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Tesla Cybertruck Pricing and Specs

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Re: Tesla Cybertruck Pricing and Specs

#701

I like how it looks and I find it weird people seem to believe that their opinion is absolute truth and that anybody who doesn't hate it is wrong. What I found the most surprising is that implies people don't actually believe cars on the road right now are ugly. Do people really look at SUVs and think "wow, is that thing pretty?"

> Do people really look at SUVs and think "wow, is that thing pretty?"

Nope. Current cars are pretty ugly.

But holy moly the Cybertruck is a whole new level of even uglier.

The rounded, bulbuous shape of modern cars finally made sense to me when I understood it was all about occupant safety in collisions and fuel efficiency. Modern cars have the shapes they do mostly for engineering reasons, not aesthetic reasons.

But the Cybertruck seems like what a solo road warrior cruising through a dystopian hellscape would drive while pirates try to take him out with machine guns. Fun in a movie, but not the vibe I want to put out in real life.

Re: Tesla Cybertruck Pricing and Specs

#702

Seems like there's been relatively less attention on the 48V/800V architecture and the Ethernet comms/steer by wire setup, but I think those are what make this particular vehicle quite interesting. Up until recently I think 48V power electronics have been fairly rare outside of telecom/other high cost situations, but I suppose one major difference is that at 48V, transformer-based DC-DC conversion is usually a better…

Lexus is already doing steer by wire, they used it to make a vehicle with a yoke that didn't suck to operate (as much anyway): https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2023-lexus-rz450e-steer-b...

Hasn't VAG had steer-by-wire for nearly a decade now?

Re: Tesla Cybertruck Pricing and Specs

#703

Any resources people could share about the engineering of the cybertruck? I don’t know too much about cars in general but I want to know if there is anything interesting in this one.

Most trucks are body-on-frame, i.e. there's a structural frame with a non-structrual body on top. Tesla claims to use an "exoskeleton" approach, which is either a fancy name for unibody or something that goes beyond the unibody approach.

They're also using unpainted 3mm stainless steel directly on the exterior. Painted thin sheet surfaces are much easier to fix when dented (since you can use filler and hide it with the paint).

One downside is that these two things make any damage to the Cybertruck expensive or impossible to fix.

Their production method (relying on massive die cast presses) isn't specific to the Cybertruck, but the presses that were supposed to be meant for Cybertruck apparently were setting new records.

Re: Tesla Cybertruck Pricing and Specs

#704

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lexus is already doing steer by wire, they used it to make a vehicle with a yoke that didn't suck to operate (as much anyway): https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2023-lexus-rz450e-steer-b...

What happens if the engine shuts off (and the alternator stops spinning)? Does the steering just run off the 12v system?

Engineering Explained did a really good video about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agMrewRJTow

Re: Tesla Cybertruck Pricing and Specs

#705

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aren’t basically all modern cars steer by wire? I guess ethernet vs CAN is notable but isn’t that a pretty minor implementation detail?

Nope, you are thinking of EPS. This is a steering wheel that is not connected to the steering rack at all. It is like a racing wheel for a game console and the steering rack is like a car in the game. Just software.

I hope they learned from the Titan submersible to always go at least one step up from the cheapest game controller.

Re: Tesla Cybertruck Pricing and Specs

#706
post #699
post #485

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for explaining your thoughts.

Motorsports enthusiasts look at Nürburgring lap times. The Porsche 911 is at the highest level of performance on any track where you actually have to use the brakes and steering wheel. If the Cybertruck can do a good lap on the Nürburgring then its "FAST", but it probably isn't, due to weight. The 911 is not built for drag racing, it's built for a track with corners where you have to use the brakes and steering wheel…

I see, it depends on what you consider a 'good lap'. I expect it might be able to do Nurburgring faster than many cars I consider nimble.

But I also don't think that 0 to 60 in 2.6s is 'a loser'. Cars that take twice as much feel already very fast to me.

Re: Tesla Cybertruck Pricing and Specs

#707
post #438
post #78

The cheapest F150 Lightning (available today not in 2025) is $50k (vs $60k for Cybertruck), same 250 mile range but AWD standard , and is a regular pickup truck compatible with standard accessories and parts for doing actual pickup truck work. Of course, most of the buyers of either the Cybertruck or the F150 Lightning probably aren't getting much dirt under their fingernails. Everyone I know doing construction/trade…

> The cheapest F150 Lightning (available today not in 2025) is $50k (vs $60k for Cybertruck), same 250 mile range but AWD standard, and is a regular pickup truck compatible with standard accessories and parts for doing actual pickup truck work. I'd like to nitpick "doing actual pickup truck work". The Lightning gets terrible mileage, to the tune of roughly 100 miles on a charge, while hauling which ICE trucks do not…

>while hauling with ice trucks do not

?????????

My truck does 12l/100km highway without hailing, 30-35l/100km while hauling.

Ice trucks definitely feel it.

Re: Tesla Cybertruck Pricing and Specs

#708

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, they didn't. From the details page: "We've assumed a fuel economy of 20.0 miles per gallon for a comparable gasoline powered truck. We've also assumed the national average of $0.16 per kilowatt-hour for residential electricity (assumed for 100% of charging) and $3.30 per gallon for gasoline over the next three years."

And in CA, it's $0.30 per KWH, so extremely misleading if you are there - which most of the purchases will be at. Also in CA that price is going up 5% per year.

OTOH CA doesn't have $3.30 gas prices either.

Re: Tesla Cybertruck Pricing and Specs

#709

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Big rigs used to not have power steering, i think with adrenaline you'll be able to steer. I do concede that the power steering fighting you would be bad

I just want feedback from the road, wires don't give me that

You can absolutely get feedback from steer-by-wire. Ask any racing sim enthusiast. Those racing sim wheels can provide enough feedback to rip the wheel out of your hands.

Re: Tesla Cybertruck Pricing and Specs

#710
post #164

I see from the photos it will have side mirrors now, so no side cameras after all. Still haven't heard anything about crash testing, which I'm curious about since thick stainless steel isn't what one would usually associate with crumple zones. To be sure, I wouldn't want to be hit by one if I were a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

> I wouldn't want to be hit by one if I were a pedestrian in a crosswalk

Weird take, as if Corollas never killed pedestrians.

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