New Naked Cybertruck BIW Pics + Analysis!

[JBee]

Extra weight is the devils only friend.
What am I missing.
?
The exoskeleton concept is the classical jet aircraft design concept where the entire strength comes from the outer skin. When the Cybertruck was announce it was going to be built as an exoskeleton using special hardened 3mm stainless steel (as a bonus it didn't require painting). Now the funky (ugly?) shape was a direct function of that 3 mm ss can't be stamped in a body panel press and could only be bent, so design followed function which is all well and good.
Somewhere along the line and without any fanfare, the exoskeleton concept was quietly dropped. For better or for worse??
We seem to be preoccupied with the windshield wiper design, the shape of the mirrors and number of cup holders but no one brings up that the fundamental concept has drastically changed. That just quietly slipped in!
Am I missing something? Not to say that the changes are for the worse, but I certainly believe they warrant discussion and should not be quietly ignored.

Um this has been discussed a while ago with plenty of dedicated and off-topic threads, to the point many were exhausted by the topic.

The main thing that differed is really a misunderstanding of what EM meant with "exoskeleton", because the original CT nor the current version, never really had a "real exoskeleton" by definition, seeing they always had bits that opened or weren't even structural on the outside. It has been fairly clear since the Texas built MY that the construction would primarily be a front and rear cast with cabin frame supported by a structural battery pack. All the rest was the result of people expecting the SS to be the "main structure" and thereby justifying its existence, whilst in reality it had a more superficial nature, with exception of the doors and windows as such.

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[Deleted member 12457]

I wish the photos would be from the side instead of only from an angle. I like the shot from the rear but the shot I'm attaching is shot at the height of the bottom of the CT making it difficult to get a clear understanding of how the rear casting looks. The rear casting doesn't follow the shape of the finished CT but it appears the possible rack attachment points are part of the rear casting. This is good news, at least to me. The weight on a rack would be supported by the casting instead of by the body, which is the way most CIE trucks do it. I added white lines showing the slope of the attachment points along with possible connecting points.

 

[AlexD]

Um this has been discussed a while ago with plenty of dedicated and off-topic threads, to the point many were exhausted by the topic.

The main thing that differed is really a misunderstanding of what EM meant with "exoskeleton", because the original CT nor the current version, never really had a "real exoskeleton" by definition, seeing they always had bits that opened or weren't even structural on the outside. It has been fairly clear since the Texas built MY that the construction would primarily be a front and rear cast with cabin frame supported by a structural battery pack. All the rest was the result of people expecting the SS to be the "main structure" and thereby justifying its existence, whilst in reality it had a more superficial nature, with exception of the doors and windows as such.

There is no ambiguity about what an exoskeleton is. A Boeing 747 has landing gear which attaches to the exoskeleton. The structural battery pack and mega castings attach to the exoskeleton. The 3 mm stainless steel panels were supposed to be the structure.

 

[cvalue13]

Kids grow up so fast though...by the time you get your CT they probably don't need a carseat or booster seat anymore? ??

But then again once they're in their teens they won't fit in the back, and don't want to come with either...lol.

I must be showing my age by now. Certainly feeling it.

I'm not sure if you've sat in the rear of a MY before, but it's surprisingly comfy and a useable space even for me. I'm pretty big for a rear seat passenger with my 6"6 and all, but the flat floor and higher front seats give it good space, and I expect the packaging of the CT to be just as good. The rear seat width is however something that might be a bit smaller, but I think you will get away with it to have 3 kid seats installed. At the latest a booster seat for your oldest will give you enough width to sit all three accross the back in comfort.

agree all-around, to the notion of it becomes a 'wait and see' based on reviews, etc.

which to a degree was always going to be the case, this just moves the focus needle a bit

just the previously, if the reviews said "same rear seat width and leg room as an F150" that box would be checked and not thought about twice

and while i did couch my discussion in terms of car seats, there's a broader preference and utility case to the limousine rear seat space

not to mention, one aspiration of my kids aging out of seats boosters is to be able to fit an adult back there now and then

here's a similarly sized rear seat in the Rivian SUV, with one kid aged out of his seat. if you have a weekend without the kids and want to take two friends to the pub, where they sitting?

 

[FarAway]

Quick question, what steel is used in the castings?
(Are they made from a standard steel similar to other automobiles or some other alloy?)
How prone to rust? Any concerns with dissimilar metals and galvanic corrosion?

 

[ED_SFO]

Can't wait for a Munro tear down...will probably be their most watched videos I'm thinking.

 

[CostcoSamples]

Is it just me or do the frame bits for the 'sails' look like machined aluminum?

 

[AlexD]

Well I'm not Crista (and neither is Crissa ) but...

Yeah, if the panels are not structural, then they're just baggage, and any excess weight is likely unwarranted. The doors can be "exoskeletons" as a separate assembly, Tesla even has a patent for such a door with no internal ribbing/bracing needed. But making the quaterpanels 3mm when not providing structure is just providing armor, which may or may not be of value for the weight.

Doors can never form a part of an exoskeletal structure.
Yes sure they can have ribbing and bracing to help with side impact but they form no structural component in an exoskeleton design. They are a liability in that the overall structure has to be designed to accommodate huge openings cut into the basic structure.
The doors are the Engineering Designers pain in the neck.

 

[CyberGus]

Doors can never form a part of an exoskeletal structure.
Yes sure they can have ribbing and bracing to help with side impact but they form no structural component in an exoskeleton design. They are a liability in that the overall structure has to be designed to accommodate huge openings cut into the basic structure.
The doors are the Engineering Designers pain in the neck.

I did not say, nor did I mean to infer, that the doors were part of the overall structure of the truck. Rather, I was trying to say that each door, as an individual assembly, can be seen as an "exoskeleton" when the door's structure is all in the skin, as described in the referenced patent application.

 

[CyberGus]

Quick question, what steel is used in the castings?
(Are they made from a standard steel similar to other automobiles or some other alloy?)
How prone to rust? Any concerns with dissimilar metals and galvanic corrosion?

Erm, the gigacastings are all aluminum alloys. They are highly corrosion-resistant and do not require coatings or paint. There's been no issue with galvanic corrosion on the Model Y.

 

[Engi_Nerd]

Is it just me or do the frame bits for the 'sails' look like machined aluminum?

These castings definitely look like they've had extensive post-process machining.

 

[CyberGus]

Is it just me or do the frame bits for the 'sails' look like machined aluminum?

They look like separate parts from the gigacasting below.

 

[Challeco]

Is there room for a spare wheel?

There will be when I make my overhead rack for mine.

 

[FarAway]

Erm, the gigacastings are all aluminum alloys. They are highly corrosion-resistant and do not require coatings or paint. There's been no issue with galvanic corrosion on the Model Y.

Thank you for the reply.
The model Y is not stainless steel. Aluminum and SS do not play well together, particularly if they get wet and especially if it is seawater, thus galvanic corrosion. Anyone that has been on a sailboat has probably seen this. I am sure Elon has had his top engineers work that out. ?

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