Cybertruck Body Prototype Casting spied uncovered!! 😲

[Walkstep]

Thanks for the read this morning. A few thoughts:

Twelve pages devoted to this great photo to finally mention the structural battery pack as a key design component (thanks Dids). The CT is a new platform for Tesla and the CT engineers get to have all the fun integrating the exoskeleton, structural battery pack and giga castings into this very cool truck. I’m a little jealous.

This looks like a ‘Powder Coat’ supply storage area of the factory. It probably had some open and out of the way space to set up this CT ‘buck’ for whatever part it will play in the production line development process.

The rear ‘castings’ in the photo could be 5-axis machined aluminum or 3D metal printed. This is my bet because it would be early to lock in design, ordering and production for million-dollar injection molds, and Tesla has the above-mentioned equipment at Tesla and Space X (they could also be test casts from the 9T GP development process but not likely).

I prefer all my bare aluminum coated (undercoated) if it will be exposed to the elements.

I smiled when I first saw this pic because this looks like how all car bodies are mounted for mock-up, painting, transportation, etc.: welded to a sturdy, level metal tube structure. It reminded me that a car is still a car and Tesla are car builders and not just EV Sorcerers.

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[RVAC]

These look like large castings that have been powder coated.

This is my bet because it would be early to lock in design, ordering and production for million-dollar injection molds, and Tesla has the above-mentioned equipment at Tesla and Space X (they could also be test casts from the 9T GP development process but not likely).

In one of the Munro videos where they visit IDRA they explain they can't test the machines with molten aluminum at the factory. If not what you stated it could have been done with two 6k ton press molds for left and right side. They've thrown away milions in laying and then tearing up concrete multiple times whilst building the factory so I wouldn't put it past them.

 

[greggertruck]

The more I stare at this image, the less likely it is to me that this is in fact shot in Giga Texas.

My biggest reason is that is not the same construction as any other part of the factory, the girth of the support beams, the ceiling. In the background, that's a roof access ladder. I've not seen either that style, nor any rood ladder points in anything else I've seen. Could very well be cat cabling running up a channel and giving it that yellow, but... the exposed conduit? I don't think we've seen that really anywhere else either. That vent? Look at other pics. That's not like Giga Texas.

Here's a confirmed inside Giga Texas visual for reference, and the Cyber body shot below too.

Maybe it's a forced perspective thing, it just doesn't look.. "right".

If this ISN'T Giga Texas, I don't care really where it is, how old is it? It's a leak. Exactly what it is. We will probably see more seeing as there is tooling and jobs and all..

But, it's really easy to obfuscate your source, when there are more potential sourceS now.

Just erring on the side of caution here. But also, not skeptical that this isn't very old and in fact could be just set in the back are of the battery are storage, behind a bunch of "YSB" crates we see in windows on drone videos.

Exciting. Happy.

Also, neat to see door hinge points on the body and stuff too

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

Hence all the straight steel underneath holding the pieces in place!

If this is real, it's amazing. Alas, there's a stamped sheet across where the midgate would be.

-Crissa

I agree that the pieces in back are holding the stamped or hyrdoformed inner door sections in place. What I do not know is whether they are just jigs for tooling or something else. I am not convinced that the sheet you are referring to is more than a jig also. I just do not know that much about tooling a manufacturing line. What I do know is that when the BIW is put together all of these pieces have to have exact positions for welding and fastening and that these could easily be jigs for that purpose.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

The problem is that it's going to look awful if that is painted.

If you look at the renderings it never seemed cavernous. It's still possible but I have doubts it will be there in the production version, unfortunately.

Great illustration, I think you have the rear wheel well and the tailgate too high though.

I do not know about the powder coat of the pillar but all I was saying is that I do not expect the BIW internals to be raw aluminum or stainless but coated. They could always paint it 'stainless'

 

[CyberGus]

 

[Walkstep]

Does anyone know what this machine does?

 

[Ogre]

The problem is that it's going to look awful if that is painted.

I think it’ll be fine, black would be much better than white though. very possible there will be a finish layer on top of the white primer.

If you look at the renderings it never seemed cavernous. It's still possible but I have doubts it will be there in the production version, unfortunately.

I’ve seen a lot of thoughts on this, the little flip out panel might have been over a bigger well below.

Even a small one would one good for ropes/ straps and tools.

I‘m not 100% convinced this is at all final though. I don’t think it’s a render, but could very well have some parts which won’t be needed when they have the full GP castings.

 

[Ogre]

I have never power sprayed the inside of it to really clean it out. That would have to be done often to keep the crap from flying around if a midgate was open and the bed was not covered.

A high pressure hose or pressure washer might be the worst for a seam like that. It could push crap into the seams you are trying to protect.

 

[Sirfun]

I have a jeep gladiator and we used to use Tundras as part of our work fleet. With that back window down or the top off, if the bed aint spotless, everything back there ends up all over the cab and its occupants.
a seal may work initially with the midgate up but imagine trying to make it work right after sand, pea gravel, mulch, dirt, hay etc has been back there a few times. What about chemical fumes?

Did those vehicles have an air compressor to use like a leaf blower to clean up? The CT does!!

 

[Sirfun]

It's not about the dirt per say; it's about the dirt, dust, pea gravel, decomposed granite, leftover mulch pieces, dead animal hair, etc blowing around inside the cabin when the midgate is open.



Yes the answer would be to always clean your bed thoroughly. I can only speak for myself but I can tell you that does not happen and won't happen. I keep a pretty clean truck on the inside. But I might sweep the bed once a year. I have never power sprayed the inside of it to really clean it out. That would have to be done often to keep the crap from flying around if a midgate was open and the bed was not covered.

I'm not necessarily opposed to the midgate, (though I don't think it's going to be part of the production...at least not in the initial versions) because in theory, I think it's pretty cool. But I do see it causing more problems and complications and costs... and I don't think I would use it because I don't currently have a reason to use it.

Dont forget the CT comes with an air compressor in the back to use like an electric leaf blower. 30 seconds or less to blow that crap out of the bed.

 

[SolarWizard]

Does anyone know what this machine does?

looks a little like a soldering machine

 

[Deleted member 5322]

Same powder coating as this doctored photo from the other day

And I think Chinese workers as well

Coincidence ?

Clear Photoshop. Nothing to talk about

 

[RVAC]

I do not know about the powder coat of the pillar but all I was saying is that I do not expect the BIW internals to be raw aluminum or stainless but coated. They could always paint it 'stainless'

I think the white is more likely primer. If it were stainless you wouldn't need to coat it, this is high strength steel like used on 3/Y so needs to be protected and finished. Anyway as I mentioned in the follow up post matte black like on the prototypes looks good, no big deal.

I think it’ll be fine, black would be much better than white though. very possible there will be a finish layer on top of the white primer.

Yep agreed white is primer, looks just fine when finished in matte black like on the prototypes.

I'll have to walk this back. It actually looks good in matte black. I guess they ran the numbers and it's cheaper to have to paint it than doing it in SS. Makes sense as they already have that steel in large quantities for 3/Y production.

 

[SolarWizard]

Dont forget the CT comes with an air compressor in the back to use like an electric leaf blower. 30 seconds or less to blow that crap out of the bed.

don’t take this the wrong way but have you used an air compressor before? I have a twin arb and a huge portable York compressor I use regularly off road and neither one would be useful as a leaf blower replacement. The huge units with tanks we have in the shop still wouldn’t replace a leaf blower.

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