Military version of Cybertrucks?

[S.H.Peterson]

Given the simplicity, durability, strength, and range of the Cybertruck:

What are your opinions as to the possibility of use of the CT in military applications?

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[Gurule92]

Makes sense for military police and all soft skin truck applications imo.

 

[ituner-HF]

Makes sense for military police and all soft skin truck applications imo.

The skin of an APC (take the BTR for example) is ~7mm or 9mm thick. In theory, CT can be made with a stronger skin. 3mm-->9mm

 

[S.H.Peterson]

The skin of an APC (take the BTR for example) is ~7mm or 9mm thick. In theory, CT can be made with a stronger skin. 3mm-->9mm

Perhaps a spray on exterior coating of Kevlar fiber reinforced tougher version of Rhino liner?
Add some thicker steel full length underbody plates to increase IED/mine protection?

 

[cvalue13]

interesting question I've not thought much about.

some of its benefits seem possibly obvious - eg quietness, capabilities, etc.

but a few major downsides also start to pile up, including:

• serviceability in the field (jeeps weren't made to be great, they were made to be fixed with bubblegum wrappers and hope)
• charging infrastructure in the field (for both planned and unplanned fuel needs) - charging in theatre would require... diesel generators

leads me to believe that any EV applications with widespread military use would first be dual-fuel or hybrid. this at least bridges the gaps of each, while allowing some of the benefits of each?

coming at it another way: if a BEV platform were all-things-considered materially advantageous to military operations, I'd expect we'd have seen BEV technologies in defense long ago, from what amounts to many orders of magnitude more funding than is available to all private companies combined?

 

[Gurule92]

The skin of an APC (take the BTR for example) is ~7mm or 9mm thick. In theory, CT can be made with a stronger skin. 3mm-->9mm

The question then would be who does that? Tesla? What about the undercarriage?

Most are super angled underneath now for explosion deflection right?

 

[Gurule92]

interesting question I've not thought much about.

some of its benefits seem possibly obvious - eg quietness, capabilities, etc.

but a few major downsides also start to pile up, including:

• serviceability in the field (jeeps weren't made to be great, they were made to be fixed with bubblegum wrappers and hope)
• charging infrastructure in the field (for both planned and unplanned fuel needs) - charging in theatre would require... diesel generators

leads me to believe that any EV applications with widespread military use would first be dual-fuel or hybrid. this at least bridges the gaps of each, while allowing some of the benefits of each?

coming at it another way: if a BEV platform were all-things-considered materially advantageous to military operations, I'd expect we'd have seen BEV technologies in defense long ago, from what amounts to many orders of magnitude more funding than is available to all private companies combined?

Change is not a thing defense is known for. Even if it has benefits.

I think solar, wind and batteries would prove better for field because you don't have you worry about getting fuel to you. But it would depend on numbers. How many vehicles vs batteries, location, etc.

I know at my job (guarding a weapons storage area) we had a small area of responsibility and could theoretically use EVs because we weren't driving long distance per shift. Plus, an ev could stay charging when not in use and technically be ready to go whenever you needed it, compared to a gas vehicle that might be used for a bit, brought back and then eventually need to go out for fueling.

For sure depends on use case but I think for a good chunk of the work, a CT could do the job. And make it more enjoyable.

 

[S.H.Peterson]

These are very good points! I do think that it would be limitied to light duty and fast attack.
Getting genny trucks to battle use areas would not be any harder than a fuel truck.
Recharging would have to be done at L3-L4 rates off the genny trucks.
I think that these could be very field serviceable with so many fewer parts and logistics reduced.

 

[Crissa]

Tesla doesn't make special fleet models, so probably not.

Canoo, on the other hand...

-Crissa

 

[BayouCityBob]

interesting question I've not thought much about.

some of its benefits seem possibly obvious - eg quietness, capabilities, etc.

but a few major downsides also start to pile up, including:

• serviceability in the field (jeeps weren't made to be great, they were made to be fixed with bubblegum wrappers and hope)
• charging infrastructure in the field (for both planned and unplanned fuel needs) - charging in theatre would require... diesel generators

leads me to believe that any EV applications with widespread military use would first be dual-fuel or hybrid. this at least bridges the gaps of each, while allowing some of the benefits of each?

coming at it another way: if a BEV platform were all-things-considered materially advantageous to military operations, I'd expect we'd have seen BEV technologies in defense long ago, from what amounts to many orders of magnitude more funding than is available to all private companies combined?

This is already happening. Next gen Abrams is a hybrid Electric.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/next-generation-abramsx-tank-will-have-hybrid-powerplant

 

[AlDente]

Given the simplicity, durability, strength, and range of the Cybertruck:

What are your opinions as to the possibility of use of the CT in military applications?

In a Dystopian post-apocalyptic world it'll be perfect as is. As a military vehicle ... not so much.

 

[Deleted member 3316]

Given the simplicity, durability, strength, and range of the Cybertruck:

What are your opinions as to the possibility of use of the CT in military applications?

The issue is the relationship the Military industrial complex has with the fossil fuel industry and their reliance on each other. The case for electrification of the majority of government vehicles is quite compelling but looking at decisions made in the name of UPS it’s clear there are other factors informing commission of vehicles.

 

[cvalue13]

Thread A: “except for Teslas, all electric vehicles are sh*t, charging is slow as ba**s,
and that’s if you can even find chargers”

Thread B: “government not using electric vehicles is a conspiracy of the petrostate”

 

[TBONO]

I think lack of switchgear and a large screen, for a lot of the controls may be a nonstarter

Best have military vehicles designed for that application instead of trying to adapt a cybertruck

That said, it’s probably one of the most military looking design for civil application vehicles I can think of

I’m not counting the all Hummers Since they started as military

 

[Deleted member 3316]

I think lack of switchgear and a large screen, for a lot of the controls may be a nonstarter

Best have military vehicles designed for that application instead of trying to adapt a cybertruck

That said, it’s probably one of the most military looking design for civil application vehicles I can think of

I’m not counting the all Hummers Since they started as military

It’s not like you couldn’t add a multitude of hard buttons for various things on that massive dash.

But equally the appearance of functionality and actual functionality are very different things.

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