly banal." As Elon himself does.
All the theory you need for that entire shitshow was written in the 90s, at latest.
posted by snuffleupagus at 6:16 PM on December 8, 2023 [6 favorites]
All the theory you need for that entire shitshow was written in the 90s, at latest.
posted by snuffleupagus at 6:16 PM on December 8, 2023 [6 favorites]
I'll grant that it stands out in a sea of bland vehicles, but it also looks so cheesy. I'd be embarrassed to be seen in one.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:17 PM on December 8, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by Dip Flash at 6:17 PM on December 8, 2023 [5 favorites]
an electric mini truck that can hop like those fancy meer-say-deez would be fine for me.
posted by MonsieurPEB at 6:26 PM on December 8, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by MonsieurPEB at 6:26 PM on December 8, 2023 [4 favorites]
musk is the delorean we deserve
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 6:28 PM on December 8, 2023 [19 favorites]
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 6:28 PM on December 8, 2023 [19 favorites]
I'm interested in getting something that will economically1 take me and ~2000lbs of stuff out somewhere into the N American west for a week or three.
Ideally, I'd like something like this , which is in fact pretty close to the Landmaster.
So thus far, the Cybertruck is closest to that, though I do totally agree that Elon's fucked up worldview has poisoned its design brief. I don't want its bulletproof doors and shatter-resistant Gorilla Glass.
I may or may not wait for the first wave of NACS-equipped trucks and vans coming out in 2025-26. The upside of waiting would also give more insight into how close or far away Elon's other flim-flam is working, his "FSD" pipe dream2.
1 500 miles in a diesel truck might cost $150, while 500 miles in an electric truck should cost me around $40, thanks to home solar @ 7c/kWh covering the first ~300 miles.
2 Being able put the seat back, pull up a blankie, & go to sleep on I-5 out of say Roseville and wake up on the Oregon Coast or the Winnemuca NV superchargers 5 hours later would be pretty amazing.
posted by torokunai at 6:29 PM on December 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
Ideally, I'd like something like this , which is in fact pretty close to the Landmaster.
So thus far, the Cybertruck is closest to that, though I do totally agree that Elon's fucked up worldview has poisoned its design brief. I don't want its bulletproof doors and shatter-resistant Gorilla Glass.
I may or may not wait for the first wave of NACS-equipped trucks and vans coming out in 2025-26. The upside of waiting would also give more insight into how close or far away Elon's other flim-flam is working, his "FSD" pipe dream2.
1 500 miles in a diesel truck might cost $150, while 500 miles in an electric truck should cost me around $40, thanks to home solar @ 7c/kWh covering the first ~300 miles.
2 Being able put the seat back, pull up a blankie, & go to sleep on I-5 out of say Roseville and wake up on the Oregon Coast or the Winnemuca NV superchargers 5 hours later would be pretty amazing.
posted by torokunai at 6:29 PM on December 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
The 48 volt electrical system, drive-by-wire 4 wheel steering and stainless steel stamped/aluminum casting body are all fantastic and long overdue technical innovations that by all accounts make it a very fast vehicle with vastly superior handling, using less battery than weaker competitors. That makes it a major milestone that will stimulate innovation across the industry.
The high torque 4wd drivetrain, razor sharp bullet resistant body and heavily sloped windshield also make it an excellent battering ram against large groups of pedestrians. That makes it an abomination.
posted by CynicalKnight at 6:29 PM on December 8, 2023 [7 favorites]
The high torque 4wd drivetrain, razor sharp bullet resistant body and heavily sloped windshield also make it an excellent battering ram against large groups of pedestrians. That makes it an abomination.
posted by CynicalKnight at 6:29 PM on December 8, 2023 [7 favorites]
As someone who enjoys the old angular Toyota Previa, wedge shaped Triumphs, and the VW Thing, I like the profile of this truck. Low poly render be damned, it looks like it came from the vector arcade game Battlezone.
posted by zippy at 6:38 PM on December 8, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by zippy at 6:38 PM on December 8, 2023 [8 favorites]
It looks like a Pontiac Aztek conceived by John DeLorean.
I'm of the feeling that Americans are a fundamentally bored populace, having enjoyed greater prosperity for longer, and for more people, than ever before in history. And have no idea how it got that way. In fact, think things are more terrible than ever. I wish I could pin this idiocy as exclusive to the right wing. But the left is just as guilty, if not moreso. These ridiculous toys are the result, with everyone falling in line as, for and agin, to assume the comfortable role they see for themselves in our world.
posted by 2N2222 at 6:39 PM on December 8, 2023 [11 favorites]
I'm of the feeling that Americans are a fundamentally bored populace, having enjoyed greater prosperity for longer, and for more people, than ever before in history. And have no idea how it got that way. In fact, think things are more terrible than ever. I wish I could pin this idiocy as exclusive to the right wing. But the left is just as guilty, if not moreso. These ridiculous toys are the result, with everyone falling in line as, for and agin, to assume the comfortable role they see for themselves in our world.
posted by 2N2222 at 6:39 PM on December 8, 2023 [11 favorites]
I keep expecting it to be spelled “Cybertrukk” for some reason, and I’m always relieved/disappointed that it’s not.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 6:39 PM on December 8, 2023 [10 favorites]
posted by Mister Moofoo at 6:39 PM on December 8, 2023 [10 favorites]
Also it’s going to prove to be basically a stick lighter inside an airsoft gun again, isn’t it?
posted by Mister Moofoo at 6:40 PM on December 8, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Mister Moofoo at 6:40 PM on December 8, 2023 [3 favorites]
48V isn't all that amazing, but increasing the CAN bus to ethernet speeds for more hub & spoke connections looks to be a very good idea. Drive-by-wire is only solving a problem introduced by Elon wanting a yoke. 4WS was introduced, what, with the late 80s Prelude (I really wanted one of those!). Stainless steel "exoskeleton" looks like a big fail, similar to Elon's great brainwave of solar roofing tiles.
>less battery than weaker competitors
the dual motor version is actually pretty similar in specs to the F-150 Lightning: it's a bit heavier, with a bit more payload rating, probably thanks to the Ridgeline-like sails.
>battering ram
it gets a bad rap, but all trucks in its class have that same issue. The Cybertruck's hoodline (frunkline?) is actually a bit lower than the rest.
posted by torokunai at 6:41 PM on December 8, 2023 [4 favorites]
>less battery than weaker competitors
the dual motor version is actually pretty similar in specs to the F-150 Lightning: it's a bit heavier, with a bit more payload rating, probably thanks to the Ridgeline-like sails.
>battering ram
it gets a bad rap, but all trucks in its class have that same issue. The Cybertruck's hoodline (frunkline?) is actually a bit lower than the rest.
posted by torokunai at 6:41 PM on December 8, 2023 [4 favorites]
the left is just as guilty
OMG only in America* could someone both-sides the Cybertruck
* or on Metafilter
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 6:42 PM on December 8, 2023 [81 favorites]
OMG only in America* could someone both-sides the Cybertruck
* or on Metafilter
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 6:42 PM on December 8, 2023 [81 favorites]
Does anyone know if bullet proof doors are also key proof?
posted by njohnson23 at 6:46 PM on December 8, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by njohnson23 at 6:46 PM on December 8, 2023 [6 favorites]
I just know the first time I see one rolling in Toronto I am going to laugh and point and I doubt I’ll be the only one.
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:48 PM on December 8, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:48 PM on December 8, 2023 [7 favorites]
the SS is probably harder than your key, so you'd leave a streak of your key on it.
posted by torokunai at 6:49 PM on December 8, 2023
posted by torokunai at 6:49 PM on December 8, 2023
Related to the post apocalyptic ideas from Musk, Tom Nicholas made an interesting video essay a few years back exploring Musk's ideas of the future.
posted by Brainstorming Time! at 6:52 PM on December 8, 2023
posted by Brainstorming Time! at 6:52 PM on December 8, 2023
The longer I don't have a car (twenty-odd years now) the weirder the whole culture seems to me, but I will say that the cultural collision that I found most amusing was when Youtube tech reviewer Marques Brownlee pointed out the other day that his Cybertruck had an unfortunate habit of collecting fingerprints.
Somehow "perfectly normal review of dystopian wannabe APC" got combined with "how do the aesthetics of this smartphone measure up?"
posted by clawsoon at 6:52 PM on December 8, 2023 [7 favorites]
Somehow "perfectly normal review of dystopian wannabe APC" got combined with "how do the aesthetics of this smartphone measure up?"
posted by clawsoon at 6:52 PM on December 8, 2023 [7 favorites]
48V isn't all that amazing
Some initial teardown thoughts by Munro shows the wiring system uses between 70% to 80% less material than its competitors, partly due to the 48V wiring system having lower resistance and thus needing less material. The 12V system that every other manufacturer uses has been in use for the past 60 years, so it's exciting at least one manufacturer is driving some innovation. A regular vehicle uses 20kg of copper for wiring, an EV uses 80kg of copper for wiring, and that's not including the insulation sheaths and harnesses.
Drive-by-wire is only solving a problem introduced by Elon wanting a yoke.
Drive-by-wire itself enables 4 wheel steering without the expensive and heavy mechanical components that would be required otherwise. The rear wheel steering operates in two opposing modes - at low speed they steer counter to the direction of the forward wheels, allowing incredible turning circles and mobility no other vehicle can match. At higher speed they steer together with the front wheel, decreasing body roll and improving stability.
Comparing spec / retail price with competitors is misleading - anyone can price and make as much of a loss as they want in the short term. The real game is the cost of manufacture, the more efficient company will win.
posted by xdvesper at 7:02 PM on December 8, 2023 [6 favorites]
Some initial teardown thoughts by Munro shows the wiring system uses between 70% to 80% less material than its competitors, partly due to the 48V wiring system having lower resistance and thus needing less material. The 12V system that every other manufacturer uses has been in use for the past 60 years, so it's exciting at least one manufacturer is driving some innovation. A regular vehicle uses 20kg of copper for wiring, an EV uses 80kg of copper for wiring, and that's not including the insulation sheaths and harnesses.
Drive-by-wire is only solving a problem introduced by Elon wanting a yoke.
Drive-by-wire itself enables 4 wheel steering without the expensive and heavy mechanical components that would be required otherwise. The rear wheel steering operates in two opposing modes - at low speed they steer counter to the direction of the forward wheels, allowing incredible turning circles and mobility no other vehicle can match. At higher speed they steer together with the front wheel, decreasing body roll and improving stability.
Comparing spec / retail price with competitors is misleading - anyone can price and make as much of a loss as they want in the short term. The real game is the cost of manufacture, the more efficient company will win.
posted by xdvesper at 7:02 PM on December 8, 2023 [6 favorites]
>partly due to the 48V wiring system having lower resistance and thus needing less material
yeah, partly. It's unclear how much of the savings is due to the better bus topology Tesla has (the Lightning is legacy thinking at its finest). The CT isn't fully 48V BTW, there's still some 12V components requiring step-down xformers.
>Drive-by-wire itself enables 4 wheel steering
well, keeping the direct rack connection on the front wouldn't preclude remote deflection of the rear, which is what Mazda was doing a year after the Prelude Si 4WS.
>Comparing spec / retail price
I was comparing battery range & kWh, payload, and curb weights between the F-150 Lightning (extended pack) and AWD CT. The CT doesn't look all that revolutionary on these axes.
posted by torokunai at 7:13 PM on December 8, 2023 [2 favorites]
yeah, partly. It's unclear how much of the savings is due to the better bus topology Tesla has (the Lightning is legacy thinking at its finest). The CT isn't fully 48V BTW, there's still some 12V components requiring step-down xformers.
>Drive-by-wire itself enables 4 wheel steering
well, keeping the direct rack connection on the front wouldn't preclude remote deflection of the rear, which is what Mazda was doing a year after the Prelude Si 4WS.
>Comparing spec / retail price
I was comparing battery range & kWh, payload, and curb weights between the F-150 Lightning (extended pack) and AWD CT. The CT doesn't look all that revolutionary on these axes.
posted by torokunai at 7:13 PM on December 8, 2023 [2 favorites]
Drive-by-wire itself enables 4 wheel steering without the expensive and heavy mechanical components that would be required otherwise. The rear wheel steering operates in two opposing modes - at low speed they steer counter to the direction of the forward wheels, allowing incredible turning circles and mobility no other vehicle can match. At higher speed they steer together with the front wheel, decreasing body roll and improving stability.
GM had a version of this in their heavy duty pickups for a short moment in the 2000s. And, I believe they have brought it back for their EV pickup.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:23 PM on December 8, 2023 [4 favorites]
GM had a version of this in their heavy duty pickups for a short moment in the 2000s. And, I believe they have brought it back for their EV pickup.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:23 PM on December 8, 2023 [4 favorites]
This so-called truck appears to have less cargo capacity than my Honda HRV, which makes it as uselessly performative as all the other bro-dozers with 4’ beds currently infesting our streets.
posted by Just the one swan, actually at 7:39 PM on December 8, 2023 [34 favorites]
posted by Just the one swan, actually at 7:39 PM on December 8, 2023 [34 favorites]
That's really cool Dip Flash! A blast from the past... well at a cost of $5,600 back then, around $10,000 today, and a 300 pound weight penalty, it's no wonder it didn't take off.
Torokunai, comparing spec for spec doesn't really tell the full story either, because you can always spec match if that's what the design or marketing team says you have to do, you just pay whatever it costs. You want to match range while keeping curb weight the same even though you're at a disadvantage in body structures and wiring? Sure it can always be done, you just pay for weight reduction actions by using more exotic materials / construction processes elsewhere in the vehicle. We've had endless debates over how much aluminium vs steel gets used in the vehicle - is the consumer really going to pay X dollars more to have a vehicle Y pounds lighter? In the end it all boils down to cost and efficiency.
In the end it all gets reflected in the profit results from the manufacturer, and unprofitable vehicles and technologies die and get forgotten.
posted by xdvesper at 7:54 PM on December 8, 2023 [2 favorites]
Torokunai, comparing spec for spec doesn't really tell the full story either, because you can always spec match if that's what the design or marketing team says you have to do, you just pay whatever it costs. You want to match range while keeping curb weight the same even though you're at a disadvantage in body structures and wiring? Sure it can always be done, you just pay for weight reduction actions by using more exotic materials / construction processes elsewhere in the vehicle. We've had endless debates over how much aluminium vs steel gets used in the vehicle - is the consumer really going to pay X dollars more to have a vehicle Y pounds lighter? In the end it all boils down to cost and efficiency.
In the end it all gets reflected in the profit results from the manufacturer, and unprofitable vehicles and technologies die and get forgotten.
posted by xdvesper at 7:54 PM on December 8, 2023 [2 favorites]
I think the author certainly captured what the car represents aesthetically to Musk, based on his somehow ever-growing early ‘90s edgelord science fiction dork vibe.
But I’m wondering how big a crowd that will resonate with? Like, it feels like a very particular Gen X, maybe late boomer, white urban alt dude image he’s conjuring and, just, I’ve been to bars and record stores and other businesses with that vibe and they’re not exactly booming?
posted by smelendez at 8:00 PM on December 8, 2023 [10 favorites]
But I’m wondering how big a crowd that will resonate with? Like, it feels like a very particular Gen X, maybe late boomer, white urban alt dude image he’s conjuring and, just, I’ve been to bars and record stores and other businesses with that vibe and they’re not exactly booming?
posted by smelendez at 8:00 PM on December 8, 2023 [10 favorites]
In twenty years we'll either all be laughing at how right we were, or laughing because we did another, "No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame."
posted by clawsoon at 8:25 PM on December 8, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by clawsoon at 8:25 PM on December 8, 2023 [6 favorites]
In twenty years we'll check and it still won't have finished rendering
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 8:34 PM on December 8, 2023 [15 favorites]
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 8:34 PM on December 8, 2023 [15 favorites]
In fact, think things are more terrible than ever. I wish I could pin this idiocy as exclusive to the right wing. But the left is just as guilty, if not moreso
What the fuck are you talking about
posted by Carillon at 8:50 PM on December 8, 2023 [46 favorites]
What the fuck are you talking about
posted by Carillon at 8:50 PM on December 8, 2023 [46 favorites]
> even though you're at a disadvantage in body structures and wiring?
I've been watching Sandy's teardowns since the Model 3 from early Covid days, and caught today's talk about the wiring, too. TBH I didn't see THAT big a difference in gauge between the 12V and 48V wires.
But like the Mach-E's legacy cooling system vs Tesla's ingenious "Octovalve" design, I don't doubt that the Cybertruck's wiring is as big a win as Sandy is saying.
As for disadvantage in "body structure", I'm reasonably sure Tesla isn't going to continue this stainless steel direction. They were committed to it by Dear Leader, did their best over the past 4 years, but I'm just not seeing the win here.
The 300-mile Lightning has a 6300lb curb weight vs. 6600lbs for the AWD cybertruck. The Ford has a 2000lb payload vs the Cybertruck's 2,500.
As you say, there are a lot of other variables at play here but as it stands now the Cybertruck is just slotting in alongside its competition. Maybe the two big gigacasts, structural battery pack, and "30X-series exoskeleton" will enable Tesla to someday pump these out at $40k, $50k, and $70k as originally promised. Or maybe not.
apropos of nothing, my reservation page on Tesla.com got a blue order button today . . . $100K w/ no $7500 IRA offset is a bit rich so I'll be passing for now
posted by torokunai at 9:12 PM on December 8, 2023 [2 favorites]
I've been watching Sandy's teardowns since the Model 3 from early Covid days, and caught today's talk about the wiring, too. TBH I didn't see THAT big a difference in gauge between the 12V and 48V wires.
But like the Mach-E's legacy cooling system vs Tesla's ingenious "Octovalve" design, I don't doubt that the Cybertruck's wiring is as big a win as Sandy is saying.
As for disadvantage in "body structure", I'm reasonably sure Tesla isn't going to continue this stainless steel direction. They were committed to it by Dear Leader, did their best over the past 4 years, but I'm just not seeing the win here.
The 300-mile Lightning has a 6300lb curb weight vs. 6600lbs for the AWD cybertruck. The Ford has a 2000lb payload vs the Cybertruck's 2,500.
As you say, there are a lot of other variables at play here but as it stands now the Cybertruck is just slotting in alongside its competition. Maybe the two big gigacasts, structural battery pack, and "30X-series exoskeleton" will enable Tesla to someday pump these out at $40k, $50k, and $70k as originally promised. Or maybe not.
apropos of nothing, my reservation page on Tesla.com got a blue order button today . . . $100K w/ no $7500 IRA offset is a bit rich so I'll be passing for now
posted by torokunai at 9:12 PM on December 8, 2023 [2 favorites]
Depending on how you count, there are 77 years left in the 21st century. Surely* there will be more interesting vehicles in that period.
posted by JoeXIII007 at 9:43 PM on December 8, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by JoeXIII007 at 9:43 PM on December 8, 2023 [2 favorites]
I think the last paragraph sums it up perfectly:
The Cybertruck is the perfect vehicle for her. It is the perfect vehicle for a culture where everyone is afraid of their neighbor. Musk’s bulletproof wedge-shaped machine is the physical manifestation of America’s fear, and whether it is good or bad, we deserve it.
posted by mbo at 11:21 PM on December 8, 2023 [10 favorites]
The Cybertruck is the perfect vehicle for her. It is the perfect vehicle for a culture where everyone is afraid of their neighbor. Musk’s bulletproof wedge-shaped machine is the physical manifestation of America’s fear, and whether it is good or bad, we deserve it.
posted by mbo at 11:21 PM on December 8, 2023 [10 favorites]
Mister Moofoo: I keep expecting it to be spelled “Cybertrukk” for some reason, and I’m always relieved/disappointed that it’s not.
There is the hidden KKK in the logo…
posted by autopilot at 11:56 PM on December 8, 2023 [6 favorites]
There is the hidden KKK in the logo…
posted by autopilot at 11:56 PM on December 8, 2023 [6 favorites]
The point of the stainless steel skin was that it would be structural, load-bearing, to save weight on needing a traditional frame underneath. From all the reporting I've read, they have ended up just hanging stainless panels on a traditional frame.
posted by Dysk at 3:05 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Dysk at 3:05 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
That thing is not a truck. It is a grossly mutated hatchback. I'd like to see a review where they fill the "truckbed" with a load of hay or firewood and then see what's broken afterward, starting with the power tonneau which looks like it'll die the moment it gets detritus in the works. Or take it down a gravel road full of potholes and mud and see how long it lasts.
posted by Rhedyn at 3:32 AM on December 9, 2023 [13 favorites]
posted by Rhedyn at 3:32 AM on December 9, 2023 [13 favorites]
mad max finna b wandering a long ass time to replace his battery
posted by AlbertCalavicci at 4:41 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by AlbertCalavicci at 4:41 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
The point of the stainless steel skin was that it would be structural, load-bearing, to save weight on needing a traditional frame underneath. From all the reporting I've read, they have ended up just hanging stainless panels on a traditional frame.
Hah. I had totally forgotten about that. It was one of those ideas that we dismissed as "impossible" back in 2019 and totally forgot about since then, there is literally no way you can meet crash safety requirements like the small overlap rigid barrier or side pole impact test purely with a steel exoskeleton. You almost certainly need some kind of boxed structure for rigidity, almost everyone uses ultra high strength boron steel. That's almost certainly the reason the Cybertruck was delayed so long. It's one of those moonshot ideas like landing a reusable Falcon rocket that if it worked would completely change the industry, but it looks like they couldn't do it.
What they ended up with isn't traditional body on frame, though, they're sort of using a unibody design similar to their Model Y and Model 3, but with steel panels adding extra rigidity to it.
This still gets rid of the 300kg ladder frame, replacing it with a variety of sub-frames and castings. They would compensate for the lack of a ladder frame by using the rigidity of the steel exoskeleton and other castings. For reference here's the ladder frame of an F-150 lightning - good teardown analysis by Munro's team and comparing it to the Rivian's ladder frame.
Unibody trucks do exist (Ford Maverick). Anyway, the customer doesn't really care about the execution - who cares about exoskeleton, ladder on frame, they just want to know if it can get the job done and how much it costs.
Maybe the two big gigacasts, structural battery pack, and "30X-series exoskeleton" will enable Tesla to someday pump these out at $40k, $50k, and $70k as originally promised.
There's a lot of pricing distortion going on right now - generally the cost and RRP have only a very loose connection, if at all. Cost reductions flow to shareholder profits, not to lower prices to the consumer...
The EV RRP is what customers are willing to pay relative to the price of ICE vehicles - you start with $42,000 for an F-150 XLT and then you walk the perceived value add upwards to the F-150 XLT Lightning, the customer may value the added acceleration and power supply features but then penalizes it for reduced range and range anxiety, and they figure, $54,000 seems fair. So that's it, that's your RRP. Your costs - gigacasts, structural battery pack, 48V wiring, all that, has absolutely no relation to the RRP at all. An EV could theoretically cost similar to an ICE, and you'd still price it at $54,000 if customers were willing to pay that - see the bonkers margins on SUVs and trucks relative to sedans. Or an EV could cost more than RRP, and you'd still price it at $54,000 and eat the loss - see the billions being lost on EVs being sold below cost.
Tesla pricing the CT at a premium could mean they believe the PVAs on that thing are really that good relative to their competition - 17 inch ground clearance on their dynamic suspension vs 8 inches for the F-150, 6.5 foot bed vs 5.5 foot bed on the F-150, 4 wheel steering, greater payload, visual appeal and toughness.
Or it could mean that they're not in a hurry to grow market share yet and are happy to take greater profits in the meantime. There have been many manufacturers who are too beholden to stockholders, they would make the decision to kill their margins by ramping up production (basically, air freight, overtime, rush orders, then leading to poor quality) just to sell a couple thousand more units at a much lower margin just to make profits look better in the current quarter... rather than just going, we're building 10,000 units this quarter, no more than that, let's price it higher to manage demand.
posted by xdvesper at 5:21 AM on December 9, 2023 [6 favorites]
Hah. I had totally forgotten about that. It was one of those ideas that we dismissed as "impossible" back in 2019 and totally forgot about since then, there is literally no way you can meet crash safety requirements like the small overlap rigid barrier or side pole impact test purely with a steel exoskeleton. You almost certainly need some kind of boxed structure for rigidity, almost everyone uses ultra high strength boron steel. That's almost certainly the reason the Cybertruck was delayed so long. It's one of those moonshot ideas like landing a reusable Falcon rocket that if it worked would completely change the industry, but it looks like they couldn't do it.
What they ended up with isn't traditional body on frame, though, they're sort of using a unibody design similar to their Model Y and Model 3, but with steel panels adding extra rigidity to it.
This still gets rid of the 300kg ladder frame, replacing it with a variety of sub-frames and castings. They would compensate for the lack of a ladder frame by using the rigidity of the steel exoskeleton and other castings. For reference here's the ladder frame of an F-150 lightning - good teardown analysis by Munro's team and comparing it to the Rivian's ladder frame.
Unibody trucks do exist (Ford Maverick). Anyway, the customer doesn't really care about the execution - who cares about exoskeleton, ladder on frame, they just want to know if it can get the job done and how much it costs.
Maybe the two big gigacasts, structural battery pack, and "30X-series exoskeleton" will enable Tesla to someday pump these out at $40k, $50k, and $70k as originally promised.
There's a lot of pricing distortion going on right now - generally the cost and RRP have only a very loose connection, if at all. Cost reductions flow to shareholder profits, not to lower prices to the consumer...
The EV RRP is what customers are willing to pay relative to the price of ICE vehicles - you start with $42,000 for an F-150 XLT and then you walk the perceived value add upwards to the F-150 XLT Lightning, the customer may value the added acceleration and power supply features but then penalizes it for reduced range and range anxiety, and they figure, $54,000 seems fair. So that's it, that's your RRP. Your costs - gigacasts, structural battery pack, 48V wiring, all that, has absolutely no relation to the RRP at all. An EV could theoretically cost similar to an ICE, and you'd still price it at $54,000 if customers were willing to pay that - see the bonkers margins on SUVs and trucks relative to sedans. Or an EV could cost more than RRP, and you'd still price it at $54,000 and eat the loss - see the billions being lost on EVs being sold below cost.
Tesla pricing the CT at a premium could mean they believe the PVAs on that thing are really that good relative to their competition - 17 inch ground clearance on their dynamic suspension vs 8 inches for the F-150, 6.5 foot bed vs 5.5 foot bed on the F-150, 4 wheel steering, greater payload, visual appeal and toughness.
Or it could mean that they're not in a hurry to grow market share yet and are happy to take greater profits in the meantime. There have been many manufacturers who are too beholden to stockholders, they would make the decision to kill their margins by ramping up production (basically, air freight, overtime, rush orders, then leading to poor quality) just to sell a couple thousand more units at a much lower margin just to make profits look better in the current quarter... rather than just going, we're building 10,000 units this quarter, no more than that, let's price it higher to manage demand.
posted by xdvesper at 5:21 AM on December 9, 2023 [6 favorites]
As someone who enjoys the old angular Toyota Previa…
You mean the Previa’s predecessor? I learned to drive in one back at the dawn of the minivan and it was quirkily charming. Cybertruck on the other hand, is an offense against aerodynamics.
posted by cardboard at 5:49 AM on December 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
You mean the Previa’s predecessor? I learned to drive in one back at the dawn of the minivan and it was quirkily charming. Cybertruck on the other hand, is an offense against aerodynamics.
posted by cardboard at 5:49 AM on December 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
AlbertCalavicci: mad max finna b wandering a long ass time to replace his battery
Which one would take longer to find+build after an apocalyptic collapse that erases your access to the output of oil wells and mines, I wonder: Refined petroleum - light oil of any kind if you've got diesel, I guess - or some sort of battery? Which could you supply yourself with given resources that are within a couple of days walking distance?
I'm reminded of a story about Spanish Conquistadors running out of gunpowder, trying to build a trebuchet as a substitute, not being able to do it successfully, and finally giving up on that idea and climbing a volcano to fetch some sulphur to mix up a new batch of gunpowder. (No idea where they would've gotten the necessary saltpeter. I doubt they could've peed fast enough.)
I wouldn't have expected that to be the easier solution for someone cut off from European technology, which I suppose should give me some humility about my guesses as to the ease of supplying an ICE vs an EV after the apocalypse.
(The answer is gonna be wood and coal and steam engines, isn't it?)
posted by clawsoon at 5:58 AM on December 9, 2023 [4 favorites]
Which one would take longer to find+build after an apocalyptic collapse that erases your access to the output of oil wells and mines, I wonder: Refined petroleum - light oil of any kind if you've got diesel, I guess - or some sort of battery? Which could you supply yourself with given resources that are within a couple of days walking distance?
I'm reminded of a story about Spanish Conquistadors running out of gunpowder, trying to build a trebuchet as a substitute, not being able to do it successfully, and finally giving up on that idea and climbing a volcano to fetch some sulphur to mix up a new batch of gunpowder. (No idea where they would've gotten the necessary saltpeter. I doubt they could've peed fast enough.)
I wouldn't have expected that to be the easier solution for someone cut off from European technology, which I suppose should give me some humility about my guesses as to the ease of supplying an ICE vs an EV after the apocalypse.
(The answer is gonna be wood and coal and steam engines, isn't it?)
posted by clawsoon at 5:58 AM on December 9, 2023 [4 favorites]
The author is writing for Road and Track magazine, of course she's not able to hold the auto business to account.
posted by Western Infidels at 7:10 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Western Infidels at 7:10 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
stainless steel stamped/aluminum casting body
This is the stupidest part, and the hardest to repair, imo. Maybe I can't get over the damned aesthetics of the thing.
posted by tiny frying pan at 7:14 AM on December 9, 2023
This is the stupidest part, and the hardest to repair, imo. Maybe I can't get over the damned aesthetics of the thing.
posted by tiny frying pan at 7:14 AM on December 9, 2023
If you're willing to spend $100K on Adult Power Wheels then hopefully you can afford to have it repaired by an A&P mechanic.
posted by snuffleupagus at 7:20 AM on December 9, 2023
posted by snuffleupagus at 7:20 AM on December 9, 2023
Which one would take longer to find+build after an apocalyptic collapse that erases your access to the output of oil wells and mines, I wonder: Refined petroleum - light oil of any kind if you've got diesel, I guess - or some sort of battery? Which could you supply yourself with given resources that are within a couple of days walking distance?
I picture Lord Humungous's Cybertruck being charged connected to a generator powered by a dungeon full of slaves turning flywheels all connected by belts. Basically the same work conditions as in the slave and donkey powered bakery they just excavated in Pompeii.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:25 AM on December 9, 2023 [4 favorites]
I picture Lord Humungous's Cybertruck being charged connected to a generator powered by a dungeon full of slaves turning flywheels all connected by belts. Basically the same work conditions as in the slave and donkey powered bakery they just excavated in Pompeii.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:25 AM on December 9, 2023 [4 favorites]
>the left is just as guilty
OMG only in America [or on Metafilter could someone both-sides the Cybertruck]
That implies that there actually are two sides when it comes to driving inefficient monstrosities. It doesn't matter if it's a Cybertruck or minivan, America wants what America wants.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:42 AM on December 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
OMG only in America [or on Metafilter could someone both-sides the Cybertruck]
That implies that there actually are two sides when it comes to driving inefficient monstrosities. It doesn't matter if it's a Cybertruck or minivan, America wants what America wants.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:42 AM on December 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
I think the author certainly captured what the car represents aesthetically to Musk, based on his somehow ever-growing early ‘90s edgelord science fiction dork vibe.
But I’m wondering how big a crowd that will resonate with?
There is a large market selling guns and ultra-prepper supplies to people who believe the end of the world is on the way. They have both money and fear. And electric vehicles have become popular in that market, as people have realized that gasoline is both hard to produce and spoils in about 6 months.
There is another market that overlaps, which is the people who feel morally obligated to stand up against the wussification of America. They aren't scared (really!) of anything, they just are keeping the country strong in the face of people who want to see it become a pathetic shadow of it's greatness. I think that demographic is the real target for this thing -- ironically nothing says "fearless" like driving around in an armored vehicle.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:50 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
But I’m wondering how big a crowd that will resonate with?
There is a large market selling guns and ultra-prepper supplies to people who believe the end of the world is on the way. They have both money and fear. And electric vehicles have become popular in that market, as people have realized that gasoline is both hard to produce and spoils in about 6 months.
There is another market that overlaps, which is the people who feel morally obligated to stand up against the wussification of America. They aren't scared (really!) of anything, they just are keeping the country strong in the face of people who want to see it become a pathetic shadow of it's greatness. I think that demographic is the real target for this thing -- ironically nothing says "fearless" like driving around in an armored vehicle.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:50 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
Basically the same work conditions as in the slave and donkey powered bakery they just excavated in Pompeii.
Ladies, how much time does your guy spend thinking about the Roman Empire? How much of that is spent thinking about the slave-and-donkey bakery he probably would've been working in?
posted by clawsoon at 8:05 AM on December 9, 2023 [6 favorites]
Ladies, how much time does your guy spend thinking about the Roman Empire? How much of that is spent thinking about the slave-and-donkey bakery he probably would've been working in?
posted by clawsoon at 8:05 AM on December 9, 2023 [6 favorites]
2500lbs of payload (they originally promised F-250 level 3500lbs) requires a lot of steel somewhere (the 2006 Honda Ridgeline was scaled-up Honda unibody construction with 1000 lbs less payload). The Rivian R1T's skateboard & steel has a 1700lb payload.
payload weight needs to be distributed from what it's resting on to all 4 wheels and then to the ground, that's the entire point of chassis and suspension. Truck chassis also have to handle a lot of yank and push from the trailer hitch receiver
one thing Tesla's intro video last week did touch on was the alleged initial decision to design the car outside-in, to use structural steel (basically the same steel used for the St Louis Arch's load-bearing exterior) to distribute loads on the chassis to the wheels, instead of the traditional truck box-frame used with the Lightning and partially with the R1T . . . so instead of a 'soft' aluminum exterior and a hard skeleton, the cybertruck inverts that, with very large alumunimum castings for the wheel assemblies and motor mounts, larger batteries tightly packed into a steel box as a stressed member connecting the front and back axles.
per above, I'm not a big fan of this steel exoskeleton approach, but these big sheets glued to the body do apparently reduce the need for steel elsewhere. I guess the one upside is this exoskeleton is pretty bear-proof.
posted by torokunai at 9:03 AM on December 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
payload weight needs to be distributed from what it's resting on to all 4 wheels and then to the ground, that's the entire point of chassis and suspension. Truck chassis also have to handle a lot of yank and push from the trailer hitch receiver
one thing Tesla's intro video last week did touch on was the alleged initial decision to design the car outside-in, to use structural steel (basically the same steel used for the St Louis Arch's load-bearing exterior) to distribute loads on the chassis to the wheels, instead of the traditional truck box-frame used with the Lightning and partially with the R1T . . . so instead of a 'soft' aluminum exterior and a hard skeleton, the cybertruck inverts that, with very large alumunimum castings for the wheel assemblies and motor mounts, larger batteries tightly packed into a steel box as a stressed member connecting the front and back axles.
per above, I'm not a big fan of this steel exoskeleton approach, but these big sheets glued to the body do apparently reduce the need for steel elsewhere. I guess the one upside is this exoskeleton is pretty bear-proof.
posted by torokunai at 9:03 AM on December 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
Question… Given that a whole lot of pickups I see are used by people as work trucks, with loads of added racks, boxes, etc. over and in the truck bed, where the hell do you add that stuff on this futuristic, silver cheese wedge of a truck? And the truck bed is under some sort of cover (is it fabric of sorts or hard?) so how do you pile up your bales of hay? Just trying to be practical here…
posted by njohnson23 at 9:05 AM on December 9, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by njohnson23 at 9:05 AM on December 9, 2023 [6 favorites]
Ladies, how much time does your guy spend thinking about the Roman Empire? How much of that is spent thinking about the slave-and-donkey bakery he probably would've been working in?
My guess is that slave men had very few chances to sire children, much less wives.
I don’t see why the question couldn’t be addressed with DNA analysis, but I haven’t seen it.
posted by jamjam at 10:04 AM on December 9, 2023
My guess is that slave men had very few chances to sire children, much less wives.
I don’t see why the question couldn’t be addressed with DNA analysis, but I haven’t seen it.
posted by jamjam at 10:04 AM on December 9, 2023
where's my electric volkswagen
posted by graywyvern at 10:05 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by graywyvern at 10:05 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
Well, the Xbus (formerly the eBussy) is getting closer to production.
posted by snuffleupagus at 10:08 AM on December 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by snuffleupagus at 10:08 AM on December 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
Did they change the name because they realized eBussy might have an alternative interpretation?
posted by I-Write-Essays at 10:16 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by I-Write-Essays at 10:16 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
So many upturned noses over the Cybertruck aesthetics. It is easy to see it as a dead end evolutionary branch of polygon design. Dead ends inspire hopelessness and dread, which this article says inspired the design. I see the Cybertruck's design rather as an instance of the perennial human desire to simplify and abstract visual images. Think of Chinese and Islamic calligraphy (Metafilter has good links to websites devoted to these arts), African sculpture, and, more recently, Streamline art déco aesthetics. Apart from uber-expensive sports cars and some of the newer Kias, vehicles are designed with tons of badly integrated visual details, usually out of fragile plastic. The Cybertruck appeals to that sense of abstraction and formalization. I think that is why the Cybertruck is so striking - it makes other vehicles look like messy accumulations of unrelated detail. Now say what you want about the technical details, because beauty is only skin deep.
posted by SnowRottie at 10:17 AM on December 9, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by SnowRottie at 10:17 AM on December 9, 2023 [4 favorites]
Yes, the name change was after the Internet had a good laugh over it. It got them some extra attention early on.
The same company is marketing the Evetta in Europe.
No plans to introduce either outside of Europe, currently.
posted by snuffleupagus at 10:20 AM on December 9, 2023
The same company is marketing the Evetta in Europe.
No plans to introduce either outside of Europe, currently.
posted by snuffleupagus at 10:20 AM on December 9, 2023
In terms of abstraction, Marc Newson's 021C Ford Concept Car has Aged Extremely Well.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 10:21 AM on December 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by 1970s Antihero at 10:21 AM on December 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
The design? It's stupid and it's going to hurt people who wouldn't have been (as) hurt by a rounded shape, and the vehicle will be bought by people who are willing to make that trade-off. "Oh, it looks cool, I don't care if it causes more broken bones, I want to buy it." These are bad thoughts. If you buy a wankertruck I know exactly what kind of asshole you are within half a sigma.
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:22 AM on December 9, 2023 [16 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:22 AM on December 9, 2023 [16 favorites]
2N2222: the left is just as guilty
They sucked his brains out: OMG only in America [or on Metafilter could someone both-sides the Cybertruck]
Tell Me No Lies That implies that there actually are two sides when it comes to driving inefficient monstrosities. It doesn't matter if it's a Cybertruck or minivan, America wants what America wants.
Consumers don't know what they want, product desire is created by the people making and marketing the products. Convenience and individualism valued over community are two factors that drive the existence of the minivan and the flatbed truck.
I hope there was a sizeable amount more cultural criticism left on the editor's floor, this was a bit thin as if put on a diet for its audience. That statement left at the end: it's an appropriate cultural statement for a United States population divided against itself by fear. I dunno, it's not my home, so let's you and them fight over it -- while that's going on, I heard some time ago that 'a house divided against itself cannot stand', so when's the era of global dominance due to end? Not with a bang or a whimper but with an ugly car?
posted by k3ninho at 11:23 AM on December 9, 2023 [5 favorites]
They sucked his brains out: OMG only in America [or on Metafilter could someone both-sides the Cybertruck]
Tell Me No Lies That implies that there actually are two sides when it comes to driving inefficient monstrosities. It doesn't matter if it's a Cybertruck or minivan, America wants what America wants.
Consumers don't know what they want, product desire is created by the people making and marketing the products. Convenience and individualism valued over community are two factors that drive the existence of the minivan and the flatbed truck.
I hope there was a sizeable amount more cultural criticism left on the editor's floor, this was a bit thin as if put on a diet for its audience. That statement left at the end: it's an appropriate cultural statement for a United States population divided against itself by fear. I dunno, it's not my home, so let's you and them fight over it -- while that's going on, I heard some time ago that 'a house divided against itself cannot stand', so when's the era of global dominance due to end? Not with a bang or a whimper but with an ugly car?
posted by k3ninho at 11:23 AM on December 9, 2023 [5 favorites]
Also, not a fan of untreated stainless steel. The cheap stuff they most-likely used will lack homogeneity of its alloy -- there will be uneven clumps of iron in the mix of iron, chromium, molybdenum and nickel -- and the vehicles will show iron oxide spots before too long.
I'm OK with this statement being as wrong as "No wifi. Less space than a [Creative Labs] Nomad. Lame."
posted by k3ninho at 11:35 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
I'm OK with this statement being as wrong as "No wifi. Less space than a [Creative Labs] Nomad. Lame."
posted by k3ninho at 11:35 AM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
One glance at my refrigerator behind me says you're not wrong.
posted by torokunai at 11:51 AM on December 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by torokunai at 11:51 AM on December 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
That was an exhausting read. If you're looking for the tl;dr: Vehicle design reflects our hopes and anxieties, and Americans these days are very anxious, so vehicles are starting to look more and more militaristic, with the Cybertruck (gag me) representing the peak of this trend.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 12:02 PM on December 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 12:02 PM on December 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
If we're going to talk progenitors, is there a resemblance to the DeLorean?
I would say there is — automobile and man both.
posted by jamjam at 12:45 PM on December 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
I would say there is — automobile and man both.
posted by jamjam at 12:45 PM on December 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
The Cybertruck appeals to that sense of abstraction and formalization.
This thing appeals to exactly fuck-all as far as I can tell.
I hope this writer is a good automotive journalist, because she’s not a very compelling historian or cultural critic.
posted by nickmark at 1:43 PM on December 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
This thing appeals to exactly fuck-all as far as I can tell.
I hope this writer is a good automotive journalist, because she’s not a very compelling historian or cultural critic.
posted by nickmark at 1:43 PM on December 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
I want to mount truck nuts on a Cyber Truck.
There. I said it.
posted by ocschwar at 2:32 PM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
There. I said it.
posted by ocschwar at 2:32 PM on December 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
good gawd, all the tech bros rejoicing that the various killing machines they tried to shoot with didn't break through is both disgusting and heartbreaking.
posted by bluesky43 at 2:56 PM on December 9, 2023
posted by bluesky43 at 2:56 PM on December 9, 2023
well yeah and the fender mounted nuclear warhead has been something sitting in rush hour traffic me has pondered
finally a super-villain-car to carry it
posted by MonsieurPEB at 3:06 PM on December 9, 2023
finally a super-villain-car to carry it
posted by MonsieurPEB at 3:06 PM on December 9, 2023
Dunno about the most interesting, but it certainly is the ugliest.
posted by Pouteria at 3:58 PM on December 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Pouteria at 3:58 PM on December 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
48V isn't all that amazing
Whatever glass they used to make the Overton windows seems to be working, so far.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 6:03 PM on December 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
Whatever glass they used to make the Overton windows seems to be working, so far.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 6:03 PM on December 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
48V isn't all that amazing
Or uncommon. Both non-EVs in my driveway have 48V starters.
posted by Back At It Again At Krispy Kreme at 7:34 PM on December 9, 2023
Or uncommon. Both non-EVs in my driveway have 48V starters.
posted by Back At It Again At Krispy Kreme at 7:34 PM on December 9, 2023
we are talking about 48V to all vehicular systems, including (perhaps, remains to be seen how successful Tesla is here currently) seat & window motors, lighting etc.
the whole point of 48V here is to be able to reduce material cost on these long wiring runs. Each car today (google google) has on the order of 1 mile of copper wiring. For Ford, with its 4 million unit sales, that's enough for 500 wraps around the equator.
Clip of Sandy Munro holding 12V wiring and 48V wiring.
posted by torokunai at 7:59 PM on December 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
the whole point of 48V here is to be able to reduce material cost on these long wiring runs. Each car today (google google) has on the order of 1 mile of copper wiring. For Ford, with its 4 million unit sales, that's enough for 500 wraps around the equator.
Clip of Sandy Munro holding 12V wiring and 48V wiring.
posted by torokunai at 7:59 PM on December 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
(but my question about the 48V issue was just how many meters of 12V wiring are in current cars. Well, 48V vs 24V is also a current debate in the off-the-grid RV community too, since 24V is more usable across the range of power consumers)
posted by torokunai at 6:50 AM on December 10, 2023
posted by torokunai at 6:50 AM on December 10, 2023
As a fan of Giorgetto Giugiaro and the folded paper aesthetic, I find the Cybertruck somewhat compelling but unresolved in the details. The concept’s clean lines are interrupted by the production design’s mirrors, bumpers, and more prominent pillars.
But as someone still recovering from a concussion after being hit by a sedan accelerating all out, I’m also acutely aware that the excessive torque of modern electric cars would have likely shattered my body, and the hood line of a pickup would have left me dead. The US regulatory categories of consumer automobiles are hopelessly misguided and only getting worse.
posted by Headfullofair at 11:42 AM on December 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
But as someone still recovering from a concussion after being hit by a sedan accelerating all out, I’m also acutely aware that the excessive torque of modern electric cars would have likely shattered my body, and the hood line of a pickup would have left me dead. The US regulatory categories of consumer automobiles are hopelessly misguided and only getting worse.
posted by Headfullofair at 11:42 AM on December 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
Think of men/boys raised on computer games - how many decades now? as well as various forms of endless wars and this war truck is so of/for its audience. Plus the price tag aims it at those dudes blessed with some form of mega buck income: tech bros, gangsters, politicians from energy rich countries. So 21st c!
posted by Mesaverdian at 1:25 PM on December 10, 2023
posted by Mesaverdian at 1:25 PM on December 10, 2023
> I want to mount truck nuts on a Cyber Truck.
Octohedral ones.
posted by nickzoic at 4:22 PM on December 11, 2023
Octohedral ones.
posted by nickzoic at 4:22 PM on December 11, 2023
Tesla recalls nearly all 2 million of its vehicles on US roads
posted by achrise at 8:14 AM on December 13, 2023
Tesla is recalling nearly all 2 million of its cars on US roads to limit the use of its Autopilot feature following a two-year probe by US safety regulators of roughly 1,000 crashes in which the feature was engaged.Interesting, given the "Full Self-Driving Capability" shown on the receipt in the article The costs on a Cybertruck order receipt are blowing everybody away
posted by achrise at 8:14 AM on December 13, 2023
120 Grand and no spare. Probably not really needed on a mall crawler but most light trucks like to pretend.
Crossbars
Those look like they are going to be noisy.
Tailgate ramp
Guessing this means that super complicated telescoping tailgate ramp didn't make the final cut as even an option.
posted by Mitheral at 10:08 AM on December 13, 2023
Crossbars
Those look like they are going to be noisy.
Tailgate ramp
Guessing this means that super complicated telescoping tailgate ramp didn't make the final cut as even an option.
posted by Mitheral at 10:08 AM on December 13, 2023
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posted by clawsoon at 5:49 PM on December 8, 2023 [4 favorites]