Cybertruck stainless changing to Aluminum?????

[fpovoski]

I seen a u-tube video from NewVehicleMedia . here is the u-tube link: that stated that Elon has changed the Cybertruck Stainless exterior to Aluminum. How true is this, I have not heard anything about this and cannot find anything that collaborates this on the web.
This could change everything. I am one of the first in the area to receive my CT. I am not sure I want it if Elon is changing it to an Aluminum shell.
Makes no sense. This would be a huge mistake on Elon's part. The indestructible exterior is the best selling point.
I fear it may be true since Elon is hiring engineers for a paint shop to be installed in Austin. Why paint stainless? but if aluminum, then would need to paint it.
What have you heard? What do you think?

How idiotic!
The Cyber truck will have front and rear injection aluminum casting generated in the 9000 ton press. It will have a Stainless Steel body and a 4680 structural battery pack. Is it a true extoskeleton, NO, because to be a true extoskeleton suspension member would have to be connected to the extoskeleton. They are not, they are connected to the castings. The Cybertruck will be constructed very much like a Model Y and the body inner components may even be stamped high strength steel. To say the Cyber truck "will be aluminum" is just stupid. I will call it structural hybrid extoskeleton.

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[Crissa]

How idiotic!
The Cyber truck will have front and rear injection aluminum casting generated in the 9000 ton press. It will have a Stainless Steel body and a 4680 structural battery pack. Is it a true extoskeleton, NO, because to be a true extoskeleton suspension member would have to be connected to the extoskeleton. They are not, they are connected to the castings. The Cybertruck will be constructed very much like a Model Y and the body inner components may even be stamped high strength steel. To say the Cyber truck "will be aluminum" is just stupid. I will call it structural hybrid extoskeleton.

Umm... How is the casting not part of the exoskeleton?

-Crissa

 

[Rockvillerich]

Given that your statement is weird an uses a definition of exoskeleton unlike any prior definition, I'll suggest your logic is akin to no logic prior defined to be logical.

C'mon, what the heck did you think the motors were going to be mounted to?


Do you know what exoskeleton means?

-Crissa

Cory Steuben of Munro Associates is an engineer, and his opinion is that Cybertruck's large castings are structural and the mountings to the body panels are "flimsy" so the term exoskeleton is not necessarily appropriate in this case. Cory went on to say Cybertruck is designed to be built like a blown up, (enlarged) model Y. As you may know Munro Associates is a fairly well respected source of information in the automotive field, so I took his assessment as being worthy of consideration.

 

[fpovoski]

Umm... How is the casting not part of the exoskeleton?

-Crissa

To say it is a pure stainless steel extoskeleton the suspension members would have to be fastened to the stainless steel extoskeleton members. On the Cybertruck they are connected to the front and rear aluminums casting. The front and rear casing are fastened (most likely with fasteners and adhesives, welding stainless to aluminum takes a welding prowess that is not well suited for production) the the "mid" stainless steel exto which structurally is also supported by the battery pack. One might say then, its a Unibody construction, but unlike unibody the outer stainless skin on the Cybertruck is structure giving the term extoskeleton. Unibody members are stamped steel and easy to form into many complex shapes making up the front and rear subframes. The stainless Tesla is using cannot be stamped. Therefore it is brilliant on Tesla's part when it has used two casted aluminum parts to make up the front and rear subframes and the rest of the structure as an exto and pack. In effect the nearly the entire material weight of the car is structural compromising probably no more than 10 parts.
Plus using two materials that are relatively corrosion resistant and don't need painting reduces greater than 50% of prep and assembly and provides a vehicle in northern climates a body that virtually will last forever (largest problem with vehicle longevity in northern climates is rust of the body).

 

[moneyminder]

This youtube uploader (NewVehicleMedia) looks like the "National Inquirer" of the EV market.

 

[Mini2nut]

True exoskeleton or not I’m still in. The Cybertruck is going to shake up the traditional pickup truck segment.

If priced within 20% of the original MSRP is going to be Tesla‘s #1 selling vehicle once they scale up for mass production.

American‘s LOVE their pickup trucks. It’s the 21st century version of horse ownership. We love the utility, freedom, individual expression, independence, etc, that a pickup truck offers.

 

[fpovoski]

True exoskeleton or not I’m still in. The Cybertruck is going to shake up the traditional pickup truck segment.

If priced within 20% of the original MSRP is going to be Tesla‘s #1 selling vehicle once they scale up for mass production.

American‘s LOVE their pickup trucks. It’s the 21st century version of horse ownership. We love the utility, freedom, individual expression, independence, etc, that a pickup truck offers.

I totally agree. I just hope that Tesla has paid attention to corrosion issues not using plain high strength steel for some of the inner body components.

As far as price, if they want to kill F-150/Silverado sales they need to price the Cybertruck near production cost initially, then use scale to create margins. Pickup truck prices from the big 3 are now ridiculous, highly over-inflated and now 100s of thousands F-150s/Silverados are sitting on dealer lots. I've seen some Youtubers stating that the 3-motor Cybertruck will be priced near the F-150 Raptor R price of $109K because of similar offroad capabilities. That is a price that will deter buyers. It needs to be priced no more than $45k/55K/75K for the 3 variants. And if its less, then it will be the best selling vehicle in the US in 2024./2025.

 

[Crissa]

Cory Steuben of Munro Associates is an engineer, and his opinion is that Cybertruck's large castings are structural and the mountings to the body panels are "flimsy" so the term exoskeleton is not necessarily appropriate in this case. Cory went on to say Cybertruck is designed to be built like a blown up, (enlarged) model Y. As you may know Munro Associates is a fairly well respected source of information in the automotive field, so I took his assessment as being worthy of consideration.

Noted, none of that (and especially not Cory) said it wasn't an exoskeleton.

To say it is a pure stainless steel extoskeleton the suspension members would have to be fastened to the stainless steel extoskeleton members.

That makes no sense. Where would they attach?

The castings aren't on the inside of the truck, dear.

-Crissa

 

[Rockvillerich]

Noted, none of that (and especially not Cory) said it wasn't an exoskeleton.


That makes no sense. Where would they attach?

The castings aren't on the inside of the truck, dear.

-Crissa

My understand was that the stainless skin is connected to the castings, just not with attachments that are robust enough to transfer energy/load the way it would if the skin were a primary structural member.

 

[Crissa]

My understand was that the stainless skin is connected to the castings, just not with attachments that are robust enough to transfer energy/load the way it would if the skin were a primary structural member.

There's no evidence for that at this point. And some contrary - the body in white required an extensive jig to sit upon.

-Crissa

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