Range Extender Battery Pack increases range to 470+ miles and costs $16K 🔋

[BayouCityBob]

That's not a bad idea because it would make most people realize they simply don't need more range than 5 hours on the Interstate because Superchargers dot the country and they charge really fast.

Oh, wait, I almost forgot, everybody needs to tow gargantuan 5th wheelers from coast to coast, what was I thinking?

If they were to rent the range extender, even at say $500 a week and you need to schedule with SC to get it installed, it would be an exceptional benefit for the vehicle. Most people can bump down the cost but still have all the flexibility.

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[CYBRSMTH]

Any info on pricing for this range extender?

I think $16K.

 

[CYBRSMTH]

Power wall would be interesting when not needed. It would be heavy to load.

It must be installed by Tesla. Owners cannot remove it or reinstall it. Might void the warranty.

 

[HaulingAss]

The base range will increase incrementally over time as battery density improves. A single pack design is a good idea.

This is a good call. I'm probably more interested in the ever-increasing density of the Supercharging network than I am in "range extenders".

Having driven pure electric cars for 5 years, and with 100% of my non-flying travel of more than the range of our EVs performed using the Supercharger Network, I think people's minds have been polluted by a bunch of anti-EV propoganda about how charging is so inconvenient. When I plug into a Supercharger, I find it almost magical the way it quickly replaces the energy consumed over the last 4 hours of driving.

Sure, it's not for travel to the Yukon, but neither is an EV with a huge battery. Just like gas vehicles, EVs are constrained to the functional radius of fuel/charging services. The additional time it takes to charge an EV over fueling a tank is really minimal, as long as there are plenty of fast chargers in the area you want to charge. That is the metric most people should pay attention to.

People who want to "overland" can stick to gas and we will still have 99.99% of all miles driven with electric (as the fast-charging infrastructure continues to expand). It should be emphasized that even a 500+ mile range vehicle needs charging infrastructure in the region it is operating, and preferably without driving 20 miles out of your way to charge. That's not really practical or efficient.

 

[teslamaniac]

Wouldn’t it be cool if it was actually on self-propelled wheels, could load itself up the ramp and plop itself in the front of the bed, preventing bilateral hernias by the owner.

of course it would be much easier if it was simply a software unlocking of the existing battery!

I was really really disappointed with the 340 mile range – really was hoping for longer so hoping even a bit more that the range extender is something that’s actually practical. Time will tell!

It would be cool if it had the ramp!

 

[swengl]

My thought is: I'm going to buy the AWD model, not get the range extender (RE) initially, see if I *really* need it and then if I do, I'll buy it then. If you wait long enough, the price (and possibly the size) of the extender will go down (and hopefully the amount of range it will extend will go up, due to improved battery geometry/chemistry). If you want to camp in the bed of the CT, I think the RE is literally going to cramp your style. I'm not one that is going to. be towing often or towing heavy (or long distance), so I should be fine with the RE (that's what I'm telling myself, anyway )

 

[HaulingAss]

Is it too late to jump ship and get a Ford Lightening? Ford dealers probable will see increased demand and gouge buyers even more.

Can you rationally explain how it makes sense to accuse Ford of "gouging" buyers of the Lightning when they are selling it for far below their cost produce?

Sure, I understand it's because Ford has inefficient supply chains, manufacturing and distribution, but I would just call that general ineptness, not price gouging.

 

[Dazureus]

I think having the range extender firmly divides the use of the Cybertruck into 2 camps, with barriers to switch between them. First, as others have mentioned, I don't think it's a home installation thing. Weight, wiring into the HV lines, and tying into the cooling will limit this to a service center job.

It feels like you'll either be an urban (access to charging) truck user that wants to preserve the 4x6 bed for use, and will never wander far from supercharging for occasional trips, or you want the truck for trail adventures or long distance towing/hauling where fewer charging opportunities exist. There's a little overlap since you can haul a trailer long distances if superchargers exist on the route, and you can still use the bed w/extender installed and have more cargo space than any other Tesla vehicle, but both use cases will come with some inconveniences. I would have loved to have a 400-500 mile do it all truck, but we'll have to wait for better battery technologies. For now, I'll love my truck I can take on family trips with all the family crap, while still being able to haul sheet goods and roughcut lumber for my woodworking hobby, while being quicker than my P90D Model X and preserving the turn radius for suburban driving.

 

[Macgyverfever]

So that it’s not confused:

that leaves less than 3’ of bed space

'Plenty of cargo space' lmao

 

[HaulingAss]

I need range extender for Model Y.

Why? Your profile says you drive a Long-Range Model 3.

 

[Macgyverfever]

I do think it’s a good idea. For someone that doesn’t mind losing cargo space, it works. Not sure how many buyers would pay 16k though.

Ill pay for it after i pay off the truck in 10 years

 

[BenH]

Why? Your profile says you drive a Long-Range Model 3.

I need another car..

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