Tesla truck

My 9yo loves it as well as the 9yo me that's buried inside.

Looks aside, my company has a fleet of 3/4 ton trucks and vans that average less than 100 miles/day typically. I'm spending around $100k/yr to fuel them. If electric replacements could be bought for less than $50k each, and they prove reliable, it's a no-brainer to convert to electric for me.

As a fan of chaos in its many forms, this reveal tickles me to no end. That said, I deal with design every single day both professionally and personally.  The very core of my aesthetic sensibilities is offended and screaming... but that part of me that's still an '80s kid looks at it and remembers the movie cars from Total Recall/RoboCop/etc that clearly didn't make any rational sense but just looked so damn cool.  Uh oh. Am I seriously considering putting a deposit down? I think it would look awesome just absolutely filthy—maybe even "faux-weathered" by rubbing it down with coal dust or ash to really dial up that dystopian vibe.

I'm sure whatever actually gets built won't look quite like the demo car as it looks to be missing things like, oh you know, bumpers/mirrors/DOT approved lighting.  But hey, even if it's 2/3ds as stupid it'll still scratch that itch.

I hope that he doesn't go all in on the novelty factor. There's a reason that trucks are shaped the way that they are. A big one is level side rails on the bed. Contractors don't want weird racks and lousy side access. But Elon likes to be different, sometimes to the detriment of common sense - see the wing doors on the model X.

The entry price is around full size trucks.

The specs are pretty good.

It looks like a damn truck out of 80's sci-fi that took place in the mid 00's.

I can dig it.

Sure beats every single manufacturer pumping out cars that look exactly the same.

ebelements said:

 part of me that's still an '80s kid looks at it and remembers the movie cars from Total Recall/RoboCop/etc that clearly didn't make any rational sense but just looked so damn cool.  

I know. All those blacked out Ford Taurus' in Robocop were awesome!

tuna55 said:

I would totally drive that.

I don't mind the looks...not great, but not bad. When's the last time you saw such a daring design on a production car that can be had for under 6 digits? Or 7 digits even? The overall shape really is reminiscent of Halo's Warthog, if you put it in the game as an unarmed cargo/utility variant with a coat a green paint, nobody would bat an eye.

I wonder if the simple angular bodywork is a cost-cutting measure, it could help explain why the base price is so low.

Specs are impressive. Now let's see the Rivian A1T...

Kreb said:

Elon likes to be different, sometimes to the detriment of common sense - see the wing doors on the model X.

I am no Elon fanboiiiii,  but our school morning drop off line has 12-15 X . Of the 8 women X owners I know - all bought it just for the doors. Elon knows his customers 

I drop my kids off in a 20 or 26 year old vehicle - moms who open doors of cars in the morning are I am sure embarrassed that my cars lower the average value in the school line 

Kreb said:

Looks aside, my company has a fleet of 3/4 ton trucks and vans that average less than 100 miles/day typically. I'm spending around $100k/yr to fuel them. If electric replacements could be bought for less than $50k each, and they prove reliable, it's a no-brainer to convert to electric for me.

With the money saved from fueling costs, you could install a huge solar panel array and make charging them cost next to nothing as well!

Glad to see former Sony Playstation spokesman Polygon Man landed on his feet as a designer at Tesla! Good for him!



 

Bold Take: I THINK I LIKE IT.

This is EXACTLY what I thought vehicles in the 2020's would look like back when I was drawing them as a 7 year old in 1989, so I'm glad someone finally went and did it. This is what the future is supposed to look like! Slap some laser cannons on the thing!

I love trucks and I am not sure what to make of the Tesla. It has some amazing statistics and some really, really cool features but I wonder what the outward visibility will be like with all those strange angled windows. I'm actually ok with the design (except for that blank front end) because it reminds me of a F117 Nighthawk 

GameboyRMH said:

I don't mind the looks...not great, but not bad. When's the last time you saw such a daring design on a production car that can be had for under 6 digits? Or 7 digits even? The overall shape really is reminiscent of Halo's Warthog, if you put it in the game as an unarmed cargo/utility variant with a coat a green paint, nobody would bat an eye.

I wonder if the simple angular bodywork is a cost-cutting measure, it could help explain why the base price is so low.

Specs are impressive. Now let's see the Rivian A1T...

Somebody on another forum suggested they'd come up with this bodywork to avoid any custom tooling. It is possible that they intend to bend the bodywork on a press brake, but at typical production volumes the extra cost of stamping dies is offset by the time and labor savings.

I think they got the windshield from tango & cash

I just threw up in my mouth a little. My lord.

And on the towing front, look at what it does to the range when you try to tow with the X

This is a classic pickup truck. On a sunny country day, you just wanna put a glass of icy lemonade in the cup holder, hop in the driver's seat, roll down the window, stick your elbow out, and slice your arm open.

If Tesla is going all retro-futuristic on us, then they better build us the Cyberpunk 2077 car next.

infinitenexus said:

 

With the money saved from fueling costs, you could install a huge solar panel array and make charging them cost next to nothing as well!

It's not like I've got two big South-facing roofs to mount panels on. Oh wait.... 

Tesla is going after "suburban" truck owner types..  Lots of profit but no volume.  However, I'm not sure that Tesla will actually be able to make a profit on this thing.  They barely can make one now.  I think the real money here is in Fleet sales and this thing dosen't scratch that itch...  Fastenal owns tons of pickups.  I could see an electric truck workign out well for them, but the first time they have to park a truck for 4-5 months because they can't get parts due to a fender bender and they are out....  A non moving asset isn't an asset.

Fueled by Caffeine said:

.  A non moving asset isn't an asset.

Now you sound like my wife 

java230 said:

I just threw up in my mouth a little. My lord.

 

And on the towing front, look at what it does to the range when you try to tow with the X

Look at what it does to the range when you try to tow with a gas or diesel truck. My Tundra would use twice as much fuel when towing a single car trailer as it would empty. My Dodge drops from 450 miles of range to about 250 when going cross-country with a two-car.

An EV truck isn’t going to work for everyone - my own truck spends a legit 80% of its time on 2000+ mile trips with a two-car trailer - but I think it would be great for fleets.

I really don’t know what to think about this thing, though. I am of the opinion that full size pickups and minivans are the most highly evolved vehicles on the market due to ruthless competition and user feedback. This...is not. But I want to know more. 

The stainless steel was an interesting choice. DeLorean thinks that is a great idea.

The truck is just another example of Elon Musk doing things that only he can pull off. Those things will be the ultimate status symbol once they roll off the line.