Tesla’s Cybertruck, weighing over three tonnes, has arrived in North America after four years. Wearing bulletproof prismatic bodywork, it offers up to 856hp and was handed over to customers in the first 10 examples.
Tesla’s CyberTruck, a battery electric pickup truck, is exclusively available in North America, featuring three models: Cyberbeast, Wheel Drive, and Rear-Wheel Drive, with EPA range estimates of 250-340 miles.
The futuristic Tesla Cybertruck
Elon Musk has been working on a pickup truck since 2012, comparing it to a Ford F-250. In 2016, he proposed using the same chassis for a van and pickup truck. During the 2017 Tesla Semi and Tesla Roadster unveiling, Musk displayed a prototype of a pickup truck that could carry a pickup truck. In 2019, Musk rumored the Model B, a futuristic armored personnel carrier, to be the Model Y.
Tesla Design Studio in Los Angeles unveiled the Cyber-truck concept, set in the same month and year as Blade Runner, featuring a graffiti-themed logo and the truck’s iconic design.
Design and Inspiration of Tesla Cybertruck
The Cybertruck, inspired by Blade Runner and the Lotus Esprit in The Spy Who Loved Me, was designed by Elon Musk. Musk’s son Saxon asked why the future doesn’t look like the future, which inspired the design. The Cybertruck had to drive like a sports car but had all the utility of a pick-up truck. The design process began by unpacking existing pick-up trucks and realizing the market hadn’t changed. Musk had a simple idea of an exoskeleton truck, but a full-size clay model was created to show Elon that the idea was what they were doing.
Blade Runner’s artistic director, Syd Mead, praised the Cybertruck’s design as “stylistically breathtaking.” Critics, including Frank Stephenson, criticized the design as repulsive but noted its potential for beauty. Automotive designer Adrian Clarke criticized the Cybertruck as a low polygon joke. Giorgetto Giugiaro, credited with originating the “origami” car design trend, believes the Cybertruck will succeed. Journalist Paul Niedermeyer compared the design to Giugiaro’s Maserati Boomerang. Tom Halter argued the Cyber-truck could start a new pickup truck design trend.
Exterior: Tesla Cybertruck
Instead of using the body-on-frame construction that is characteristic of trucks, Tesla refers to the stressed skin construction utilized in the Tesla Cybertruck as an “exoskeleton” [better source needed] [better source needed]. Musk compared it to the structural differences between monoplane and biplane airplanes. Tesla made it clear in its 2021 patent application that the car would have a frame, but it also stated that the outside panels protected the vehicle from side impacts and supported at least one internal trim panel, motor, handle, hinge, or bolt.
The exterior stainless steel sheet metal used in the vehicle is bullet-resistant and uses 30x-series cold-rolled body panels. These panels are laser-cut and bent along straight lines, creating a faceted design resembling origami. The alloy, developed by Tesla and SpaceX, is used for its even stress distribution and increased interior volume, offering additional strength compared to titanium outer panels.
Tesla Cybertruck’s capacity to go off-road
The Cyber-truck, a Tesla vehicle, boasts impressive off-road capabilities, boasting 17 inches of ground clearance, 35-inch all-terrain tires, adaptive air suspension on all four corners, and locking differentials that minimize the risk of beaching, showcasing its ability to drive over practically anything.
The Ford F-150 Lightning rival also utilizes steer-by-wire tech – of the type that’s coming soon to the Lexus RZ – which reduces the amount of wheel input needed for turns. Along with four-wheel steering, it gives the Cybertruck a turning circle that’s smaller than the Model S.
Range, battery, and charging; Tesla Cybertruck
The vehicle is available in dual motor all-wheel drive with a range of 340 mi, Cyberbeast models with a range of 320 mi, and an RWD model with a range of 250 mi, set for delivery in 2025.
The Cybertruck is a vehicle with an 816 V nominal, 150 Ah structural battery pack, capable of charging at a maximum rate of 350 kW at appropriate charging stations supplying 800V DC power, like the Tesla Supercharger v4. The pack is composed of lithium-ion cells in the 4680 size, with an energy density of 170 Wh/kg. At 400V DC stations, it is split internally into two parallel 400V sub-batteries for native charging at a maximum rate of 250 kW. The Cyber-truck can add up to 128 or 136 mi of range in 15 minutes of charging.
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