If I may add, a stainless steel mirror has a reflectivity factor of 60%. So Cybertruck will be 40-50% reflectivity. Under direct sunlight, the frunk will get around 500 watts of heat.Raise your hand if you would like to see an insulated & refrigerated (or cooled) frunk. It would be quite easy to implement, the AC unit is nearby. Without cooling, the Frunk could get to BBQ level temperatures, esp when truck is stationary.
So things come full circle to where we have an EV with working operational smoke stack like external combustion steam powered car but smoked BBQ dinner is ready when you arrive home!
Amen to that. There are 12V compressors that are quite efficient. Refrigerators/freezers that use them are made in several sizes by at least a couple of manufacturers (Domtec, ARB...). A frunk sized drop in might draw 40W when the compressor is running and take 20 - 30 Wh/hr on typical duty cycle under nominal conditions.
But wouldn't you want the compressor to be able to pump the heat outside of the frunk? What do you do about heat build up in the frunk? There's really not much to having a part of the frunk permanently insulated, and either ducting A/C to it, or better have a separate heat exchanger in it. You don't have to turn it on, and the heat exchanger and integrated box is lighter than a removable one with separate compressor.
Yes. From a purely refrigeration standpoint the ideal would be an insulated box with coils (and EXV) that got liquid 1234yf (I guess it will be) from and sent vapor to the vehicle compressor. But obviously this adds cost and complexity to and increases the probability of failure in the vehicle heating/cooling system. The main thing is that I don't need any refrigeration in the frunk or anywhere else for 98% of the miles I drive. It's nice to have it on board for the 2% where I do but most of the time it just takes up space that is better used for something else. Plus when I do want it I want it in the cabin so I can pull out drinks and snacks whilst on the road.
What I won't do is worry much about it. The average load for a decent sized ARB appears to be about 20 - 30W. The frunk is a pretty large space open at the top to the space under the hood (bonnet).
Automobile manufacturers will do anything to simplify their designs and won't do anything to add complexity, even a wee bit, unless they see increased sales coming out of it. I'm guessing, and it is, of course, only a guess, that not enough of the target demographic would want this to convince Tesla to add it.
The compressor doesn't weigh much relative to the weight of food/drinks in it and, most important, the drop in solution isn't in the truck most of the time. OTOH in the integrated solution all the components are including the extra weight of the larger compressor and condenser required to support the extra cooling load.
I wouldn't worry about the frunk getting to "BBQ level temperatures". I use the frunk on my Model 3 Performance as a cooler. I've lined it with 3/16" thick Reflectix bubble foam insulation (one layer) cut to fit the frunk and a flap of the same material as a lid.Raise your hand if you would like to see an insulated & refrigerated (or cooled) frunk. It would be quite easy to implement, the AC unit is nearby. Without cooling, the Frunk could get to BBQ level temperatures, esp when truck is stationary.
I'd defer offering that opinion until we see the design. The new Rivian owners have found that the condenser fan blows right over the frunk tub so that in cooling season the frunk does get, if not to BBQ level temperature, quite warm.
