Cybertruck Vault Sides

[ÆCIII]

Who cares. These are prototypes.

Who cares? Everyone should - because the sole purpose of prototypes is for testing, scrutiny, and refinement. If you were not going to care about a 'prototype', then you wouldn't need it in the first place.

- ÆCIII

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[repoman]

Who cares? Everyone should - because the sole purpose of prototypes is for testing, scrutiny, and refinement. If you were not going to care about a 'prototype', then you wouldn't need it in the first place.

- ÆCIII

Do you know how many prototypes they have built? Nope. You obviously have no idea why they build Proto types. You guys need to stop posting BS like this just to get peoples panties in an uproar. Complete waste of time.

 

[ÆCIII]

Do you know how many prototypes they have built? Nope. You obviously have no idea why they build Proto types. You guys need to stop posting BS like this just to get peoples panties in an uproar. Complete waste of time.

Doesn't mean Tesla doesn't wouldn't want customer feedback and perceptions of prototypes, and that's why the brought them out in public, because otherwise they'd just keep them hidden and secret.

Oh you think Tesla should keep prototypes hidden and out of sight with sheep just shutting up about them? You must be confusing Tesla with Legacy Auto.

You possibly didn't read the post carefully, or you would know there's optimistic points made in it as well as critical ones - so it shouldn't get anyone's emotions in an uproar, except for those who maybe have short sighted outlooks or can't handle honesty when needed. The purpose of constructive criticism is to strengthen the probability of success going forward, but that does require honesty, and what's not required is emotions or feelings.

If you think it's a waste of time then the reactions to the thread will either prove or disprove that, and you yourself have the option to not respond at all if that's how you feel.

- ÆCIII

 

[Cyberman]

This is not a post I want to make, but I would much rather be making it now about prototypes, than making a similar post later about production samples.

This post focuses particularly on noticeable ripples in the stainless steel of the vault exterior side surfaces over the rear wheels and toward the tail gate, as seen in recent prototypes.

Below are examples of Cybertruck prototypes with ripples in the vault side surfaces over the rear wheels. The real problem I can see is that such ripples will likely get even more pronounced on hot days or in the sun. While stainless steel expands less than some other metals it still does expand, and with ripples only a very small amount of expansion would cause the ripples to be more pronounced and noticeable.


The ripples can be seen often more noticeably from the front or back with the Cybertruck out on sunny days:

These indoor views show the ripples in the vault sides and the sail pillar surfaces:

Viewed more from the side, the ripples are not as noticeable but still visible. Clear differences between the doors and the vault sides are apparent:

Blue lights in the dark indoor setting of the Cyber Rodeo show the ripples, and the sidewalk surface reflected shows ripples in the vault sides. Notice how the ripples seem to be confined to the sail pillars and vault sides, with the doors and front always perfectly smooth and straight:

Gaps from the ripples over the flare trim of the wheel opening, are clearly visible in these images:

While there are ways to correct this, Tesla may already be implementing improved methods for production anyway, at least I would hope. There are some ways I could think of to prevent these ripples, and some of these may be implemented already.

1) Crease folds in the sheet surface both at the top just under the sail pillars, and also crease fold flanges inward on top of the wheel wells just behind the flare trim pieces. However there could be manufacturing issues or this may not work if there is any slightest curvature in the vault sides from the doors to the tailgate:​

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2) Alternative to crease folds mentioned above, there could be an reinforcement angle assembly attached to the inside of the vault sides with adhesive just above and surrounding the wheel well. These reinforcements are just simple representations and actual pieces would likely be different. They could be made in various methods even with castings, for slight curvatures or to fit around other internal components:​

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Note: I'm hoping this is one of the primary reasons that Tesla moved the charging port from the sheet metal to the flare trim instead, so that they would possibly have room to attach internal reinforcements or implement such corrective methods.​

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3) Tesla could use thicker sheet metal in this section (maybe they're using thinner than normal metal in the vault sides of the prototypes), also possibly combined with the above methods. Tesla may very well be planning to do so in production but just haven't yet included it on the prototypes so far:​

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However not all examples of the prototypes out there have this issue, as there are some examples of imagery where the vault sides appear without any noticeable ripples at all.

The Cybertruck vault sides appear flawless and nearly perfect in the below images, with it also very obvious how the vault sides are blending with and matching the doors perfectly. To me the Cybertruck surface looks absolutely awesome in these next two images:

The vault sides in the next two image also look great, but there is a distinct difference in the finish with a more rough matte or haze to the surface in the vault and sail pillars. The haze in the finish may be hiding some ripples but it doesn't look like it. It's also more difficult to see any imperfections looking straight in or more perpendicular from the sides. This may be an indication that Tesla is experimenting with different variations of stainless sheet for the vault sides in their prototypes:

These examples are with beautiful workmanship and are very encouraging, but the first two images are with a previous prototype, so let's hope there isn't some manufacturing regression for the vault sides. These last two images are of the newer prototype which suggests that Tesla may be experimenting with different materials so regression may not be the case but instead possibly experimentation or optimization.

On a personal note, I would be willing to give up any storage in the sail pillars if it was necessary to use stronger sheet metal with the crease fold ensuring rigid straightness in the structure of the vault exterior sides - but I understand if Tesla is trying to make the Cybertruck feature rich as possible. Good things often don't come easy.

Ultimately we won't be able to decide for certain until we see our own produced Cybertruck up close, but I guess it really comes down to personal choice.

Would you be willing to accept a Cybertruck with sides looking like this?

Or would you prefer your Cybertruck sides like this?

While it's possible Tesla has decided that this problem is negligible and are planning to let it go into production, I hope that is not the case. If they launch production of the Cybertruck with rippled vault sides and people reject it, it would be costly to them in lacking sales, and also would result in an 'Osbourne Effect' of buyers waiting even more if they did decide to fix it later instead of now. I can't say what I would reject or accept until I see it in person. But I do think ripples in the surface would be a deal-breaker for many other buyers, and so I really hope they correct it before production.


There is yet another option to hide such ripples, by putting aftermarket body effects on the sides of the Cybertruck that would cover up the rippled vault sides. Below is one of my favorite tricked out renderings of the Cybertruck. Credit goes to a source calling themself "Car Expert", but I don't like lettering and badges so I removed them from the rendering but included their version in the inset. Again this is one of my favorite tricked out Cybertruck renderings and this would definitely solve the problem - if someone made these body effects and if they were reasonably priced:

This post is not intended to smear Tesla or the Cybertruck but instead to help ensure it's success at launch and ramp-up. I feel this problem should be corrected before it would get reproduced at scale. The Cybertruck is polarizing enough as it is, but the style itself will 'grow on people', if it is refined and not cheap looking. However ripples and workmanship defects will reduce sales and inflame the narratives to stigmatize Tesla. But maybe Tesla (hopefully) already has corrective methods in place for production and just haven't used them in prototypes.

- ÆCIII

Very good point, I've never seen this addressed before. I'd be pretty bothered to wind up with crinkled panels like that, and I never noticed this at all. The Frito-Lays edition?

 

[Cyberman]

Do you know how many prototypes they have built? Nope. You obviously have no idea why they build Proto types. You guys need to stop posting BS like this just to get peoples panties in an uproar. Complete waste of time.

Quit your self-righteous indignation, we all have the right to bring up whatever issue we want, not just the ones you agree with, without you disparaging the OP. I don't think his post was BS, nor a waste of time. Reading your shit, on the other hand, was a complete waste of my time. I want my 8 seconds back.
Don't make me cancel your reservation.

 

[Cyberman]

Invention my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% Cybertruck Ripple.

Sad but true, as all Cybertrucks are made of a 105% joint effort.

 

[Crissa]

I don't personally care, but...

...Prototypes are prototypes and generally not as polished or made on the machines that the production models are.

Until we start seeing production-intent models, this conversation is dead.

-Crissa

 

[ZombiePhysicist]

Probably a minority view but ripple looks kind of cool in how it reflects. Wouldn’t be an issue for me one way or the other.

That said I super appreciate folks that notice issues like this and it results in higher quality builds.

 

[Gurule92]

Do you know how many prototypes they have built? Nope. You obviously have no idea why they build Proto types. You guys need to stop posting BS like this just to get peoples panties in an uproar. Complete waste of time.

You literally wrote this just to get OPs "panties in an uproar" You completely wasted your time

 

[Gurule92]

Invention my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% Cybertruck Ripple.

you forgot
Fifteen percent concentrated power of will

 

[Coolbreeze704]

Star Hopper

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[Ogre]

If you want a truck to get stuff done. Get the Cybertruck.

If you want a truck that looks pretty in your driveway, Get the Rivian.

I don’t quite get people’s love affair with cars. It’s a tool that does a thing. It’s like complaining about the patina on my knife blades. It cuts things, that’s why I have a knife.

Truck moves things. That’s why I want a truck.

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