Does new "Structural "4680" battery tech make Cybertruck Exoskeleton Superfuluous?

CyberBC

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I assume that Elon and Company already had the plan to use the 4680 battery tech with the structural design on the drawing board when they designed the Cybertruck. It always seemed to me that the rectangular roof design and sails were more for roll-over protection and "toughness" rather than enough for full frame support. Now that makes sense to me if the battery pack is now structural. Any thoughts out there from the engineer types?
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Dids

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I assume that Elon and Company already had the plan to use the 4680 battery tech with the structural design on the drawing board when they designed the Cybertruck. It always seemed to me that the rectangular roof design and sails were more for roll-over protection and "toughness" rather than enough for full frame support. Now that makes sense to me if the battery pack is now structural. Any thoughts out there from the engineer types?
I think it was always part of the design. Especially since battery day was already teased at the time of cybertruck unveil. The 4680 must have been a multi year project and why wouldn't tesla design their latest vehicle with the newest tech?
 

Crissa

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No. The Cybertruck still requires a solid deck to mount your motors and pile your load upon.

The deck of a bridge is 'structural'.

Cybertruck's exoskeleton is more like the unibody design Tesla uses for their other cars.

-Crissa
 

Sirfun

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I agree with Dids & Crissa. The design of the CT is a complete package that already assumed what Elon talked about at battery day. That complete package is how they are able to get the payload and towing specs.
 


TheLastStarfighter

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I think the "structural battery" is best viewed like cross member supports like those on the engine compartments of performance cars like the last Viper. It will add strength and, potentially, significant rigidity improvements, but it doesn't replace the rest of the car structure. I can't wait to push it in turns tho.
 

Ehninger1212

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Either way the body of the cybertruck is going to be extremely strong. The mega casting and structural battery pack will just make it that much more of a tank.
 
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Cybercarlson

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I assume that Elon and Company already had the plan to use the 4680 battery tech
Your are close to 100% right.... but it was not only stiffness through structural pack....

Just look at the asking price. ?
At CT reveal nobody new how they will be able to pull that off, big batterys where too expensive every body thought....:unsure:
Then eventually came battery day and our eyes where opened.?
 

firsttruck

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I assume that Elon and Company already had the plan to use the 4680 battery tech with the structural design on the drawing board when they designed the Cybertruck. It always seemed to me that the rectangular roof design and sails were more for roll-over protection and "toughness" rather than enough for full frame support. Now that makes sense to me if the battery pack is now structural. Any thoughts out there from the engineer types?
Also the triangular sail panel area is not solid. It is not even attached to the exterior exoskeleton. The area is hollow for storage with the doors on the exterior side of the truck (thus not attached to the exterior exoskeleton skin). A picture of the sail panel area door in open position was in the pictures Elon showed at the Nov 2019 reveal.
 

T3slaDad

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To add to all the awesome comments, the prototype CT's, semis, and plaid S already have the 4680's in them. Elon commented on battery day that they have "many vehicles" already using the technology.

So yes, they definitely accounted for the new batteries in its design as those prototypes have had the cells in them before anyone outside Tesla even know they existed.
 

rr6013

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Cybertruck may be the stiffest vehicle made.

Exoskeleton executed in 30X cold rolled stainless steel is def. structural. The exoskeleton truss-likeshape adds strength by design. For every 1 in. depth a truss gains 1 ft in length that it can bridge. Headroom measured 41.6” in the Cybertruck so the truss could bridge 41 ft., made of wood – stainless steel gains shear and losses elasticity for a truck less than 20 ft. O.A.

Structural battery pack is strongest in the plane of force exoskeleton is weakest - torsionally. Exoskeleton is strongest in vertical plane battery pack is weakest. Coupled, the two systems symbiotically reinforce each other enabling very high end loadings, corner weights and rigidity reluctance in diamond loadings such as accidents. Further, Tesla Armor Glass compliments crossmember structural loading as infill between exo-trusses.

Suspension remains my biggest question. Air suspension was a fail in “other” OEM attempts to use air on all four corners. There were problems with one corner affecting suspension loading on its opposite x-corner. Decompression loads could be unmanageable for occupant comfort with too stiff a structure. It will be interesting in the end to see Cybertruck run and jump with Raptors.
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