"Took Cybertruck Beta [w/ BAW] out for a drive" -- Franz von Holzhausen Photo

[TheLastStarfighter]

So is y’all’s position that, at an investor event (not just a random spy sighting), Tesla chose an employee to stand inside the proto boundary only monitor the proto, but That employee Tesla choose was otherwise both (A) unaware of relevant facts about the proto, and (B) presumably directed to not discuss the proto, but that CT-ignorant employee (presumably under NDA) threw caution and his job to the wind and just socialized “opinions” with investors?

I’m not saying that’s impossible; but sure seems an uncharacteristic failure of the company and types of constraints deployed around investor-facing events.

I’m also not saying that the above scenario is 180° from the truth.

But I *am* confused about how one is so confident in the above sort of scenario, which seems the sort of scenario that justifies this sort of “it was just an employees opinion” sort of view.

EDIT TO ADD: I can, however, totally see how if this employee were not super agile with the individual quirks of “truck people” he might, for example, say “6X4 bed” when in fact it’s a 74” X 51” bed, and he not realize that makes all the difference in the world to some “truck people”

But conversely, seems pretty binary, the difference between saying “5 seats” vs “6 seats”

Which if that is true, could mean either:

• all configurations will be 5 seats, vs

• this proto configuration is 5 seats (but other seating configs will be available)

It was an investor event, not a product reveal/launch. I don't trust what anyone's saying, whether it was truck security guy or Elon Musk; Elon's flip flopped a dozen times on CT details. Until it's final and we have a true spec sheet for purchase, I think most things are subject to change. Tesla is notorious for changing things on the fly. Remember Plaid + was available to order and then... just disappeared? Tesla's cars are awesome so I trust them to deliver an amazing product, but their communication needs work and they change things rapidly.

More specific to this, we have both human nature and 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon going on here. WE didn't hear from the employee. Greg didn't either. Greg heard from a guy who was there. Was the guy a designer or engineer taking time out of his day to greet and inform investors? Or was he plant security? Or a line worker? We don't know. Was he told to just keep people from crossing the felt ropes? And while they were driving the truck in, did he ask whoever was in charge of the thing about the seat and they said something? Or did he make stuff up to feel important talking to all the important people? My experience in life tells me any and all of these things are possible.

I doubt the info because a) a seat can fit. A VW Jetta can fit 3 seats in the rear with 54". A Ford f150 which they are targeting has an optional 3 front seats is 66.7". A Toyota Tacoma has 58". People are worried that the CT has shrunk form F150 size to Tacoma size (doubtful) but if it did it would still be much wider than Jetta sized, and Jettas can squeeze in 3 seats. So the basic idea that it HAD to be removed due to shrinkage is false. The designers MAY have chosen to ditch it because they felt buyers would prefer larger captains chairs with console, or they were unhappy with a slightly smaller middle seat or whatever. But if they want a middle seat they can still do it.

Further, I question the authority and finality of the info in general. Why was this info shared? Did this super knowledgeable employee with loose lips talk about the drive train? How many motors in that one? Battery size? Rear screen included? Until I see otherwise, I'll just assume this guy was rambling about things of which he had cursory knowledge.

I do think the truck is a bit smaller than the massive prototype, but likely now the size of a typical F150 (the prototype was significantly larger, 84"x250", and larger than the stated specs). I do think the bed is a bit smaller due to 4WS and some shrinkage, likely 51"X6'2-6'5", or ("around" 4'X6'). And the center seat was definitely removed on this one, but it could be or it could be that the existing middle seat they had fabricated no longer fits after they shrunk it a bit so they stuck a console in it for now and need to tweak the seating.

The vehicle still looks great regardless and pretty close to the promised product, so I'll just keep waiting for official word and production.

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[SolarWizard]

Commercial fleet aside, This Jeep is my baby and assuming there is a way to put a winch on the CT, ill keep an order for myself and then im done buying personal vehicles. I turn 40 in June and im hoping future 70 year me still gets to enjoy both of them. Diesel may be much harder to find 30 years from now but I believe itll still be around in some limited use.

 

[swengl]

Commercial fleet aside, This Jeep is my baby and assuming there is a way to put a winch on the CT, ill keep an order for myself and then im done buying personal vehicles. I turn 40 in June and im hoping future 70 year me still gets to enjoy both of them. Diesel may be much harder to find 30 years from now but I believe itll still be around in some limited use.

In 30 years, you could always buy off-road diesel we will probably still be using in farm tractors

 

[Bill906]

We have conflicting information. Nobody can say with any certainty which is correct. We have someone say a Tesla Employee told them there's only seating for 5. Conflicting evidence is the website still says seating for 6.

We can argue which one we think is more reliable all day long. Only thing I know for sure, is none of us know for sure.

 

[swengl]

If there are 6 seats total and the front three are bucket seats (and are comfortable for longer trips), I'm all in. If there are only 5 seats in the CT, well, I'm still all in! We recently bought a Model Y and I must admit, the seats feels little too snug for me compared to my older S (and I'm not a heavy/wide guy, but I am tall). I'm sure the CT will have "bigger" seats to fit the um, average American man. I feel like they went a bit soccer mom on the Y front seats (which my wife loves, incidentally).

 

[charliemagpie]

And the website still says there will be sail pillar.

So, everything is still up in the air, or on the table - if you prefer.

 

[Bill906]

If there is an option between 5 and 6 seats, I'm not sure which one I'd pick. I very rarely (but not never) have the need for 6 seats. I assume the 5 seat offers more storage in the center console. Wonder if the back seat screen is only available in the 5 seat option? If that is the case, I think I'd go 5 seats and rear screen over 6 seats and no screen.

Sorry, went down a hypothetical rabbit hole.

 

[swengl]

If there are 6 seats total and the front three are bucket seats (and are comfortable for longer trips), I'm all in. If there are only 5 seats in the CT, well, I'm still all in! We recently bought a Model Y and I must admit, the seats feels little too snug for me compared to my older S (and I'm not a heavy/wide guy, but I am tall). I'm sure the CT will have "bigger" seats to fit the um, average American man. I feel like they went a bit soccer mom on the Y front seats (which my wife loves, incidentally).

Also, this isn't unique to Tesla: I had one of the first model Dodge Durangos and I love it except that the lumbar in the seat hit me pretty low (and wasn't adjustable). It was definitely designed for someone with a shorter torso.

 

[Ogre]

If there are 6 seats total and the front three are bucket seats (and are comfortable for longer trips), I'm all in.

If there are 3 seats, the middle seat is not going to be comfortable. Hasn’t been the case in any truck I’ve been in so I don’t expect that would change.

 

[cvalue13]

If there are 3 seats, the middle seat is not going to be comfortable. Hasn’t been the case in any truck I’ve been in so I don’t expect that would change.

Though at some point, doesn’t it come down to who exactly is sitting jumpseat

 

[charliemagpie]

Not often I'm so undecided.

99.99% of the time it's my wife and I. 5 seater with center console is great.

But in the rare event family of 4 visits from overseas... do I buy the 6 seater instead ?

 

[swengl]

If there are 3 seats, the middle seat is not going to be comfortable. Hasn’t been the case in any truck I’ve been in so I don’t expect that would change.

That is definitely my concern. This is Tesla though, they could surprise us with a decent middle seat. The fact that you wouldn't have to contend with the transmission hump makes the possibility of a "normal" middle seat more likely. Truly though, I don't "need" to seat 6 often/ever, so it won't be something that will prevent me from the purchase in the end.

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