Cybertruck in new RC (Release Candidate) wrap!

[CyberTW]

*normally* I would’ve assumed it meant my initials, and that the truck was built for me and being driven to my house for delivery tomorrow

fortunately, the fine print saved me from that expectation

Tesla Trolling?

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[Kahpernicus]

I just realized it doesnt have a tesla branding / logo on it?

Yup, the only branding on it will be the door sill on the driver/passenger entrance.

 

[JBee]

Normally you brand cows to tell who they belong too.

If you can't tell what brand a Cybertruck belongs to, then Tesla has failed at designing the vehicles of their brand.

The Cybertruck is the brand.

 

[CyberGus]

And yet, I fully expect to get many "whut the hella iz dat?" queries

 

[cvalue13]

Tesla Trolling?

nah, it's an accurate description of every build unit prior to first saleable production unit

if anything, it's Tesla cheekily responding to the entire xwitterverse with "no dude, it's a prototype"

to the critical portion of the xwitterverse saying "these things will have horrible build quality!" - no dude, it's a prototype

the hopium portion of the xwitterverse saying "these must be going to showrooms!" - no dude, it's a prototype

 

[CyberGus]

Well it's not like they've been assembled with tape

oh wait

 

[FutureBoy]

Please don't extend that to the best truck is no truck.....

 

[fritter63]

I just realized it doesnt have a tesla branding / logo on it?

 

[CyberTW]

nah, it's an accurate description of every build unit prior to first saleable production unit

if anything, it's Tesla cheekily responding to the entire xwitterverse with "no dude, it's a prototype"

to the critical portion of the xwitterverse saying "these things will have horrible build quality!" - no dude, it's a prototype

the hopium portion of the xwitterverse saying "these must be going to showrooms!" - no dude, it's a prototype

Hence them trolling based on Twitterverse

 

[CyberTW]

nah, it's an accurate description of every build unit prior to first saleable production unit

if anything, it's Tesla cheekily responding to the entire xwitterverse with "no dude, it's a prototype"

to the critical portion of the xwitterverse saying "these things will have horrible build quality!" - no dude, it's a prototype

the hopium portion of the xwitterverse saying "these must be going to showrooms!" - no dude, it's a prototype

Question - so it sounds like they are 50-100 of these… are they ALL prototypes? All going to California for testing and crash? What happens after the testing? I am legitimately interested what happens with all these especially as you see them as all prototypes… do they eventually go to customers? Do 80 of them get crash tested? Lots of questions, but don’t know the process of certifying cars

 

[cvalue13]

Question - so it sounds like they are 50-100 of these… are they ALL prototypes? All going to California for testing and crash? What happens after the testing? I am legitimately interested what happens with all these especially as you see them as all prototypes… do they eventually go to customers? Do 80 of them get crash tested? Lots of questions, but don’t know the process of certifying cars

all “prototypes” of a certain level, and for certain purposes

alpha “prototypes,” beta “prototypes,” release candidate “prototypes” etc.

All of these prototype category units are to varying degrees and purposes fleshing out the intended final design, function, product, tooling, parts, processes, etc.

Notably, this testing and validation is not just of the brand new unit built, but also regarding after-care service and maintenance procedures and costs, manuals, and eg collision repair processes and outcomes, etc.

What’s more, some but not all of those validations have to occur in concurrent streams for differing trim or mechanically distinct units - eg dual vs tri motor, or even just the trim parts offered in different colorways, or finding alternative trim suppliers if discovered issues, etc.

All of this also involving longevity tests of different parts, to try and ensure that the entire vehicle “ages” similarly (which info also then validates or reflects their warranty regime).

Taking all that in, maybe it starts to sound more reasonable as to why they need eg 100 RC1 units. There are probably dozens of departments that all need their respective validation unit(s). At the same time, to do it fast.

other OEMs, prepping for a high-volume model on a new or cousin platform, might do 500 such validation builds, and still be 2 years from first production.

Tesla does things a bit more lean and fast, for better (eg faster to market) and for worse (eg Model 3 ‘hell’).

after all these validation builds, when they believe everything is dialed in as expected, will be “confirmation builds” which are basically the first to be created entirely on the high volume production line with the expectation that they pop out as true production “test” vehicles.

some final rounds of confirmation - that in fact all things popped out as expected - before then next and finally executing on ramp to build saleable units intended for the general public

THAT is the moment of true “first production” - when first a saleable unit comes off the line.

Otherwise, if one uses some loose, colloquial, sense of “production” then we might as well say the CT has “in production” since whenever Musk first uttered the thought that they’d build an electric truck.

so, one could rightfully parse various meanings of “production” or “prototype” etc., but if we agree to tether those words to the objective facts we care about - eg when are they making a unit intended and capable of being sold to the general public - whatever one chooses to call *that* inflection point, none of these are that.

and there could still be another 50-200+ built and needing validation before they’re ready for that.

where do all those unsaleable units go? Destroyed, disassembled, hung from rafters in corporate HQ, made into Musk’s vegetable garden planters - pretty much anything other than sold to John Q Public

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