? [Update: NOT Production Wiper] New Cybertruck design spied! Shortened front, no door handles, side mirrors, curved windshield glass! [Dec. 10]

[Rthardison]

Has the shape changed to a wedge or is it the photo angle ?

If you are talking the view from the front, I agree it has a wedge shape from top to back. I think it the angle that pronounces it. The prototype may look the same at that angle.

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[Ogre]

Who are these guys who camp out with drones by the Tesla plant? Also, can I come?

I don’t know, but I appreciate that they do it. Otherwise we’d be reliant on Teslas near non-existent communications to know WTF is going on.

 

[DMC-81]

Update: Elon Musk has since confirmed that this is not a production windshield wiper




A couple quick thoughts.

• Front end is definitely a bit shorter. That wasn’t just an optical illusion.
• Big ass wiper on the driver side.
• Door handle gone
• Curved front window looks hot.
• Is it just me or is the top of the cabin smaller?
• Added: Charge port door flap looks like it's moved into the fender flare

Wow, the Cybertruck looks super sexy / badass driving around the test track. I can see that this version includes many if not all changes to make it DOT legal / production ready. I know there is still work to be done, but we are getting closer! It's hard to think that there is almost a year before production is scheduled to start.

Elon: Next year, please consider sending one or two of the final versions to tour around the Tesla
stores in the country so we can see it in person and get some fingerprints on the stainless.

 

[HaulingAss]

A sunshield and an energy generator would not be a bad idea. You would have to be able to secure it to the CT, someone would for sure try to steal it.

By 'energy generator' do you mean a power storage unit (with batteries) also known as a "PSU"? I don't like to call them "energy generators" because they don't generate anything, only store it.

If so, I think the Cybertruck might be the first Tesla that allows solar panels to plug directly into the truck. This would be a big improvement over having to haul around the weight of a PSU.

Because it's normal to look for a spot in the shade to park (for obvious reasons), and solar panels will have us parking in the sun, I would like the solar panels to be thin and flexible and attach to the roof with suction cups that hold the panels about one inch off the top of the vehicle with a few inches of overhang on both sides. This way the Cybertruck will be in the shade while it's charging.

A solar cell solar shade will prevent the battery from self-discharging while camping for a week or two and allow enough surplus power to keep phones, computers, two-way radios and other devices charged while also supplying lighting and other low energy intensity functions around camp for the duration of stay.

The Cybertruck will be one huge PSU for backcountry camping.

 

[HaulingAss]

For all the sliding roof fans out there , here it is in the flesh, the GMC Envoy.

Wow! It makes you realize just how ugly Detroit design is compared to the Cybertruck!

 

[DMC-81]

Apologies if this was noted before, but isn't that rear wheel steering beginning at 5:10?

 

[HaulingAss]

GM does innovative things pretty regularly. Quadrasteer. Big hybrids. Vehicles which convert between seating and cargo. EVs.

But they price these things so that they never become mainstream. They defend their profit margins, at the expense of technological progress.

Anyone claiming innovation as one of GM's strong suits had better check their facts. Because GM is in the back half of the pack of all large automakers when it comes to real innovation:

Four wheel steering was first brought to market in 1977 with the Honda Prelude. GM did not invent the idea or bring it to market first.

Big hybrids got their start in 1900 with innovations by Ferdinand Porsche who used a hybrid powertrain to successfully power military vehicles, fire-fighting equipment and Mercedes automobiles. He used a two-ton battery supplemented with two 2.5 h.p. Daimler internal combustion engines. Porsche called the propulsion system "mixte" (mixed) propulsion. And that's just the first big hybrid, plenty have followed. GM did not invent this idea either.

Vehicles with dual use (area convertible between cargo and passengers) have also been around since the start of the automobile. I don't really consider this a measure of innovation, it's obvious to anyone who might design a vehicle and wants maximum versatility.

GM also did not invent seat belts, anti-lock braking, power steering, airbags, fuel injection, hydraulic disc brakes, catalytic converters, electronic ignition, active suspensions, etc, etc. etc

GM is one of the least innovative automakers out there. Even little ol' Mazda can run circles around GM when it comes to true technical innovation.

If a football team that uses a lot of tricky patterns and mixes up well-executed running and passing plays to constantly surprise the opponent represents innovation, then GM would be the team that bunches their line up tight and hands off to their hulk of a running back every damn time so he can try to run it up the middle. After 3 plays of only gaining 6 yards, they kick it to the other team and consider it a good effort.

 

[Luke42]

Anyone claiming innovation as one of GM's strong suits had better check their facts. Because GM is in the back half of the pack of all large automakers when it comes to real innovation:

Four wheel steering was first brought to market in 1977 with the Honda Prelude. GM did not invent the idea or bring it to market first.

Big hybrids got their start in 1900 with innovations by Ferdinand Porsche who used a hybrid powertrain to successfully power military vehicles, fire-fighting equipment and Mercedes automobiles. He used a two-ton battery supplemented with two 2.5 h.p. Daimler internal combustion engines. Porsche called the propulsion system "mixte" (mixed) propulsion. And that's just the first big hybrid, plenty have followed. GM did not invent this idea either.

Vehicles with dual use (area convertible between cargo and passengers) have also been around since the start of the automobile. I don't really consider this a measure of innovation, it's obvious to anyone who might design a vehicle and wants maximum versatility.

GM also did not invent seat belts, anti-lock braking, power steering, airbags, fuel injection, hydraulic disc brakes, catalytic converters, electronic ignition, active suspensions, etc, etc. etc

GM is one of the least innovative automakers out there. Even little ol' Mazda can run circles around GM when it comes to true technical innovation.

If a football team that uses a lot of tricky patterns and mixes up well-executed running and passing plays to constantly surprise the opponent represents innovation, then GM would be the team that bunches their line up tight and hands off to their hulk of a running back every damn time so he can try to run it up the middle. After 3 plays of only gaining 6 yards, they kick it to the other team and consider it a good effort.

If you wanted a hybrid pickup truck, GM was the only game in town from 2008-2013 -- and nobody introduce another hybrid pick up truck until 2021.

GM was the only OEM (at any price) who had ever sold anything like my GMC Sierra Hybrid when I bought it in 2020.

(Hybrid SUVs had several more options.)

That changed in 2021 when Ford introduced the F-150 hybrid, which appears to be basically the same thing as my truck. I've considered swapping my Sierra for an F-150 hybrid, but it doesn't look like a great value with EV trucks coming on the market in the near future.

GM's aftermarket support has been lacking, which is why I'm not excited about the Silverado EV. Several GM dealers have not-so-subtly indicated that they'd rather not participate in the maintenance of my truck, even though I'm quite happy to pay a premium.

GM can't get out of their own way for a lot of reasons. Their engineers can do innovative things when their marching orders allow it -- my hybrid truck is really well built, and there was nothing like it for a decade after it hit the market. BUT, the GM always sabotages those innovations in the marketplace.

??‍

All of this becomes ancient history now EV trucks are starting to hit the market. But this history defined the market as recently as last summer.

 

[TheLastStarfighter]

I love it when someone responds sarcastically with no meat behind it to convey the sense they are smart, when actually they are just a smart_a$$. Actually my statement does explain it, but you have to read between the line. The rounded edges do help maintain flow attachment for shapes that are not ideal, while all the extra curves are additionally an aesthetic thing. The dominant perfect shape is a spear. The further you get from that, the more small things you need to help with the aero. I do computational fluid dynamics for a living, so I know what I'm talking about. Cybertruck design was able to get the frontal area small, keep the overall shape nearer to ideal for a vehicle, while having the sharp edges. If they took every sharp edge and rounded them further, that vehicle would look like the solar competition cars if you really think about it. Then it would be at the total ideal shape for a vehicle. But taking one piece of the equation and adding a slight bow to the windshield doesn't do squat for aero in the big picture. All it does is destroy the aesthetic of the angular prismatic vehicle. If you round the windshield, IMO, you might was well get rid of the cyberpunk aesthetic and add rounds and curves to the whole vehicle. You've already blown out the prismatic design aesthetic with the windshield, so then you might as well squeeze out that extra 1 to 2% aero that the total of all curvature would get you.

Lots of people do fluidy dynamicy stuff and know what they're talking about. Like NASA, who think you can improve aero 22-33% by rounding vertical corners in an extreme case.

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/pdf/87851main_H-831.pdf

In more subtle examples, Jeep improved the latest Wrangler by 9% with subtle improvements, the '10 Chevy Tahoe made significant gains with a series of small smoothing edge changes. In the case of both, the raking of the windshield was major, and as you've said that is a major factor for the CyberT, in a good way. But rounding edges at the corners and giving the windshield (and front "grill")a small curve could add up to significant improvement overall - maybe 5-10%?

In addition, it can significantly reduce turbulence, which is a major factor for noise when driving. Teslacolytes are known for really wanting their cars to be as quiet as possible.

The slight rounding of the CT could be significant for making it a better overall vehicle. And most people won't even notice it, visually.

 

[Throwcomputer]

I work from home, I don’t drive much and when I do it’s usually getting to/ from trails with my bike or trail work tools. My Model Y has a bike on the hitch receiver about 60% of the time I drive it. If I didn’t need something better for hauling bikes, home construction stuff, and trail building tools, I wouldn’t bother with the truck.

The other thing is, I think a big part of why the Ridgeline under bed storage is so good is because of that side-opening tailgate. If the Cybertruck tailgate doesn’t swing open, I’m worried it’s not going to be as convenient. It’s easy to lift things in and out of that Ridgeline storage, having to lean over a 24” tailgate is going to make it very awkward.

easy.. until your ridgeline tailgate latch breaks and you can't get it to swing open! Took me a year to figure out how to fix it!

 

[Crissa]

Innovation ≠ Implementation ≠ Marketing ≠ Sales

-Crissa

 

[HaulingAss]

Apologies if this was noted before, but isn't that rear wheel steering beginning at 5:10?

It looks like you can see it at least as well at the point below (right before it goes into the tent).

 

[Cebliminal]

The Raptor is garbage once the Lightning is available.

So you say

 

[swengl]

By 'energy generator' do you mean a power storage unit (with batteries) also known as a "PSU"? I don't like to call them "energy generators" because they don't generate anything, only store it.

If so, I think the Cybertruck might be the first Tesla that allows solar panels to plug directly into the truck. This would be a big improvement over having to haul around the weight of a PSU.

Because it's normal to look for a spot in the shade to park (for obvious reasons), and solar panels will have us parking in the sun, I would like the solar panels to be thin and flexible and attach to the roof with suction cups that hold the panels about one inch off the top of the vehicle with a few inches of overhang on both sides. This way the Cybertruck will be in the shade while it's charging.

A solar cell solar shade will prevent the battery from self-discharging while camping for a week or two and allow enough surplus power to keep phones, computers, two-way radios and other devices charged while also supplying lighting and other low energy intensity functions around camp for the duration of stay.

The Cybertruck will be one huge PSU for backcountry camping.

I meant it would be a replacement for the solar tonneau to supply energy to charge the CT. If that shade were also strong enough to resist hail damage, I wouldn't be upset.

 

[HaulingAss]

I meant it would be a replacement for the solar tonneau to supply energy to charge the CT. If that shade were also strong enough to resist hail damage, I wouldn't be upset.

Why do you think there would be a solar tonneau cover?

It's highly unlikely considering it needs to be able to roll up and Elon said it would be strong enough to walk on.

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