Rear Wheel Steering

[rr6013]

I worry it's because there are 4680 production issues.

Construction!

It’s accumulating “rain days” delay, progress fragmented to prioritize production inside for “owner equipment” and scope of work, now, is not as well matched to workforce productivity so ”timeline creep”. That IMHO is the high level flyover view.

4680 is not ready, 16480, in PLAID chemistry, is up to bridge Cybertruck until…

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[keyhere]

They have to add this to be able to live up to their crazy towing capacity claims. Rear wheel steering significantly reduces trailer sway at high speeds, its often the limiting factor when trucks receive their tow rating.

 

[tidmutt]

Construction!

It’s accumulating “rain days” delay, progress fragmented to prioritize production inside for “owner equipment” and scope of work, now, is not as well matched to workforce productivity so ”timeline creep”. That IMHO is the high level flyover view.

4680 is not ready, 16480, in PLAID chemistry, is up to bridge Cybertruck until…

hmmm… as many have said, we shouldn’t worry about the battery chem in the vehicle just how it performs. But isn’t the battery structural for the 4680? Can that be done with the 16480 (haven’t heard of that one)? Can the CT really exist without the 4680?

 

[Dids]

Construction!

It’s accumulating “rain days” delay, progress fragmented to prioritize production inside for “owner equipment” and scope of work, now, is not as well matched to workforce productivity so ”timeline creep”. That IMHO is the high level flyover view.

4680 is not ready, 16480, in PLAID chemistry, is up to bridge Cybertruck until…

How do we know 4680 isn't ready? What is the projected completion date for giga Texas? Indeed I think 4680 tech is ready. There was a recent announcement that panasonic made a killing selling the shares of Tesla and that they are investing multiple billions in producing 4680. Companies do not usually announce investment in production unless the tech is in place.

 

[JBee]

They have to add this to be able to live up to their crazy towing capacity claims. Rear wheel steering significantly reduces trailer sway at high speeds, its often the limiting factor when trucks receive their tow rating.

I suppose that means it will have to be a active trailer sway compensation using accelerometers in the rear end with drive by wire rear steering?

Wouldn't trailer sway be better dealt with differential breaking on the trailer? Sure that means the trailer has to have it, but you could make that a condition of the rating, like assisted trailer brakes.

That said it can only help I suppose.

 

[Diehard]

How do we know 4680 isn't ready? What is the projected completion date for giga Texas? Indeed I think 4680 tech is ready. There was a recent announcement that panasonic made a killing selling the shares of Tesla and that they are investing multiple billions in producing 4680. Companies do not usually announce investment in production unless the tech is in place.

Great point. I was freaking out about 4680 a bit. This gives me a bit of hope. Can you share the source? The last I heard the only thing Panasonic committed to was building the prototype production line and multi billion dollar investment was pending success of prototype line and also interest from Non-Tesla companies to purchase the battery.

 

[JBee]

"Now you know" prediction?

I think the CT will have 4680 because they can't afford to make a 1650 structural pack assembly line as well.

 

[tidmutt]

Great point. I was freaking out about 4680 a bit. This gives me a bit of hope. Can you share the source? The last I heard the only thing Panasonic committed to was building the prototype production line and multi billion dollar investment was pending success of prototype line and also interest from Non-Tesla companies to purchase the battery.

I think the headline was that when they can prove out production of the 4680 in a pilot line they will invest heavily... so it wasn't quite "we're doing it" it was "we'll do it, when it works".

Believe me, I want it to work, but to my eyes there isn't proof of that yet. I don't know enough about battery production to really have an informed opinion about the likelihood it just seems like there isn't any confirmed reports of production issues being sorted. At least that I've seen.

 

[tidmutt]

"Now you know" prediction?

I think the CT will have 4680 because they can't afford to make a 1650 structural pack assembly line as well.

That's what I was thinking.

 

[keyhere]

I suppose that means it will have to be a active trailer sway compensation using accelerometers in the rear end with drive by wire rear steering?

Wouldn't trailer sway be better dealt with differential breaking on the trailer? Sure that means the trailer has to have it, but you could make that a condition of the rating, like assisted trailer brakes.

That said it can only help I suppose.

The trailer sway happens when you turn, like avoiding an obstacle in your lane. When a truck normally does this, the truck trailer alignment compared to the road is lost, everything is at an angle compared to the road. Rear wheel steering eliminates that.

It functions differently depending on speed:

 

[JBee]

The trailer sway happens when you turn, like avoiding an obstacle in your lane. When a truck normally does this, the truck trailer alignment compared to the road is lost, everything is at an angle compared to the road. Rear wheel steering eliminates that.

It functions differently depending on speed:

So it crab steers on lane changes which means the front vehicle stays more parallel in the lane resulting in less angle change in the trailer. Makes sense. Knew that for 4WS on the vehicle itself just hadn't thought of it for trailers. Coolio.

 

[CostcoSamples]

I am not sold on rear steering... Seems like something I would never use except as a party trick. I hope they don't increase the price.

A deployable drone would be amazing...

 

[GnarlyDudeLive]

No, they're not. They're ways to nickel and dime the customer.

I just need the price not to climb. But I would totally use the heck out of crab-walking if I had it. Ultimate parking accessory, if you think about it. Where I live I'm always squeezing into tight spaces, and anything to make the truck 'act' smaller, I would use the heck out of.

-Crissa

I'm with Crissa on the price sticking as close to original as possible. I really would like to take advantage of the 10k federal rebate if available at the time of delivery. As I understand it, this rebate has a cap cost of 80k. Tri-CT + FSD for me is already at 77K. This leaves me only 3k of wiggle room and I had already planned on snatching up the Quad as well. Hopefully the quad as an option does not get reflected in the vehicle purchase price blowing out the chance at taking advantage of the tax rebate. I am hoping some contract trickery that will somehow separate that out. I really do wish if they are going to throw add-in costs that somehow those can be purchased AFTER the original vehicle price just to keep it under that 80k barrier.

 

[Auric]

I was very pleased that one of my most important wishes was fulfilled by Elon and the Tesla engineers.

What I have not read now in the 13 pages (or have overlooked)

Such a steerable rear axle has besides the mentioned advantages one more:

It is cheaper!

Have you ever seen a modern rear axle? So not the carriage rigid axles from the Middle Ages but the multi-link axles with very precisely specified links, elastic bearings toe-camber-caster changes depending on position and load vector.
And then a McPherson front axle on the same vehicle that is almost primitive in comparison.
Why is that?
Simply because the rear axle must steer for good handling, and why can the front axle be so primitive?

Because it is actively steered.

What does this mean for the CT?
The axle is more expensive than the carriage rigid axle of the current trucks, but the axle can be built primitive and cheaper if it can be actively steered, yes it can be built like a front axle, it could even be built from the same components like the front axle, the individual wheel suspensions could be identical, i.e. a pair of wishbones, an air suspension strut and that 4 times on each vehicle.

 

[JBee]

I am not sold on rear steering... Seems like something I would never use except as a party trick. I hope they don't increase the price.

A deployable drone would be amazing...

If it has 4WS I doubt you'll be able to turn it off.

A drone with SLAM for terrain mapping would be cool for off road tracks, along with some path simulation.

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