Tesla Q1 2023 Earnings Report; Cybertruck Status Maintains "Tooling" Status, Pilot Production Line Photos Shown! 📸

[Jhodgesatmb]

I don't believe many of the SS skin panels will be structural. When Elon uses the term "exoskeleton," I believe he simply means tough/durable. It's sort of like his use of the term "autopilot," which really means driving assistant.

You are entitled to your opinion of course, but I happen to believe that there is no way that 3mm stainless could ever be anything but structural. Translate that statement as "you are full of s#$%" if you want. I really don't care 'what' Elon calls the 3mm stainless skin as long as it remains 3mm stainless and covers the entire exterior, because that means I never have to worry about dents and scratches ever again.

As for the term autopilot it is just a word. What it does is what is important. I just drove to LA and back again and for the vast majority of the trip I used the Tesla 'autopilot' and it made a full day of driving quite manageable from a stress point of view. If they make a few easily-implementable tweaks to the system I could probably sleep the trip except for charging and heavy urban traffic craziness. So this is 'way' beyond cruise control. In fact, anything short of Level 4/5 autonomy will be an ADAS because, at any time, the system can tell us to take over and we will have to do so. I have no issue with that as log as the amount of time I have to expect to take over continues to drop over time. You seem to be of the belief that this is an all-or-none capability when in fact it is an engineering capability; it will slowly get better with time. The question is not whether it will ever achieve full autonomy but, rather, whether it will ever be able to drive anywhere in all conditions we drive in. From my experience it is about trust, and once I can trust the system to do the right thing I am done with the nomenclature and the government can take its time with the policy. I doubt I will ever trust any system (or any human) enough for me to sleep while it/they are at the wheel and my life hangs in the balance.

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[cvalue13]

Arguing semantics with an engineer as accomplished as Elon Musk is not very productive. It's the movers and shakers of the world who mold and shape our language, not unknown and un-celebrated people throwing peanut shells from the peanut gallery

Jeez

Amazon has cheap punching bags. Got one for my 5-year-old.

ven without Elon having declared the Cybertruck an exoskeleton, it can be clearly seen that the term applies, and it applies to the Cybertruck to an even higher degree than it applies to more traditional unibody vehicles.

Yes, degrees.

And given the front/rear castings, and structural pack, the CT's "degree" of structure derived solely from the skin is less than the range of reasonable interpretations available at unveil. Basically, the CT has much the same internal structure as any other Tesla, plus whatever the skin provides. That's largely different by addition, not different by substitution.

And different by substitution was a reasonable interpretation available at unveil:

"Well this is it for the fundamental design change. We move the mass to the outside. We created an exoskeleton. Normally with the way that a truck is designed. You have a body on frame, you have a bed, frame and the body and the bed don't do anything useful... It was the way that aircraft used to be designed, the way they had biplanes. Basically, the key to creating an effective monoplane was stressed skin design. You move the stress to the outside skin allows you to do things that you can't do with the body on frame. So we're able to make the skin out of thick, ultra hard stainless steel. It's really hard to show you just how hard."

The biplane to monoplane example is a good one for framing the reasonable interpretation from unveil.

And to the extent the CT design appears to retain the internal structures of castings and structural packs, while add toughness via the shell, the biplane/monoplane analogy isn't a perfect one.

Which is fine. Call it an exoskeleton all you wish. But unclear the basis of your hubris on which to dress down someone who essentially points out the ways the biplane/monoplane analogy doesn't appear perfect.

 

[anionic1]

I think a little Easter egg on what Elon said during the call...he is calling all current CT that's roaming around are Alphas, built on pilot line at Fremont...meaning true Betas must be on Austin's production lines...so in theory the true CT had yet to be seen.

In theory with the wavy quarter panels...why do the 3mm SS all around on an alpha build? Lots to unpack over the next few months..

Pics of the front castings from the slides are not a single piece from the giga press but prob multiple castings joined together. Seems Alphas are actually testing parts from their suppliers in order to make sure those parts meet Tesla requirements. Next few months are outsourced parts evaluation.

 

[AlexD]

https://ir.tesla.com/#quarterly-disclosure

“We’re anticipating having a delivery event probably in Q3” -Elon Musk on earnings call.

On Cybertruck spec question... "Well I think will save that for the Cybertruck hand over event which will hopefully be in the end of Q3. It's an incredible product. A product like this only come along once. People will not be disappointed, it's amazing"

What I find very strange is that they are keeping the specifications a secret from us the very people who have placed pre-orders. Why are we not allowed to know the details of the product we are ordering?
What, are we expected to just have just blind faith??

 

[uff_da]

Anyone know what these are?

 

[cvalue13]

Anyone know what these are?

There are some interesting parts laying around. You can see the lower control arm dangling under the front wheel well. You can see the upper control arms in a stack on a table on the upper left side of the first image. they appear to be painted cast aluminum. And you can see what i believe are the rear wheel steering servos lined up on the ground on the lower left.

 

[slomo]

I don't believe many of the SS skin panels will be structural. When Elon uses the term "exoskeleton," I believe he simply means tough/durable. It's sort of like his use of the term "autopilot," which really means driving assistant.

I pretty much agree. But it seems that the weight of a strong exterior skin does need to be offset by reduced conventional structure. What they have come up with will be interesting

 

[electricAK]

Just returned from a trip to Anchorage/Seward (we prefer low tourist season). Only 1 Supercharger in AK at this point and it's a long way from you. How are you gonna manage that?

Luckily the Yukon government has stepped up and started building fast chargers (and they're free to use!). So I'll be able to drive into the interior without too many issues. There is still a gap near Tok, but that should be filled soon enough. Here's hoping Tesla will build another supercharger up here somewhere. Tok would be the obvious choice. Haines would also be great, since it connects the ferry from Bellingham, WA to the Alaska highway(s).

 

[HaulingAss]

What I find very strange is that they are keeping the specifications a secret from us the very people who have placed pre-orders. Why are we not allowed to know the details of the product we are ordering?
What, are we expected to just have just blind faith??

Because you haven't placed a pre-order, you only have a fully refundable reservation which gives you a position in line should you wish to place an order when they are ready.

Tesla will not nail down the final specs and pricing until they are closer to being able to actually deliver them. Because even they cannot know the details yet, or how the price of raw materials and currencies will move between now and then, especially in such an unpredictable economy. While Tesla is far more vertically integrated than the others, they still must rely upon suppliers and raw material costs have been particularly volatile.

 

[israndy]

There have been other EV treks to the arctic so it'll be almost a tourist thing by the time the CT starts getting out in numbers, and then we can tour Mexico when it's too cold in Alaska. Gonna be a blast

 

[electricAK]

There have been other EV treks to the arctic so it'll be almost a tourist thing by the time the CT starts getting out in numbers, and then we can tour Mexico when it's too cold in Alaska. Gonna be a blast

I think the CT is going to kick ass up here. And Mexico too.
Cheers,

 

[cvalue13]

I think the CT is going to kick ass up here. And Mexico too.
Cheers,

I've heard Haines, British Columbia, is beautiful!

(Just venting my Alaskan jealousy )

 

[greggertruck]

What I find very strange is that they are keeping the specifications a secret from us the very people who have placed pre-orders.

Are they though? We all have been lead to believe by both Elon and radom strangers on the internet that the Cybertruck has changed in some substantial way from what was unveiled in 2019.


Maybe it hasn't. Maybe it's a very slightly smaller, 6' bed instead, Cybertruck.

Dual and Tri. 315 and "500" mile ranges.

Pricing, that may be slightly different, but there is solid evidence they will be around what they showcased in November 2019. Exciting time.

of course, I'll take all I can get and wish we had more too... But we don't! Not until May 16th! They've had Cybertruck at the last few Shareholder Meetings, so not insane to think they don't have one then.

 

[AlexD]

Because you haven't placed a pre-order, you only have a fully refundable reservation which gives you a position in line should you wish to place an order when they are ready.

Tesla will not nail down the final specs and pricing until they are closer to being able to actually deliver them. Because even they cannot know the details yet, or how the price of raw materials and currencies will move between now and then, especially in such an unpredictable economy. While Tesla is far more vertically integrated than the others, they still must rely upon suppliers and raw material costs have been particularly volatile.

Yeah.... when I was a kid they used to sell a product called a Lucky Packet. You paid your cash and then opened it to see what sweets and toy were inside.
They are setting up the production line, as we speak, for maybe the first delivery in the 3rd quarter. They must know what they are going to be building. We are now only a quarter away and they can't/won't/don't want to give us more than vague details. Thats unacceptable to me.

 

[firsttruck]

What I find very strange is that they are keeping the specifications a secret from us the very people who have placed pre-orders. Why are we not allowed to know the details of the product we are ordering?
What, are we expected to just have just blind faith??

You have not placed an order yet.

You have placed a reservation similar to a 3 week advance restaurant reservation except to hold the reservation you had to deposit a fully refundable $100. At a resturant you are hold a place in line for access to so many table seatings. Some restaurants and hotels require non-refundable reservation fees ( still not order yet).

Just like with a 3 week advance restaurant reservation you have some idea of the menu & prices but the exact menu and prices are not really set until arrive and make a firm order.

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