Musk waxes lyrical on Cybertruck, says it looks like it was 'made by aliens from the future'
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Thursday in an exchange with fans on Twitter that there's "always some chance" his company's forthcoming Cybertruck will "flop." Nonetheless, Musk plans to keep the Cybertruck "production design" almost exactly the same as its show car — a giant metal trapezoid.
But he also said he "doesn't care" about any risk that the Cybertruck could flop, because he personally loves its design.
He wrote, "To be frank, there is always some chance that Cybertruck will flop, because it is so unlike anything else. I don't care. I love it so much even if others don't. Other trucks look like copies of the same thing, but Cybertruck looks like it was made by aliens from the future."
The Cybertruck's 2019 launch event caused a stir due to the unusual design of the vehicle and because Musk asked Tesla design leader Franz von Holzhausen to try to smash the vehicle's windows, which he did. Von Holzhausen threw a metal ball at one of the windows, surprising Musk when the glass shattered, though it stayed in place.
Despite the launch snafu and the uncertainty about when Tesla can start delivering the Cybertruck, the $100 orders poured forth. Musk boasted the company saw 250,000 within about a week of the Cybertruck's debut.
In September at Tesla's annual shareholder meeting and Battery Day event, Musk disclosed that Tesla had received so many Cybertruck orders that the company stopped counting. "The orders are gigantic," he said, "... well over half a million orders. I think maybe six hundred thou— it's a lot, basically. We stopped counting."
That was before competitors showed off their plans for more traditional battery-powered trucks, such as the Ford F-150 Lightning and GMC Hummer EV.
Musk also said Thursday that Tesla doesn't plan to put door handles on the Cybertruck, without specifying whether such a vehicle could meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards in the U.S. He also reminded fans that Tesla has decided to add a four-wheel steering system to the sizable Cybertruck, which should enable it to move diagonally in a straight line and get into or out of some tight spots.
He wrote, "In end, we kept production design almost exactly same as show car. Just some small tweaks here & there to make it slightly better. No door handles. Car recognizes you & opens door. Having all four wheels steer is amazing for nimble handling & tight turns!"
The four-wheel steering feature, if it comes through as promised, would make the Cybertruck more directly competitive with the GMC Hummer EV, which already boasted a "crab mode" feature.
Musk did not comment on the Tesla Cyberquad, an ATV product that was meant to accompany the Cybertruck.
In the company's first-quarter investor presentation, Tesla labeled the Cybertruck still "in development." The company is expected to deliver a progress update and second-quarter results on July 26.
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Well the truck driver market does have a certain expectation of looks. I can see a brave sole showing his new Tesla truck to his GM, Ford and Ram driving buddies only to get a 'that is not a truck' kind of rejection from his group.
The truck will need to genuinely (the early indicators suggest that it will) perform better than the conventional trucks to get a chance at being accepted.
To wit, I doubt it will win the beauty contest (in the eyes of the conventional truck buyers) but this group has a lot of respect for power.
some tesla's are very fast. (I'll take the 5th) their acceleration is unbelievable. not exactly practical for road trips though.
I agree, I drove one a few years ago (test drive) and it was the best accelerating vehicle I had ever driven.
It's too much power for the road. I was impressed, but thought it superfluous (and dangerous) for the young. I remember going "turbo" in a corvette on a long stretch of road (not the same thing as Tesla) but it impractical (and dangerous) beyond show.
There's no such thing.
HA!
We were on a 'backroad' at night and that Tesla slammed me back in my seat when it went from 0 to 60 lickety-split! I was not buffeted, I was rocketed! I was so gratified that no 'invisible' person stepped out into the path of this silent missile sliding now the way.
That's a good selling point.
All I could imagine was looking down at that camera screen and seeing somebody writhing on the pavement or a police slipping onto the highway behind us. Thankfully, none of it happened. And I am free to tell the story today.
Bet (zealous) criminals would love that Tesla! Now that's a selling point! Police departments would need upgrades too?!
It might have good acceleration, but what's it's top speed?
Now that is a good question! Cause we all should know that 'officer' cruisers have good 'pick up' and are built for the chase!
That happened to me in a 62 dodge modified for racing with a 426 hemi 4 barrel.
Once was enough, lol.
I am too old for that kind of thing! Just too old for 'speed'!
Don't tell me you have no need...
Never too old to have a car that responds exactly the way you always wished a car would, at any speed, especially
getting on to a highway.
No siree, Bob. Speed (like that) is no longer my 'speed'! (See what I did there?)
Getting off the ramp! Now that is the only time I enjoy "having a need for speed" - some of those line crabs won't clear out of the way and let me in!
As someone who has owned several trucks, I can say there is an excellent chance it will flop. Trucks don’t look the way they do because truck owners are stuck in some kind of fashion rut. They look the way they do because of utility. Trucks perform certain jobs, and if you screw with the basic design, it makes it hard to do those jobs. Additionally, if you over-complicate the thing in some misguided effort to be too clever, no one will want to have to use the thing. A good truck is also simple.
And the basic model should be cheap.
To be sure, you can always find some people to buy a bad truck (See: Chevy Avalanche), just like you can find some people who will buy anything. Some people will buy this monstrosity just because it’s a Tesla.
I expect he will manage to sell some of these things for a few years, but that won’t mean it’s not a flop.
I liked the Avalanche.
Somebody had to, of course. And for a couple of years, they sold a few of them. But usually, the Silverado could top its annual sales in a month or so.
But who knows? Maybe the cyber truck will do all the shit Elon claims it will, it will be super simple to use, and people will love it.
I know someone that had the SSR. It was only for looks.
>cough< junk >cough<
The thing is F'ing ugly and it doesn't look like it was made by aliens from the future, it looks like it was built by a 7th grade metal shop class trying to make a Delorean. The thing Musk doesn't realize is because Trucks are used for work whether commercial or home/farm so they're designed to accommodate aftermarket accessories, who's going to buy a truck that can't use available ladder racks, caps, plows, tool boxes or utility bodies. Accessories that fit multiple models and brands are much cheaper than model specific accessories and many companies and tradesmen like to transfer the accessories off their old trucks onto their new truck. Even for Buyers/Owners who never use the truck for anything but towing a boat and picking up a few 2x4's at Lowes the Commercial market sets the resale value of their truck, if it doesn't appeal to the commercial market resale values will be low.
I agree.
I had a good laugh at your commentary. Well done and a perfect description of it.
Looks like the body shop class tried to make an EL Camino out of a DeLorean
The same people who buy Ford Super Duty 4 door trucks or Dodge 3500 4 doors with dual rear wheels
and drive the kids to school in them
( in between trips to the dealership complaining about the suspension )
Drug store cowboys...
Actually they buy just as many accessories, Brush bars, bed rails, Light bars, tonneau covers, big wheels and tires, fender flares. Posers are cultivating an image so they'll spend a few grand on a front bumper and winch just cause it looks cool despite the fact they don't even like driving down a dirt road because they'll get mud on their mud flaps.
In my neck of the desert, most of the vehicles like that have Mexico plates on them with teenage drivers or ones in their early 20's. Guess what their daddy's do for a living. If you think drug trade involvement, you're 100% correct!
There's a reason why you don't see many unibody trucks. This thing even have a bed?
Not much of one.
“Not much of one.”
If your nephew is looking to buy a half ton denali then the cyber truck has a more useful bed. Half ton denali is only available in a crew cab configuration. More than likely it will have a short bed.
He just wants the status and looks of it.
It’ll certainly give him that. Very nice truck. Plus, there’s a good chance it’ll have the corvette motor under the hood.
I thought he said they quit making them. Hard to find a close to pristine one. He even made us drive to Arkansas to see one. The underside was all chewed up like they lived down a gravel road.
And now with the prices he is seeing, kinda puts it out of his price range. Haha
No, they still make them. Some come equipped with the 5.3 v8, some with the 6.2 v8. New ones are pricey, so are nice, low mile used ones. Prices of used are supposed to come down in a couple months, or so i’ve read. We’ll see. If he does get one tell him to beware of the 8 speed automatic. I’ve heard those can be a problem.
That thing is just plain ugly.
The Chevrolet Corvair pickup and Corvairs in general , which was in fact a excellent vehicle, was only made for 4 years before dying a painful death courtesy of Ralph Nader!
I've always found beauty to be in the eyes of the beer holder! On that note, it would take at least a full keg on this one!
As much as some of the big three 4 door pickups, 4.5 feet of aggravation.
Looking at some pics, not really impressed. Could not find one pic of the inside.
One thing you can tell from the pics is that you won’t be riding very high in it. It also looks like a pain in the ass to get in and out of. Even worse if you’re wearing something on your head.
Found one. Looks very plain.
Not very roomy.
Looks like skynet took a shit while it was hungover.
Awful interior.
Doesn't look very comfortable.
Just the fact that it has the word Tesla attached to it means it is going to be pretty much a novelty toy for the rich and affluent and out of the price ranges of the average blue collar working stiffs.
You Don't Need A Full-Size Pickup Truck, You Need a Cowboy Costume
It's my opinion and experience that the above headline is accurate. Most people don't need a full sized pick up truck, it's an image thing.
lol my wife and I talk soooo much shit about people who drive trucks when you can tell they never actually haul anything. They are a waste of gas, you look like a moron when you are trying to park, turn, or generally do anything in them, and the bigger your truck the more you are overcompensating. Trucks do not make you look cool, ever.
A neighbor a couple of doors down from me bought a new Ford F250 diesel. We live in a retirement community and when he got it home it found out it doesn't fit in the garage...I asked him why in the hell did you buy a truck you have no use for it. He said because it's cool and I can sit up high...LOLOL $60 K to sit up high. I told him could sit on a cactus for free and you'll be sitting high.
The only need for that is towing.
Sit up high, he says?
Tell him he could have sat up high in my Kia Soul, and saved a ton of money.
when you go to buy a vowel, see if they'll throw in a box of commas for later on...
funny, I had you pegged as a honda or toyota gal...
We have one of those in kale green.
the tesla truck doesn't strike me as being too practical, never mind how it looks. I like trucks. I owned and drove trucks from '71 to '05. then I switched to driving a lexus. I've owned 3 and the current one is an SUV. I was looking for a toyota tundra before I bought the last lexus, but even the used ones are too pricey. a friend of mine had ordered a new honda ridgeline just before the pandemic and got it delivered before honda shut down production last year. he paid $39K for it last year. carvana offered him $42K for it this month.
Prices are unreal. My Nephew has been wanting a Denali. Now the price of a used one is at least 50k.
the premium prices used cars are commanding now will collapse by the end of september.
A lot of people need a full sized pickup because they have a Boat or Camper or a long driveway that they plow. Of course they only really need it 6-10 times a year but they need it. It's not all waste though since the Construction industry loves used creampuff pickups.
Most people that live in the city do not need a truck but millions have them. I had a 1996 F250 Turbo Diesel and sold it in 2012. I pulled a 34 foot 5th wheel over half of the US and Canada. I used it for many different reasons that a truck was needed. Many of my friends had trucks that had no need for them and as you said they were cream puff trucks when they trade them in on a newer model.
Lol, the exact type of person who just looks like a complete douche for having a truck.
I know people that have a long driveway. They would hook their trashcan to the truck and pull it to the road.
You can do the same with a car or suv, Ender.
I know. I just thought it was funny. That was about all they used it for.
Aesthetics of the Cyber truck aside, I'll reserve judgement until I see how it performs compared to its regular truck counterparts.
I don’t tow a trailer but i haul stuff in the bed of my truck, so for me bed size (and payload) is the determining factor for the usefulness of a truck. from what i can tell the cyber truck will have a 6’5” bed which makes it much more useful (for me) than a conventional crew cab truck (all brands) with a tiny 5’2” bed. As far as looks, it looks kind of cool in the pictures but i’ll wait to see one in person to make that decision final. Would i buy one? Probably not but never say never.
This is why news headlines get in so much confusing trouble with readers and "sources" (labeled "fake news"): Things make more sense in context!
Btw, what is "cyber" about this truck?
Also, the comment points to how "Jetson" Musk really is. He is 'gone' with a head full of future tech! I love him for that alone! We need more like-minded thinkers like him, Beso, and Branson.
I remember seeing a prop comedian once (Carrot Top maybe?) who had this funny bit where he claimed to have designed a car that solves the problem of head on collisions. The cars were wedge shaped so that oncoming cars would just jump over them like a ramp. I think Elon Musk used it as inspiration.