Top Gear Cybertruck review shoot! + Frunk size and opening action! 🎬

[CyberJustice]

While I agree the frunk is very useful, there is no doubt it will be limited by its approximately 13"-14" depth. The interesting thing about frunk space though, is that while increasing frunk size does increase utility, the extra utility (as the frunk increases in size) grows much more slowly than the increase in size. In other words, the extra utility as a frunk grows in size does not increase proportionately to the increase in size.

Bottom line for me, I find frunks very handy, and they don't have to be huge for the most common purposes, especially when there is a vault that is about 100 times as big, for any items too large to fit in the frunk. In my Model 3 I bought a AO soft coolers "Stowaway" to fit in the frunk and it's great on road trips because it's never obscured by other luggage and gear and the frunk stays much cooler than the cabin (without having to actively cool the cabin). But the frunk is limited in depth, a cardboard 1/2 gallon of milk is the limit (and full grocery bags can be crushed). So I'm really happy to see the vertical capacity of of the Cyberfrunk, it will suit me better than the Model 3 frunk.

I'll be getting a taller AO soft cooler for the Cyberfrunk. And, no, I don't care about a drain, anyone who uses ice anymore is living in the past. I use these super-cold cooler packs that don't make a mess and last for an entire weekend:

Put two packs in if you want your beer to be colder than ice or last through a weekend.

I have a model X and use the frunk more than the trunk, with 3 small kids, its been ample room for groceries, clothes, baby items while we put the stroller in the trunk.

I expect the Cyberfrunk to be much larger than the X so its going to be more than sufficient amount of space. I don't want the biggest frunk in the world, I want a good size frunk along with being an efficient, performant truck.

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[anionic1]

Frunk is MAYBE 15" deep ?

its a frunkini.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

If there was a front lip you couldn't sit on it. If there was a front lip on it you would have to reach over it to put anything in. In all things there are always plusses and minuses. I tie down would help.

 

[FutureBoy]

I'm sure the Top Gear peeps have an NDA till reveal night. But the back door of the CT was open in the video. No one outside of the Top Gear people took a look inside to see what all the fuss was about in the back seat? Do these review trucks have ALL the features? Or are some features being held back to be revealed on reveal night?

How is it that the mystery about the back seat has less evidence than Sasquatch?

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

and the lightning's 14.1 also includes the sub-frunk

but the three figures you site are i believe exactly the lay of the land, and the ultimate outcome, of the longstanding comparative frunk volume mystery

at the end of the day, if there's a 'single issue buyer' on frunk size, the CT wont be for them

but that person would be a weirdo. the vault, and the sub-bed storage, not to mention all the other features in the CT, merely means that the CT is a *different* proposition than say the Lightning, when it comes to external lockable storage

that said, in terms of 2019 unveil specs that will not materialize on Nov. 30: zero chance the CT has the claimed "100cu ft of external lockable storage"

which for me (and the vast majority of buyers) should be a non-issue

That 100 feet of lockable external storage included the wing storage areas that no longer exist, and there has been no calculation of how much volume the bed storage will provide. It would be nice to know what the usable dimensions of the bed storage are. Does anyone have a feeling for under-seat storage?

 

[egandalf]

and the lightning's 14.1 also includes the sub-frunk

but the three figures you site are i believe exactly the lay of the land, and the ultimate outcome, of the longstanding comparative frunk volume mystery

at the end of the day, if there's a 'single issue buyer' on frunk size, the CT wont be for them

but that person would be a weirdo. the vault, and the sub-bed storage, not to mention all the other features in the CT, merely means that the CT is a *different* proposition than say the Lightning, when it comes to external lockable storage

that said, in terms of 2019 unveil specs that will not materialize on Nov. 30: zero chance the CT has the claimed "100cu ft of external lockable storage"

which for me (and the vast majority of buyers) should be a non-issue

I'm not a single-issue buyer (except that I pretty much refuse to consider gas vehicles, if that counts), but versatility of space and usability of space matter a great deal, not just the raw numbers.

An example would be that we traded in our Highlander when we bought my wife's Model Y. On paper, the Highlander wins because it has more cuft of "available storage." In practicality, the Y's storage is far more usable when you factor in the frunk and sub-trunk.

While the CT potentially has more total cuft of storage, the R1T has a more usable storage architecture - at least from what I can tell - with the multi-level frunk, gear tunnel, and sub-bed options.

It's not an overall loss for the CT for me, but it's a checkmark in the R1T box, unfortunately.

 

[egandalf]

If there was a front lip you couldn't sit on it. If there was a front lip on it you would have to reach over it to put anything in. In all things there are always plusses and minuses. I tie down would help.

I'd take a net across the front for grocery bags. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[fritter63]

I [sic] tie down would help.

Would love to see a couple of L-track sections in there. I realize it's not flat but even if curved or in short sections they would be very useful.

Wonder how it would be to try and retrofit the track in there? I"m guessing that tub backing is just plastic and maybe not that strong. Then again, wouldn't be trying to tie down a motorcycle.....

 

[Cyberman]

Top Gear program was spotted filming their Cybertruck review segment in Hermosa Beach. Video shot by ZooliBoy

Every time I see it, I think it's just the most beautiful thing. Art in motion.

 

[Cyberman]

I'd take a net across the front for grocery bags. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I agree, although there's just not a lot of room for stuff to slide around.
(my wife says the same thing) ?

 

[egandalf]

I agree, although there's just not a lot of room for stuff to slide around.
(my wife says the same thing) ?

No... I confess I'm spoiled by the Rivian frunk. It's my grocery-hauler. I got little velcro brackets to hold groceries in place when they might slide around (or to keep a watermelon from steam-rolling the bread). I'm more worried about things falling out as soon as I pop the frunk open after shifting in-transit.

Not that I would take turns at speed or do a launch at every available opportunity, groceries-be-damned. No sir. Not me........... Ok me.

 

[marc.m3]

I doubt they would have four different trims at launch. Down the road, yes, but at launch, I am thinking that is very unlikely.

Yeap, I think that the dual motor will be released first followed by the tri motor later in the year similar to what happened with the Model 3 single came out first followed by the dual later on.

 

[HaulingAss]

It's not an overall loss for the CT for me, but it's a checkmark in the R1T box, unfortunately.

I think it's a good thing the Rivian R1T wins some of the checkboxes, otherwise it would be so lop-sided in favor of Cybertruck that I don't think Rivian could ever recover.

The gear tunnel is a good feature, at least in isolation. I say that because I wonder how it impacted the weight and strength of the chassis, and perhaps even the design of the motorized tonneau cover (and thus, ultimately, it's reliability). Every design decision is a trade-off.

 

[TacoTuesday]

I think it's a good thing the Rivian R1T wins some of the checkboxes, otherwise it would be so lop-sided in favor of Cybertruck that I don't think Rivian could ever recover.

The gear tunnel is a good feature, at least in isolation. I say that because I wonder how it impacted the weight and strength of the chassis, and perhaps even the design of the motorized tonneau cover (and thus, ultimately, it's reliability). Every design decision is a trade-off.

R1T is looking like it’s a better off-roading truck than CT. I know, blasphemy to say that here! ?

 

[HaulingAss]

R1T is looking like it’s a better off-roading truck than CT. I know, blasphemy to say that here! ?

It has a shorter wheelbase which is a huge advantage if you're talking about rock-crawling. Most people just want to get where they need to go.

I have not been impressed with the traction control in the four-motor Rivian when climbing, hopefully it was because the reviewers were accidently "nerfing" it by making unjustified assumptions that caused them to pick the wrong traction settings. Alternatively, hopefully Rivian engineers can improve it with time.

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