Tesla Cybertruck - <AUTHOR> https://www.tesla.com/cybertruck <comment><USER5> Unlike any other previous Tesla, or for that matter any other previous electric car, this is a reasonable value proposition. Everyone is so busy panning the looks they are overlooking the utility of this truck. Even the Model 3 is expensive compared to its peers at $35k. This this is priced competitive with non-electric trucks, heck, it's priced extremely _well_ versus electric trucks. A 6 seat truck with a 6.5 foot truck bed and a 3500 pound capacity for $40k is genuinely competitive with GM/ Ford, likewise $50k for a 4WD truck which tows 14k pounds is absolutely reasonable. Unless you are regularly driving more than 250 miles per day, being able to charge at home is way better than filling up at gas stations.

<comment><USER6> > Unless you are regularly driving more than 250 miles per day, being able to > charge at home is way better than filling up at gas stations.

There's no way the Tesla truck gets 250 miles when loaded up with 3500 pounds or hauling a trailer. It's very unclear if the range is sufficient if you use this truck like an actual truck where you need those things. Similarly if you are using this as a work truck there's some poor design choices involved here, too. Like the inability to access the bed from the sides of the vehicle. Or the non-flat roof complicating roof racks or additional lighting.

This appears to be more of a "lifestyle" truck than a "work" truck, and in that market how important are the extra cargo pounds or trailer capacity?

<comment><USER7> 250 is the range of the base model. The top end model doubles that.

<comment><USER6> The top-end model also nearly doubles the price and puts it in an entirely different class of competition. The $50k Cybertruck, comparable in price to something like the F-150 Raptor or Tacoma TRD Pro, is "only" 300 mile range. At the top-end model's $70k you're deep into Ford Super Duty territory

<comment><USER8> Raptors at local dealers near me are all selling for $72-75k

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER9> I know a lot of folks are walking away from the puzzling aesthetic but I think that's the point. Existing Tesla owners with a taste for existing design cues won't push Tesla sales any further. They've got to expand the demographic and this design has a chance to do this.

Think of all the wrangler, hummer, truck buyers who want a militaristic, rough, unpolished steel look and this is that flavor taken to an extreme.

Other buyers still have the S3XYs to choose from so we can all have our favorite toys from the same company. No cannibalization.

<comment><USER10> Yeah, because that's what all the F150 buyers of the world really wanted, an angular flat-paneled ridiculous movie prop.

This thing alienates far more than it attracts in the pickup truck market.

<comment><USER11> Flat panel is what trucks have needed to go back to. Get a bad dent or the garbage is rusting out? Cut it out and weld some sheet on top. No need buy an entire door or go to a body shop.

<comment><USER12> Are you being serious? This is a Tesla. You think people are going to repair them by welding steel sheet on top?

<comment><USER13> Not immediately but if this thing is as indestructible as it looks, after 10 years of hard use, new battery pack, it's not hard to imagine that it'll be fixed by welding steel panels on it.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER14> I genuinely had to double check my calendar to make sure it wasn't April 1st.

I love the fact that Tesla are moving away from the boring, middle of the road designs of their previous models.

But this.... this is just hideous.

It doesn't look tough or futuristic; it looks like something a 10 year old designed, and no, that's not a good thing.

<comment><USER15> The divisiveness of this design is precisely what will propel its success. It's the coolest production car I've ever seen. And I expect >50% of the population to strongly disagree, mostly people from different generations. "Appalling" designs get free viral marketing; the trick is to still appeal to enough of your target market.

This truck gets attention. It's a loud status statement that looks cheap to build, costs less than $50k. Well done Tesla.

<comment><USER16> "production car"

<comment><USER15> Actually mass produced, not a concept car.

<comment><USER16> This vehicle, of which Tesla expects to sell at $39k the cheapest model containing $33k of batteries, has definitely been mass-produced.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER17> Does the US not have pedestrian safety standards? An all metal front grill must be horrible on any safety tests.

I can only assume this is a joke and in a few hours Elon will do a "one more thing" before showing the real Tesla Pickup.

This take on a pickup looks like some engineer accidentally left their Halo fan-art on the shared CAD file server.

<comment><USER18> I would love to see the frowns of the EU regulators when they wake up and see this.

<comment><USER19> Doubt they're even going to try to introduce it on the EU market, there's very little demand for pickup trucks here...

<comment><USER20> In urban areas, yes. In rural areas- in Greece they're like a stereotype, farmers with pickup trucks. I know at least one person who has a pimped-up one with rollbars (bullbars?) and big lights and so on.

<comment><USER21> > In urban areas, yes. In rural areas- in Greece they're like a stereotype, > farmers with pickup trucks. I know at least one person who has a pimped-up > one with rollbars (bullbars?) and big lights and so on.

Not to mention the farmers who buy these sorts of vehicles in Europe tend to value durability, reliability and ease of maintenance. From what I can tell, they all drive around in old Hiluxes.

Having been stung by John Deere already, farmers aren't going to fall over themselves to buy something that they don't own, can't fix themselves and will likely be in the dealer for months if it breaks.

This is a luxury status symbol.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER22> As a truck guy who has owned a lot of trucks and currently owns a 2017 Ram 2500 CTD 4x4 and a Land Rover Defender 110, I'm telling you right now: this is going to kill it. This is the suburban status item of 2022.

I want to buy this right now. This has nearly the towing capacity of my Ram and will smoke my wife's Audi on the track.

<comment><USER23> Do people in the rural/suburban US _really_ tow that much that often? Seeing the number of trucks just doesn't make sense (especially given how few are towing anything). Is there a little measure of lifestyle signaling or macho involved in truck ownership, or towing capacity comparison?

<comment><USER24> Car companies don't limit themselves to selling people a car based on _what their life is like now_ , people have already got something that lets them do the things they currently do.

They can market it based on what their life _could be like_ if they brought the car. Perhaps in vague, emotional terms.

You too could be kayaking/mountain biking/skiing through picturesque countryside with your pretty, athletic friends... if you buy a Brand X SUV. Be confident in any situation. Whatever, wherever, whenever. Adventure starts here. Built tough. Driven by dreams. Past the pavement. Built for city roads and no roads.

<comment><USER25> Spot on, this is also while many people back in the early 2010s were so turned off of laptops without CD drives, they might not ever use it, but they want to know they can. (ev dn through they didn't realize the tradeoff was battery)

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER26> I think it looks pretty awesome. The ATV that charges in the back as the "oh, and one more thing" moment was also great. I can see this being very popular. There is something very masculine and forward looking about the design. The interior shots on the website are also impressive-- I wonder why they didn't show that tonight in the demo (probably it's just a rendering and the prototype version has a bare-bones interior). The glass breaking was tough to watch though-- I'm sure it threw him off during the rest of the presentation.

<comment><USER27> See people getting a ride in it: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTDztHFa0_Q](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTDztHFa0_Q)

<comment><USER28> Skip to around 15 minutes in unless you like watching terrible smartphone footage of a bunch of people standing around waiting for the truck to turn up.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER29> As the current owner of a 2017 F150 long bed 4x4 with an ARE bed cap, I'm super-tempted by the Tesla. It's a total no-brainer for the people buying things like the Honda Ridgeline. It's less so for people who treat their truck like a work vehicle.

Frankly, I don't think will cannibalize the existing P/U market as much as it will sway more people away from SUVs into [Cyber]trucks, especially if the back seat is as spacious as a normal full size truck's.

<comment><USER30> It has a 6.5' bed, and I look at the bed to judge whether it's used as a truck or not. Shortbeds are unusable and nearly useless for any real work. They're so frustrating, that I don't even consider a shortbed truck a truck at all. It's a family sedan masquerading as one. Tesla very wisely delivered a real truck.

The only thing the Cybertruck needs is more colors. It's a little odd looking, like Robocop is coming to town, but it's time for changes in the market. The Model 3 converted me to viewing existing cars as dinosaurs, and this will probably transform the truck market as well.

I grew up working on a farm, and while I'm a developer today, I still get my hands dirty. I'm in for one.

<comment><USER31> 6.5' is a short bed, though - it's the same length as most short-bed full-size 1/2 or 3/4 ton pickups.

It's only a "long bed" when you compare it to midsize trucks like the Tacoma or Ridgeline, which is what this vehicle really is more akin to (especially the first generation Ridgeline, as you can't replace the bed on the Cybertruck or the old Ridgeline as it was a part of the unibody - not good when you accidentally overload or bend up the bed, unfortunately).

Curious to see what the production version ends up like, but I don't know if this is really going to be taken seriously by people who need a "real" truck, at least in the current form. It's more of a weekend warrior vehicle right now, I'd say

<comment><USER32> 6.5' is a 'standard bed' in the F-150 line. 'Short bed' is 5.5', 'long bed' is 8'.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER33> Given the sledgehammer test, at least from the side that thing will be very aggressive in a crash. As in, if it runs into you, or if you run into it you will be more injured and/or dead. You generally want a little give on the road in both directions.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crash_incompatibility](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crash_incompatibility)

Looks sweet though.

<comment><USER34> That's a pretty common reason people cite for buying big SUVs. A belief that being the bigger car in an accident makes you safer.

<comment><USER35> More mass = less acceleration when the same force is applied, and acceleration is what really kills you. You can't argue with physics.

<comment><USER36> Yep, if you're going to crash, better to be in as big a vehicle as possible. There is an argument to be made that smaller, more nimble, faster braking vehicles have a better chance of avoiding the crash in the first place, but the statistics do still show SUVs are safer overall, not just on a per-crash basis.

<comment><USER35> Unfortunately, a vehicle can only be as nimble as its driver is. Most vehicles out there are driven by average, distracted, exhausted humans.

About this time last year, I skidded and lost control of my car for a fraction of a second while changing lanes on a busy highway at 60mph. I'm alive and typing this not because I was nimble enough to recover from that situation, but because my car had electronic stability control -- a feature that is often not available in smaller models -- and a good set of winter tires.

<comment> pi-rat Don't think I've driven a car without ESC, it's been mandatory in new cars for almost a decade now.

<comment><USER35> It depends on the country. ESC became mandatory in most large markets since sometime between 2012 and 2014, but lots of cars are older than that. Unlike phones, automobiles can easily last 15 years or more if well cared for. Which is great in one respect but also a nightmare when it comes to safety and emissions.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER37> Great truck. Very exotic design, excellent price point, However, there was one statement that stood out as a MASSIVE mistake:

>The glass is stronger than standard car glass

Please stop doing this. Audi and Mercedes pulled this gimmicky crap about 8 years ago until they realized samaritans, Firefighters and EMT's need to be able to breech safety-glass windows in the event you become entrapped in the vehicle (possibly burning) during a major accident. You may also need to shatter a window in order to exit your vehicle if it becomes submerged in a body of water.

Teslas are already unique enough to require their own first responder procedure to perform an advanced extraction. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4peF1EYke8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4peF1EYke8)

Please, the vehicle already looks like the M577 Armored Personnel Carrier from Aliens. it outruns a porsche, it out pulls an f150. Youve ticked all the masculine boxes truck owners want for this thing. Dont turn it into a rolling coffin.

<comment><USER38> Not sure what you're worried about; all you need to break in is a lightly thrown metal ball.

<comment><USER39> I'm hoping for Jeremy clarkson to take a whack at "killing a Tesla" a la the infamous hilux that wouldn't die:

[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xnWKz7Cthkk](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xnWKz7Cthkk)

<comment><USER40> Considering the first part of that challenge is that they submerge the hilux in the sea, I can't see the tesla holding up too well. Would love to see it though!

<comment><USER41> I wouldn't be so sure.

While you obviously don't want to test it, there are videos of Model 3's and Model S's being driven through water over the windshield and were fine. IIRC there's a video somewhere of one of the Tesla models actually floating when the water got too deep.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER42> Stupid question: what's up with trucks in urban areas? I understand the utility of a truck in rural/farm setting but never figured why folks want to lug around that pointless empty half while living in cities. Two of the folks I know who owns trucks have used empty halfs probably twice in a year when bringing home some furniture but that too could have delivered free by the store. Again, as I said, stupid question.

<comment><USER43> Trucks in urban settings are an exclusively American thing. Because of the chicken tax [1], a 20% import duty on trucks, foreign trucks are unprofitable in the US. This lack of competition incentivizes American auto makers to create as much domestic demand for trucks as possible.

1: [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax)

<comment><USER44> I'd expect the lack of competition, especially from Japan, would make the American trucks more expensive and less reliable.

<comment><USER45> There is actually a fair amount of competition from Japan. The Toyota Tundra/Tacoma, Nissan Titan/Frontier, and Honda Ridgeline are all popular and in some ways better trucks than their American counterparts. I think many "truck people" are also people who tend to prefer domestically-made goods; in the same way that people shopping at Home Depot are more likely to buy products with the "Made in the USA" sticker on them.

<comment><USER46> The Tundra is the only full-size truck made in Texas.

The Titan is made in Mississippi.

The Ridgeline in Alabama.

Those who identify as Republicans seem to indicate willingness to pay more for Made in USA than Democrats according to the polls I've seen.

[https://morningconsult.com/2017/11/21/poll-support-for- purch...](https://morningconsult.com/2017/11/21/poll-support-for-purchasing- made-in-usa-goods-jumps-but-dont-credit-trump/)

[https://morningconsult.com/wp- content/uploads/2017/11/171016...](https://morningconsult.com/wp- content/uploads/2017/11/171016_crosstabs_BRANDS_v2_AP-1.pdf)

<comment><USER47> There's a bit of irony in that the Japanese car companies make all their cars (destined for the US market) in the US, whereas the American car companies tend to prefer Mexico.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER48> I feel like I am taking crazy pills with the amount of good sentiment to this design. This thing is absolutely fugly. The guys over at Rivian must be having a party right now.

<comment><USER49> It looks like the attempt of a "futuristic" vehicle in an early 90's low polygon video game.

Reading these responses makes me think I'm out of the loop on some joke. Seriously. I had no doubt when I came to the discussion that all the comments would be about how ugly it is.

Maybe this is one of those white/gold vs. black/blue dress things. Or the "yanni" thing.

I'm blown away by any of the comments that find the design appealing.

<comment><USER50> >It looks like the attempt of a "futuristic" vehicle in an early 90's low polygon video game.

In a world where every manufacturer makes cars that look basically the same as every other car in the world, I'm fucking _stoked_ on this.

<comment><USER51> they don't, people just buy similar looking models because weird cars generally don't sell well, with some exceptions.

<comment><USER50> Ok, please find me the two most different looking trucks that I can buy (no concept models).

<comment><USER52> Chevrolet SSR vs AMG HMMWV pickup with SAM missile battery

(1) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_SSR](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_SSR)

(2) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humvee#/media/File:SAM- HMMWV.j...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humvee#/media/File:SAM-HMMWV.jpg)

<comment><USER53> OTOH, the SSR had a foot bed? Its not like it was just a great truck that looked bad, it wasn't actually a good truck.

<comment><USER53> Err, four foot bed.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER54> You couldn't invent a more polar opposite of Steve Jobs than Elon Musk.

VERY disorganized presenting. Badly rehearsed. Awkward speech. Speech is almost never in sync with slides. Demos failed spectacularly. The rest of the event was him with a backdrop of two broken windows.

They didn't show the interior, and barely talked about the bed. Is this even good as a pickup truck? Is there enough storage?

This all seemed hastily put together (probably as a response to the other pickup truck press). But for an Elon presentation, this is pretty normal (high awkwardness).

Signed, Model 3 Driver (who loves his car).

<comment><USER55> Can someone that has actually worked closely with Musk confirm: is his thought process and speech as utterly disjointed as happens in most of his presentations?

Or, is this a _nutty professor_ kinda of shtick that Elon thinks makes him seem more personable?

His presentations are painful to watch.

<comment><USER56> He's not a native English speaker and that has an impact.

<comment><USER57> He's a native English speaker.

> There were compulsory subjects like Afrikaans, and I just didn't see the > point of learning that. It seemed ridiculous. I'd get a passing grade and > that was fine.

[https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=zRXjCwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA43&ot...](https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=zRXjCwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA43&ots=F6xbYjrVnK&dq=There%20were%20compulsory%20subjects%20like%20Afrikaans%2C%20and%20I%20just%20didn%E2%80%99t%20see%20the%20point%20of%20learning%20that.%20It%20seemed%20ridiculous.%20I'd%20get%20a%20passing%20grade%20and%20that%20was%20fine.&pg=PA43#v=onepage&q=There%20were%20compulsory%20subjects%20like%20Afrikaans,%20and%20I%20just%20didn%E2%80%99t%20see%20the%20point%20of%20learning%20that.%20It%20seemed%20ridiculous.%20I'd%20get%20a%20passing%20grade%20and%20that%20was%20fine.&f=false)

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER58> Yeah, a lot of people talking about how ugly it is. But that's exactly what a pick-up has always been. A big ugly thing with a bed in the back and a lot of utility most people didn't even use.

Some models over the years have looked decent. Many have (Ford especially) have been dog ugly. I could see this thing taking off, though not sure how rural truck owners would take to electric.

Edit: On second thought, rural truck owners must go through a ton of gas. I bet they would love to own something like this.

Edit edit: I also love that this thing can take a beating on the exterior. You don't have to worry about scratches in the paint or dents from shopping cart accidents.

<comment><USER59> > that's exactly what a pick-up has always been. A big ugly thing

As a former truck owner I have to disagree. I like modern trucks and with a few exceptions think they've looked great since they were invented. The truck shown by Tesla does not appeal to me.

Frankly I think it's odd how one-sided the upvotes are going in this thread. I really don't think Tesla would bother astroturfing on HN so I dunno... I guess HN folks really like the design. Personally I just don't see it having wide appeal, _especially_ among truck owners.

A Ford F150 for example, looks 'masculine'. The Tesla truck looks... sterile? It's like comparing a sledgehammer to a scalpel.

<comment><USER58> I'm assuming by "upvotes" you're referring to positive reactions to the design as opposed to the HN voting buttons.

The design, of course, is subjective. We'll be seeing professional commentary which may sway our opinion. I would be interested to see if there were design constraints which weighed heavily in the final design.

There's a prism of ugly and this truck fits in the region which I can live with. I have mostly found Ford designs to be ugly (1995 for example.) I also feel that truck designs have mostly been similar. If I find X year Ford to be ugly, then it's relative to the same year of Chevy. There's also utility ugly and the sort of ugly which attempts to be artistic but which fails into something I would be embarrassed to drive (curves and paint schemes which aren't meant to be functional and just look bad.)

The Tesla Cybertruck has the feel of minimalist utility. It's also bold and different. Unlike the Rivian, it's not trying to be anything like the current state of the art of trucks. I think it will have a lot of appeal for being different and for having crazy specs. It's ugly, but I want one.

I have been seeing good comments pointing out problems. For example, it doesn't seem to be accommodating to accessories. Maybe this is something which will get worked out before it hits production.

History will judge this thing better than we can. Regardless of our opinion, it will be interesting to see if the design sticks.

<comment><USER60> It's funny that you choose the 1995 style because that style of F-150 is enduring enough to have its own short hand amongst truck people, the OBS (Old Body Style). The OBS generations of the F-150 are considered to this day to be beautiful trucks with lasting aesthetics by many truck folks and you'll see a lot of well preserved or rebuilt OBS bodies out there. Certainly far more than the body style that succeeded it (1997).

Tastes are subjective, I agree, but I want to point out on, at least this small matter, how much yours diverge from a lot of people that purchase trucks. I think history will judge mostly whether this appealed to people in a venn diagram of truck owners and not truck owners who are looking for very aggressive and unorthodox large status vehicles and are underserved by the truck SUV market.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER61> I find it awesome. Kudos to Tesla for willingness to experiment with form and functionality. The car industry nowadays is all too predictable and boring. Great job Elon.

<comment><USER62> i read predictable and boring as reliable and safe. and many companies are innovating in design.

<comment><USER61> Sadly, that's not the case. Car companies are just trying to catch up with whatever seems to sell at the moment. And if there's a new model, it is usually related to a some "successful model" from the past or an existing model is given a crossover look. And even these new cars have too many issues.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER63> So many people tripping over themselves to criticize this.

But hey, everyone is talking about it. $0 ad spend.

It elicits strong reactions. People seem to love it or hate it. Far better than indifference.

Not a truck owner, nor in the market, but I appreciate bold moves and deviation from the norm.

<comment><USER64> You know what would've generated as much conversation? Just an electric truck with towing capability and decent range. They didn't need to make it looks so awful to generate conversation.

<comment><USER65> ... and you know, Rivian already did that, and the base model costs $20,000 more than the base telsa.

The flat surfaces and not-stamped stainless are about ease of manufacture - [https://www.motortrend.com/news/tesla-cybertruck-electric- pi...](https://www.motortrend.com/news/tesla-cybertruck-electric-pickup- engineering-manufacturing)

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER66> As a car guy, this is an amazing truck. Dual-motor can easily tow track car and all necessary gear. Built-in compressor means you can use air-tools on the go without a generator. Maybe even fit a quick jack in the trunk or trailer. AND it drives itself to the track. Never need to bring spare batteries for tools. It's insane that it can do this, and likely win every drag race against street cars. All while blasting the Bladerunner theme on max volume.

</comment><comment><USER67> This thing may be ugly but there are other concerns for people using this like a real truck.

-The bed is not easily accessible from the sides

-It's unibody(ask Honda about that)

-It's stainless steel which would make repairing difficult. You will now have to paint that raw steel after hammering out any dents after an accident just like the Delorean

<comment><USER68> Why would you paint it? It's not painted in the first place.

<comment><USER67> Do you know what is involved in "hammering" out dents in a collision and how the metal looks after? Also you may need to then fill some surface irregularities with a filler.

This is why Deloreans that got into accidents were usually painted.

Of course if you can easily replace an entire panel with a new one, this can be done. On cars the rear quarter panel cant be "replaced" like the front quarter panel which is just bolted on.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER69> The design looks like a prepper's wet dream. But the pricing is incredible. Like $3k more than the Model Y's base model. And half as much as Rivian's base model, with the top end model costing the same as Rivian' base. Cybertruck wins in every spot but design against the Rivian, IMO. Frankly, some people I know that buy trucks would buy the Cybertruck because it looks badass (to some), like a stealth fighter.

I kept waiting for the sledgehammer guy to hit it and the walls to fall off, with a real truck inside.

<comment><USER70> Rivian will ship two or three years before this thing.

<comment><USER71> Doubt it. They have no experience with volume production. (Unless they basically outsource production to Ford.)

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER72> AS a Truck Guy who has owned a lot of Trucks and Currently owns a F-150 XLT 4x4 and has Owns no less than 8 other Trucks and SUV's from Ford....

This is going to flop, big time. This is the worst looking Truck I have seen in a LONG time, this will not appeal to people that buy the Best selling Truck on the market, The F-150.

I have no interest in buying this, and i would not drive it even if they gave me one for free. Sure the performance is there, ofcourse when Ford and other manufactures release their Electric Trucks then when can do a Apple to Apple comparison.

I will be waiting on the Electric F-150, which should have comparable specs to the Rivian, and I would much rather have a Rivian Truck than this monstrosity

<comment><USER73> Why is this being downvoted? It's an opposing view and they are being honest. I ordered a Model X, getting it in two weeks, and am looking for a pickup truck to eventually move to after the Model X. I would not buy this, sorry. People like me will compare Rivian to CyberTruck and I think it's a natural comparison. We aren't going to compare traditional pickups, though, because people like me don't want an ICE pickup truck. With that said, why would I not buy a Rivian? The plan is to wait till they've produced it for a year, compare to current electric pickup market, take advantage of Federal Tax credit of Rivian and evaluate if it's worth it. I am the suburban guy, I am a Tesla buyer, and I pride myself on engineering + beautiful design. Tesla HAD that for all their vehicles, imo. Cybertruck is a niche vehicle, I wish it well, I grew up in the 80's so it is nostalgic but omg it makes me want to vomit. Sorry, I wanted to buy it, really did, but 80's design for cars, clothes, and hairstyles was a nightmare that I couldn't wake up from, kinda like the shirt that stopped halfway down your waist. I am not an 80's fan....born 1977.

<comment><USER74> In my case, while I like the aesthetic, I think aesthetic considerations aren't supposed to figure into buying a truck. Trucks exist to do work, buying one on aesthetics seems counter to the whole reason to own a truck in the first place.

<comment><USER32> > _I think aesthetic considerations aren 't supposed to figure into buying a > truck_

Oh, geez. "Truck guys" in the US are some of the most opinionated, style- conscious folks you will ever meet in an automotive context. They're really something if you ever find yourself hanging out with them.

<comment><USER75> I believe you. But truck guys don't discuss the style of their truck, how pretty it is. They brag about how they abused it or carried unreal loads or took it where no road legal vehicle should ever go.

Even if the Cybertruck kicks ass on the road, it's not going to impress these guys. And if they're the target market for this new truck, Tesla's in trouble.

<comment><USER32> No, they really do talk incessantly about style and looks. Really. Including flamewars about which manufacturer has 'ugly' or 'beautiful' characteristics.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER76> At first I was dumbfounded. Like, they cannot be serious.

Then after a little while of looking at it, I thought, well, perhaps it is just crazy enough to work. Definitely thinking outside the box.

Then a bit later in the evening, I was struck by how in the space of a couple hours it had aged in my eyes, and it wasn't aging well. As soon as the 'interesting' wore off, all I can see is how boring the design really is.

By itself, maybe not such a big deal, pickups aren't meant to be exciting. They are successful because of their utility. King of the road, riding high, the modern incarnation of a 70s land yacht, very spacious inside, well appointed, and incidentally able to haul stuff when you want, pull stuff when you want. The very definition of function over form. The opposite of Cybertruck.

I'll wait and see how it plays out, since this is obviously a prototype of a prototype (read MotorTrend's writeup, they had early access and it was still coming together in the last couple weeks). The windows aren't street legal, the bumpers are not street legal, almost certainly the headlights and taillights aren't, etc. A lot of the actual finished product has yet to be designed, so I will withhold judgement until we see what it turns out to be.

<comment><USER77> I had a similar then different reaction . First I didn't think it was real. Then I thought it was hideous. Now after looking at and reading about it more I'm starting to like it. I'm hoping Tesla starts using more of the same design cues in their other products.

</comment></comment><comment><USER78> I agree that electric trucks are important to combat climate change, but wow. If their goal is to sell to the market that buys pickup trucks, I think the styling is way off the mark.

Huge, beastly trucks are a status symbol and signalling to others that you are are certain demographic. Same reason some people buy cheap cars and add shiny wheels and lights. Same reason some people buy BMWs and Mercedes. These are all part of socioeconomic norms. I don't see how the normal truck crowd will latch on to this.

The specs are pretty impressive though. 500 mile range got my attention.

<comment><USER79> Is the normal truck crowd going to latch onto a $70k truck?

I think this is going to resonate really well with techies. Not a huge demographic, but one that can afford it.

The market for sci-fi/cyberpunk cars won't be huge, but in exchange, this looks like it'll capture _all_ of that market, as opposed to a small slice of a more conventional one.

<comment><USER80> When I lived in rural Missouri, I was shocked at how many of my neighbors and colleagues were shelling out $70k for their pickup trucks.

The price here is not a concern at all. The design.... not so sure about that.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER81> I appreciate Tesla for taking the pick up truck use cases and building something from scratch. This is the first pick up truck I've ever thought to myself "makes sense and I want it." The ICE trucks have needy engines and most of the time the power is unused. The air suspension seems like a natural fit and I'm surprised it's not already common place. I would love to take the Cybertruck off-roading. I'm also excited to see these on the road. It will make my inner kid feel like we finally made it to the future.

<comment><USER82> >The air suspension seems like a natural fit and I'm surprised it's not already common place.

IIRC this was a thing on land rovers back in the day, and was notoriously unreliable. It's a great idea in theory, but much more difficult to get right than a bunch of steel springs.

<comment><USER83> the new defender is back, and looks pretty good: [https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-land- rover-d...](https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-land-rover- defender-2019)

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER84> It kind of looks like a Pontiac Aztek to me—if the Aztek happened to exist in the 2019 of Blade Runner and not the 2001 of reality.

[https://www.thrillist.com/cars/the-pontiac-aztec-was-the- big...](https://www.thrillist.com/cars/the-pontiac-aztec-was-the-biggest- failure-in-automotive-history)

<comment><USER85> This feels more like if Master Chief drove an Aztek

<comment><USER84> I hadn't thought about this looking like the Aztek of Warthogs, but you're right.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER86> Performance is nuts as is affordability, looks like an evil cop or military truck in a dystopian future though.

<comment><USER87> For the 30 seconds I saw before the stream went private that car-truck-thing looked like something out of _Total Recall_

<comment><USER88> I watched the whole thing. The stream never went private.

<comment><USER89> It did, and it is now. This is one of those things that's trivial to check before you tell someone they're wrong. Not everyone could watch it exactly live. Everyone who was was kicked out.

<comment><USER88> Probably it is now. But not when it was live.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER90> Aesthetically speaking, it's a truck version of a DeLorean... which is growing on me the more I look at it.

Also, I don't know how they think they're going to get away with that tailgate design in the US. I love it, but the government doesn't allow brakelights to be on a moveable piece of bodywork (even though they have redundant lights under it). It's the same reason the back of the Ferrari California was so ugly... Ferrari learned this fact too late in the development process:

[https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/heres-hilarious-story- fe...](https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/heres-hilarious-story-ferrari- californias-brake-lights-261795)

<comment><USER91> Aren't physical side mirrors also still required in the US?

<comment><USER90> Yes, good catch. A driver's side mirror is required, passenger's side is optional (but recommended). But, there is some lobbying going on right now to allow cameras in place of mirrors (GM specifically is trying to get the new Corvette C8 rear view camera approved, which I'm guessing won't happen for launch in early 2020).

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER92> I'm a child of the 80s. I remember StarFox and the F-117 stealth plane being the neatest stuff ever. The old lambo countache with the faceted shape that was almost starwars-y and was the coolest thing on wheels.

I'm nostalgic about those things.

So this polygonal look is targeting my demo.

...

That is the goddamned ugliest vehicle I've ever seen.

<comment><USER93> > That is the goddamned ugliest vehicle I've ever seen.

Let me try to beat that:

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Multipla#/media/File:Fiat...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Multipla#/media/File:Fiat_Multipla_front_20080825.jpg)

<comment><USER94> What I find fascinating is how _strong_ my negative visceral reaction to that thing is. It's a car. Who gives a shit whether it looks "good"? What even _is_ my internal metric for "looks good"? I have no idea, but, God, this thing is revolting.

My hunch is that this is because we use some of the same mental wiring for processing human faces to process the front of a car. (Automotive designers refer to the front of a car as its "face".) So we think it's ugly because some of the same wiring that recoils to disfiguring human faces is kicking in.

I just stumbled onto: [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26181746](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26181746)

<comment><USER95> It looks like two cars on top of eachother and if it's a face then it reminds me of this unsettling face illusion:

[https://i.imgur.com/5lslbsJ.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/5lslbsJ.jpg)

<comment><USER96> There's also that Chinese baby a few years back who had a severe form of "transverse facial cleft" deformity...

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER97> The more I look at it the more I like it.

Even if you don't like it you have to applaud the vision here. The vast majority of car companies are too afraid of getting out of the conformist design taste of the majority of people.

</comment><comment><USER98> Well there's a lot of people saying they hate it so I'll just throw in my hat to say I think it's incredible.

The truck bed opening up was something out of a sci-fi movie. Looking forward to smoking F-150's off the line with this.

</comment><comment><USER99> I grew up with GMC and Ford trucks in the mountains and in Texas (Texans love their trucks), and am in need of a truck (for towing, of which this has amazing specs with the mid and high end models) at the moment. I've been looking and looking not wanting to get taken advantage of, and had mostly settled on a few years old Tundra... but I love this thing, and also love the ATV, and so I am seriously considering this as my next vehicle purchase.

As a very security and privacy conscious person, my main quibble has been that I don't like drive by wire products. I don't want to get Michael Hastings'ed... but the fact is even the big truck companies are starting to get rid of mechanical throttle, so I might as well give up on that is how it feels.

What better way to merge my mountain man and hacker sides than with a Tesla truck. Now if I only had the money laying around... and I do think many of you underestimate how much in truck culture having something that looks different can be the biggest part of being "cool". I got more compliments on my Suzuki Samurai with a lift and 36ers than you would ever imagine. I blacked out a 91 YJ and also got nothing but compliments. This thing is going to do well, mark my words.

I prob won't go get a cord of wood in it, (I might) but that's what the old 84 beat up GMC camper special is for.

</comment><comment><USER100> I understand what Tesla is doing here. Outer shell manufacturing cost is very low. No paint, minimal bending process. Just laser cut the material and it is ready to be mounted. If you want to manufacture something in a low resource environment ( like Mars ) it might be the clever move.

<comment><USER101> Are you implying that this truck will be manufactured on Mars at some point?

<comment><USER100> Yes. I suspect that production line will be designed to be built on Mars. Design of the car also looks like it is built for high dust environments (non- flat rooftop). Solar charging, shell with same material with Starship also supports this thesis.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER102> I bet one of the key factors for this thing to be on the road safely was the development of some kind of unbreakable glass for the huge front window, so they "had to" make this new type of resistant glass. Some "yes man" at the upper management level must've decided to skip constrained material testing (Glass dissipates energy much differently when it is in a frame rather than just loose... pay close attention at the ball drop demo and you'll see the glass jump a few inches)

<comment><USER103> Yep. Also they were constantly tightening the screws holding down the glass in the demo which I though stood out.

</comment></comment><comment><USER104> Better utility than a truck? Excuse me? 6.5' bed and you can't even reach over the sides to get stuff. No stake pockets or any apparent affordance for installation of racks in the bed either. However, I am a fan of a factory tonneau cover and what looks like a built-in ramp in the tailgate.

But there's no avoiding that the thing is just ugly as can be.

Frankly I'm just waiting for an all-electric replacement for the bigger Tacoma / smaller F150 niche. I don't want or need an 80s stainless steel wedge that can tow a 747. Rivian doesn't appear to be interested in that segment. Toyota isn't going to do it until 2025 at best. I was hoping Tesla might, but I'm not surprised that their first foray barely qualifies as a truck.

<comment><USER105> It's more powerful than a truck, better for the environment, has the capability of running tools without a generator, and is actually appealing to non-truck people -- you're right, it barely qualifies as a truck. And that's a good thing -- we need FAR less trucks in the world.

</comment></comment><comment><USER106> Not withstanding the grandeur of the truck, its unique look, and specs; I love Elon's composure following the somewhat failed glass test that broke both windows on the vehicle during the live unveiling.

<comment><USER107> After announcing the prices, I was really hoping he'd say "..and that's without broken windows."

</comment></comment><comment><USER107> That's a truck only if you consider a Subaru Baja a truck. If you want a real crack at the F-150's market share, it has to be usable for work. If you can't put a stack of plywood or drywall in the back and still have room for tools and a ladder, it's useless as a work truck. Will this thing even accept a ladder rack? Has a single person on the design team ever spent a single day working a blue collar job that requires a truck?

<comment><USER108> I don't know about the car market in the US enough but Tesla seems to be in the premium segment - are the trucks people buy for this kind of work in the price range of this thing ?

<comment><USER109> 100% absolutely. See [1]. People spend an absolutely stupid amount on trucks - basically no one gets the base model and the average sale price for an F150 is north of $45k. It's one of the reasons Ford is focusing on the truck segment - the margins are way higher than for mass market sedans.

[1] [https://www.kbb.com/car-news/pricing-your-next- ford-f-150-it...](https://www.kbb.com/car-news/pricing-your-next- ford-f-150-it-could-cost-60000-or-more/2100005698/)

<comment><USER110> Yes, people foolishly gravitate toward trucks and SUVs, fattening the wallets of the car manufacturers and fueling the insanely stupid 7 year auto loan industry [1]. Of course, this is also disastrous for mitigating carbon emissions [2]. Additionally, they are a menace on the roadway through increasing pedestrian accidents and death [3] and likely increasing cyclist deaths [4]. They should be much more heavily regulated, for commercial use only, and require special licensing requiring regular accident avoidance training/testing.

1\. [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-20/america-s...](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-20/america- s-truck-love-means-long-term-auto-loans-are-here-to-stay)

2\. [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng- interactive/2019/...](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng- interactive/2019/oct/25/suvs-second-biggest-cause-of-emissions-rise-figures- reveal)

3\. [https://usa.streetsblog.org/2018/05/09/study-links-rise- of-s...](https://usa.streetsblog.org/2018/05/09/study-links-rise-of-suvs-to- the-pedestrian-safety-crisis/)

4\. [https://nypost.com/2019/10/24/transportation-chief-says- suv-...](https://nypost.com/2019/10/24/transportation-chief-says-suv- popularity-gentrification-behind-cyclist-deaths/)

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER111> Elon walked off stage to kill the guy who designed the glass.

<comment><USER27> ye, Elon was sweating like crazy right after the blunder. I also thought the presentation could have been rehearsed a little bit better as the slides seem to be off most of the time (I assume Elon is just way too busy to rehearse these things).

<comment><USER98> This is how every Tesla presentation goes. It's never been about Steve Jobs level presentation polish, it's always been about the quality of the product.

<comment><USER70> Especially the glass.

<comment><USER112> The glass was extremely impressive. You obviously saw the height drop tests demonstrating the Tesla glass as vastly superior to traditional auto glass.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER113> I'm surprised to see the positive comments about the design.. I saw this and the first thing I thought was: that's the ugliest vehicle I've ever seen. No exaggeration.

<comment><USER114> If it makes you feel a bit more sane, HN is the only website Ive seen so far where most people aren't ridiculing this.

I for sure can't believe anyone would ever build this or that anyone would ever like it.

</comment></comment><comment><USER115> What about that "Cybergirl" that introduced Elon?

She called him her "creator". Just an actress (Grimes) on video with weird almost-flailing gestures or was it an animated AI from a secret Elon project made in the likeness of Grimes?

[https://youtu.be/0y3wE0pgXcM?t=131](https://youtu.be/0y3wE0pgXcM?t=131)

For real. When she's done talking her expression just goes full neutral like she's waiting for input.

edit: this is not criticism, I loved it, I am genuinely curious if that introduction was artificial. Felt uncanny valley.

<comment><USER116> She's an artist and Elon's girlfriend, it was probably her idea to appear like an AI hologram.

<comment><USER117> Wait are they really still dating and is that really Grimes?

<comment><USER116> I think that's her and that would be really weird if they stopped dating :)

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER118> I'm worried about being on the road with these. If they are as indestructable as suggested/demonstrated, it seems like everyone else on the road becomes the crumple zone for both vehicles. Perhaps the anti-dent is different from crumple zone considerations, but definitely a bit intimidating to share the road with.

And does it only come in one color (stainless)?

<comment><USER119> There might be a practical reason it's not painted: [https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/1/18291091/tesla-epa-fine- ha...](https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/1/18291091/tesla-epa-fine-hazardous- waste-fremont-factory)

<comment><USER120> So you think a $31,000 fine matters more than a $200,000,000 paint shop? That isn't even counting the cost of painting the cars (paint, labor…).

Source: [https://www.motortrend.com/news/tesla-cybertruck-electric- pi...](https://www.motortrend.com/news/tesla-cybertruck-electric-pickup- engineering-manufacturing)

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER121> Who would have thought that the comically ugly renders of a few weeks ago would turn out to be spot on? This was jaw dropping.

<comment><USER98> Would like to see a render that looks like this did.

</comment></comment><comment> Al-Khwarizmi So, from the comments here and elsewhere, it's a Marmite thing. A majority seem to hate the design but a significant minority absolutely loves it.

That doesn't look bad for sales. I'd rather have a group of enthusiasts that love the product, and a group of haters, than have everyone going "meh". Firstly because many of the enthusiasts will probably buy the product, and secondly because controversy is free advertising.

Personally I do like the aesthetics, although I'm not in the demographic that buys trucks.

</comment><comment><USER122> The price point is incredibly low for the capacity and performance. Go price a high-end Ram/F-series/Chevy and be amazed that you can easily spend 65K on something you'd feel comfortable taking a date to dinner in. I was shocked by the first look, but the practicality is there. I'd buy one, if I wasn't in the "post-payoff" period of my SUV. If the incentives are there and fuel costs rise, I think I could convince my spouse.

</comment><comment><USER123> The tall, angled side fins above the bed are a dealbreaker for me. Makes it too hard to reach in, also more awkward to climb into from the side by standing on a tire. It sucks that you wouldn't be able to rest anything horizontally on them without having it slide off. I'm curious as to how well it'll hold a rack: [https://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/Truck-Racks-Van- Racks/...](https://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/Truck-Racks-Van-Racks/ROLA- Haul-Your-Might-Truck-Bed-Rack). I wonder if this will be another form > function, like with the Tesla Model X whose gull wing doors make it impossible to hold a roof rack.

</comment><comment><USER124> This is nearly April fools joke level. Ignoring the individual aesthetic, it just stands in such stark contrast to the rest of the curved, sleek vehicles in their fleet.

Surprising.

<comment> matt-attack I literally checked my watch to see the date.

<comment><USER125> Yes, the year must have been of some cyberpunk future, because the look is right from there.

I can't but notice how the "futuristic" car designs from my childhood are now pretty common in mass-produced cars. I suggest the recent sci-fi movie esthetics are going to be common soon enough, and this truck is an example.

<comment><USER126> Because all the people that grew up reading/watching sci-fi ended up as CEOs and important people in business.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER127> While I generally think Tesla cars are pretty ugly and boring I can't understand the criticism for this one that much.

Finally something that looks a bit different than all the VW and Audis you see on the street, reminds me of the Countach or brutalist buildings.

<comment><USER117> Do you honestly think both the S and 3 are ugly?

<comment><USER127> Yes, but taste is subjective so I know I'm probably not in the majority with that opinion here.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER128> Watching this was... cerebral. The impression I get is that Tesla made this truck because they wanted to, and they don't really care too much what people think of it.

<comment><USER129> They made it to erase any doubt about an electric truck being tough.

<comment><USER70> Or practical. That bed is insanely bad.

<comment><USER122> Why, exactly?

<comment><USER130> It's on 6.5 feet. You can't put an existing truck camper on it.

<comment><USER122> What a great opportunity for the Aftermarket market.

<comment><USER130> Yeah, I'm sure the truck camper companies like Lance are going to jump on this. Hopefully they design something that matches the CyberTruck design and integrates seamlessly.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER131> I was kind of hoping the Tesla pickup was going to be a reality. I was thinking of a cross between A model 3 and an F150 and was legitimately excited.

If this is the "Tesla Pickup" count me as bitterly disappointed.

<comment><USER132> This [0] is the Tesla pickup.

[0] [https://youtu.be/R35gWBtLCYg](https://youtu.be/R35gWBtLCYg)

<comment><USER133> I've got a truck (an older Tacoma) and too many hobbies that make it hard to give up, so I'll likely always have a truck.

If Tesla had introduced a factory version of Simone's, I'd be screaming at them to shut up and take my money.

This thing...I'm sorry, I can't get over the styling. I love the numbers, and don't even find the pricing to be too horrible, but there's no away I'll have something that looks like that. Maybe Tesla truck 2.0 will be worth looking at.

<comment><USER134> What's "Simone" in this context? (my name is Simone and I just got curious)

<comment><USER132> Simone Giertz, the Queen of Shitty Robots.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER135> The branding and aesthetic of this truck is so untesla it is alarming. Trucks are very expensive nowadays so this could be good market for them. Especially if people buy them for the novelty. As far as actual work is concerned I feel that this will be roughed up very badly in no time, and being a unibody of sorts will present some problems and expense to repair. It's pretty much the opposite of what you would want from a pure work standpoint. Something that is built more like an overgrown UTV would be better for Real work.

</comment><comment><USER136> Interesting, the no rear-view mirror design is already approved by regulations and being deployed. Roadster shouldn't be far now +.+

<comment><USER137> No side-view mirrors, you mean? Or is this lacking a rear-view mirror?

<comment><USER138> The rear-view mirror is a display that shows the back camera feed. In the prototype at least.

<comment><USER137> Interesting. It's also lacking side-view mirrors, but I haven't heard anything about how they managed that.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER139> Thoughts on towing. (I like to RV.)

* Its capacity of 7,500+ lbs isn't too shabby. Not F150/1500 class. But Jeep Gladiator territory, which is another much-awaited domestic truck getting some attention.

* I'm assuming the 250+ mile range drops significantly when towing.

* When camped at sites serviced by electricity, it's often 30/50 amp service and unmetered. Good for recharging!

I'm unlikely to jump on board yet, but this is a beautiful experiment and there will be many trucking niche users watching!

<comment><USER140> Please don't be that EV owner that mooches off of "free" sockets. Or at least ask first. RV parks aren't expecting people to use $5-10 of electricity overnight, and they'll get upset at EV owners.

Just get the 200kwH model (my est for the 500 mi range), plug the RV into the truck, and go boondocking for a week with A/C, fridge, induction cooker, and no propane. Extra bonus if the truck supports charging from the 2kW array on the roof of the RV.

<comment><USER141> It is tax detectable to donate directly to a public government, if you feel uncomfortable about it.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER142> The 8x4 sheet is the question for me about this. If I can get 8x4 inside this flat, then I will absolutely buy one no questions.

</comment><comment><USER143> Maybe this is controversial, but I really like the aesthetic. It definitely has a futuristic, industrial cyberpunk vibe. I wouldn't call it "pretty", but it's distinctive.

</comment><comment><USER144> Ok. Not sure what to make of this line:

> With the ability to pull near infinite mass

That's the opening line from one of the slides on the slide show...

That seems a like a bit of an overstatement... Just a tad.

</comment><comment><USER145> This looks so fucking good, like a fuck you to traditional car manufacturers, I think it's bold and very very unusual.

I would rather see these type of cars in the future than what Chevy Bolt, Prius look like. Really looking forward to seeing this on the streets.

</comment><comment><USER146> This is the first mainstream security truck at an affordable price. The sales on this are going to be higher than anybody expects. Every rapper, drug dealer, and dirtbag politician that doesn't want to go out like Tupac will buy one. The weekend warriors who had to give up their Hummers will buy one. The Mexican/Colombian cartels will all drive them because it's already bullet resistant but with that power, it can easily be modded with an extra 1/4 inch plate. The regular folks who live in places where carjacking is common (Brazil, Venezuela, South Africa, etc.) will buy them. It's going to sell very, very well.

<comment><USER147> Elon, is that you?

</comment></comment><comment><USER148> So additionally to "Bioweapon Defense Mode" this will also be invisible to radars?

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stealth_technology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stealth_technology)

</comment><comment><USER149> As an automotive engineer my mind is unable to process this as real.

Are they being serious?

Very very risky move on styling

</comment><comment><USER150> I'm unsure what to think. Kudos for breaking the mold, I guess.

</comment><comment><USER151> I wonder what it will look like when it is actually produced, doubt it passes US standards in it's current form. Needs some mirrors at the very least, although maybe at the time of release cameras will be a legal replacement.

</comment><comment><USER152> All those sharp edges must make running over pedestrians even more fun than with a plain SUV or truck. Looks easy to clean, too.

</comment><comment><USER153> Not sure why I would buy a Model Y. I love this thing. It feels safer, carries 6 people and is a full utility. And all of that with gorgeously edgy styling. Can we please move this up before the Model Y Tesla?

</comment><comment><USER154> That thing looks like it would do a lot of damage if it hit a pedestrian. Aren't there regulations that are supposed to enforce designs that increase the survival chances of people hit by cars?

</comment><comment><USER155> Quote from the website "You will be able to complete your configuration as production nears in late 2021. Tri Motor AWD production is expected to begin in late 2022."

Ya right, production starts in 2 years. I would guess 4 yrs and I know nothing about car production. But I do know that just getting the subcontractors in order will take more than a year even if you have an assembly line in place already. Why is Tesla so optimistic about timelines? It just hurts it's reputation when they are years late.

<comment><USER156> They are literally ahead of schedule with their next vehicle; the Model Y.

</comment></comment><comment><USER157> I'm not the one who would buy this as I live in Boston and drive a tiny car. But I thought it was really cool. Reminds me of futuristic cars from 80's action movies.

</comment><comment><USER158> Finally. A 1980's videogame car. The future really is now.

</comment><comment><USER159> Is it a good idea to make it so shiny? Coupled with the slab sides, you get quite strong reflections. Could be annoying at best to other drivers and potentially dangerous.

</comment><comment><USER160> Eccentric billionaires, got to love em.

I was looking for an electric truck to buy and was hoping this Cybertruck would be a replacement, but I think I'll stick with my gas sipping sedan for awhile longer after seeing this announcement.

I'll wait for the next iterations or a better alternative offered by the competition. I just can't see myself driving this "box." Reminds me of those early 90s SUVs, but like 10x uglier.

Specs are impressive but I just can't get over the aesthetics.

</comment><comment><USER161> What did I just watch?

<comment><USER162> You watched them appear to accidentally break both side windows then do the rest of the event with shattered windows.

</comment></comment><comment><USER163> I love the new look and am curious about if the exoskeleton has crumple points to reduce the kinetic energy imparted to the passengers during a collision.

</comment><comment><USER164> Yeah by the way which is the biggest news, the truck or the ATV? Or both? Personnally I would by wildy interested by the Tesla ATV and less by the truck

</comment><comment><USER165> Personally I like cars with rough edges like this. But there's a reason no one except for Lamborghini is building low-polygon cars: It's pretty inefficient aerodynamically.

But this looks like just an early concept. Those always look much more spectacular than the final, real-world version where physics and laws need to be respected. We can probably expect it to end up looking a bit more round and less exciting.

</comment><comment><USER166> I definitely want to drive this truck. But never want to be seen driving this truck

<comment><USER167> I would. Ignoring sports/concept cars, this is arguably the most futuristic looking car in a long time.

</comment></comment><comment><USER168> I think this product, tesla cybertruck, is a good display of "function is form". Usually people preface "function over form" or "form over function". But in this case, the functionality of this truck solves the reason to have a truck REALLY WELL. The form of the truck comes from being a very practical, efficient use of a truck.

Form has been getting seeping into "aesthetics", which is good and all, but is that really where it should go? Sure, it's nice to look at something pretty, but why not have some cases where form fits the functionality perfectly.

I think this is a good implementation of mending the two practices into one harmonious product where function and form balances each other out.

Function: strong outer body, powerful, and everything serves a purpose.

Form: tesla's well-known low-drag design, probs makes manufacturing simpler (not easier per say, but simpler), etc.

I can't think of all the reasonings of functions and forms, but I just think this cybertruck would be super useful to have in particular blue-collar jobs.

</comment><comment><USER131> "Order Now" ->

Too Many Requests

Guru Meditation:

XID: 2262329

Props for an error page that tickled my nostalgia in a most geeky way.

<comment><USER169> That's from Varnish, a proxy server.

</comment></comment><comment><USER170> Anyone else think this looks awful? Especially compared to BMWs i series, which is unashamedly futuristic but also, well, nice

</comment><comment><USER27> Live streaming of people trying it out: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTDztHFa0_Q](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTDztHFa0_Q) , [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoutN_Ezs8w](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoutN_Ezs8w)

</comment><comment><USER171> I feel like we're going through a similar phase as the 50's where all American cars had huge flarings that had no purpose, but they had aesthetic value. This thing is too much style for the sake of style. In some ways, it is cool - <USER2> aesthetics to market to masses, change the world - one gas guzzler at a time.

</comment><comment><USER172> I'm reminded of top gear's Geoff [1]. It's that concept car angularity that makes you believe that it could be manufactured in a shed, if only it had a frame.

[1] [https://pics.imcdb.org/0ge20/206146-Geoff.jpg](https://pics.imcdb.org/0ge20/206146-Geoff.jpg)

</comment><comment><USER173> I think the main point here is that electric cars (being simpler and having few parts) also cater to extremely versatile designs. I wonder how far they could gog away from the classic truck design within allowed regulations (like, a shorter front, different positioning etc). Clearly aesthetics are not a concert here.

</comment><comment><USER174> The design might be intentional. Knowing that they would not be able to fulfill all orders of a beautiful Cybertruck, this might be a smart move. Reduces number of potential orders, proves a EV pick-up truck point, and sets an extreme price baseline, which for other manufacturers could be very hard to reach.

</comment><comment><USER175> I suspect that over the next 6 months to a year, everyone will want this truck. They think it is awful right now. They are shocked. This will change. People are going to start asking the automotive industry for the future. I was disgusted yesterday. I'm interested in this vehicle today.

</comment><comment><USER176> I can't be the only one who sees the design similarities to the Delorean, right? And to top it off it's stainless steel...

<comment><USER177> The unpainted steel of the DeLorean made it a pain in the ass to repair. You can't pull dents, apply body filler and repaint, you basically need a whole new panel if you want to restore damage.

<comment><USER178> The part of the demo that was actually impressive was the part where they took sledgehammers to the body panels and didn't leave dents. I think it'll be fine.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER179> It looks like it was designed by a guy who makes rockets — and it was. I admire the chutzpah to make something that looks so different than what is selling, but it seems like the kind of "futuristic" that would be made from cardboard in a sixth-grade "back to the Future" theater performance. It's easy to see what's cool about it, but it's somehow very immature.

Though I admit the longer I've looked at it, the more neutral I feel about it, but maybe that's just a personality defect.

Elon said in advance he doesn't care if people don't like how it looks, so clearly he anticipated some negative feedback about the look. I can see it in a lot of scenarios, but just not in my driveway.

</comment><comment><USER180> Entirely flat metal panels tend to be rather disappointing mechanically... Tap on them and they'll sound like a drum... I forsee major issues with noise from the body panels fluttering in the wind at high speeds, or just being noisy as rain hits it.

</comment><comment><USER181> I am so excited by the Cybertruck. I drive a Toyota minivan now and my lease is up in the fall of 2021 so the timing is perfect. To me this is the perfect minivan alternative and my husband is thrilled with the hauling capacity, plus the specs. Fun to drive, big range and looks cool (but I could not care less what it looks like since I drive a minivan now!)and the price is the real hook. No gas needed six seater electric truck that drives like a Porsche? Sold. So you can get the truck market but also the minivan market. That's huge. And my family skis and snowboards so it's perfect for going to the mountains. Total all purpose vehicle for an active family. What is not to love?

</comment><comment><USER182> I absolutely love this truck's design. I really wonder (and worth noting because no one else has yet) how much the aerodynamics played into the aesthetics. The coefficient of drag on this thing is probably great because of the truck's profile. The trailing edge comes to a point to reduce vortices / separation of flow (and thus drag), which would have a significant impact on range. I find it funny because the profile is very similar to that of an older Prius, which actually had excellent aerodynamics compared to any other car at the time. Obviously this thing would eat a Prius for a snack, and I wouldn't be surprised if cybertruck has a better Cd.

</comment><comment><USER183> I've been waiting for this announcement so I could decide on the next truck I buy. In terms of specs, it's pretty good. In terms looks, it's terrible. I was hoping Tesla would put out a vehicle to be top of the list, they failed.

</comment><comment><USER184> From the side, the pickup initially looks downright weird. But I think in three dimensions, it looks astonishing and brilliant. But the thing that really gets me is the 3+3 seating. We've got two sets of twins, and I drive one of the very few cars on the road with 3+3 seating, a Fiat Multipla. It just works for big families. To some it's the ugliest car on the road, but to me that car goes all the way around to beautiful, and no one denies its practicality. Whenever I see another one we almost always wave to each other. Hey, beauty is all in the beholder, and the Tesla looks great. I'd love an estate/Station wagon even more.

</comment><comment><USER185> Regardless of its power, that is the ugliest car design I've ever seen. Seeing it in the stage in video after the renders on the website made it even worse. Nerds may think it's cool, but I doubt you'll catch many people riding around in it.

</comment><comment><USER186> From a distance you can sort of see what the were going for, but looking at it up close it's dumb ugly. I imagine they thought they were being clever and minimal with the straight lines and utter lack of subtlety, but the result is just clunky and inept. It's like a child's crude drawing, and the fact that adults actually made this is absurd. It reminds me of TARS from _Interstellar_ , which is another design people inexplicably praised.

I probably hate this even more for the fact that I adore the angular Fiero/Lambo/DeLorean/Blade Runner aesthetic. This is such a poorly botched, cluelessly literal interpretation of that.

</comment><comment><USER187> Looks like they want to win some military contract ...

I really like the dent free exterior and the color.

</comment><comment><USER188> I'm not a car or truck person.. so forgive the ignorance.. but is it rear wheel only? The `Drivetrain: REAR-WHEEL DRIVE` section has me perplexed for a number of reasons.

1\. I thought Teslas where all wheel? Ie, the nature of how they work is such that each wheel was a motor. Is that not the case for this one?

2\. Isn't all-wheel a valuable offering? This doesn't seem to be an off-road focused vehicle.. but nevertheless I personally value all wheel. Am I wrong in this?

I find this weird. I can't afford it anyway, BUT, I have often joked that I need a small Tesla truck to replace my Prius. However, strangely nothing about this interests me. Even if I had the money.

<comment><USER189> There are other motor options which have AWD. There's also an option which tows 14,000 lbs, which is a very large load, double the load an F-150 tows.

</comment></comment><comment><USER190> It's gonna cut any pedestrians it hits into half

<comment><USER191> Sure, but the pedestrian will cut the window in half

</comment></comment><comment><USER192> But this looks like a prototype. No windshields, no side mirrors. Is this even legal?

</comment><comment><USER193> That roof will not work very well in areas with snow. You're going to spend an hour cleaning off the snow and ice. In my region a hefty fine is in store for anyone who does not clear snow and ice from their vehicle roof.

<comment><USER194> Why do you say that? With the slope and adjustable suspension I'd think it'd be easier-- you just lower the truck and brush the snow down in a few swoops.

<comment><USER193> Snow sticks it's not always like magic light fluffy movie snow. And ice can seem like it's been welded on. Plus it looks like a very long reach to get to it.

I drive a Dodge 2500 4x4 and my roof is 1/3 the size of that beast. And it's 6'6" high which makes it awkward to be able to remove ice. If ice flies off and hits another vehicle while I am driving I am in big trouble, and rightly so.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER195> Form over factor = endearingly ugly. I can see the narrative for a simple aerodynamic wedge eventually changing public sentiment. Basically the modernist argument against decoration. If this actually ends up being a solid workhorse, the same energy efficiency and fragile masculinity arguments that shamed humvee owners might also work against frou-frou status symbol pickup trucks. That said the bedrail is high AF so I don't even know if this design is practical. I assume there's some sort hood and winch int he front, and mounts for lights / accessories that would ruin the profile.

</comment><comment><USER196> You can pre-order with a down payment of only $100 today for delivery in late 2021.

<comment><USER197> Does that guarantee a purchase spot?

</comment></comment><comment> martin-adams I wonder how a design like this stacks up when taking pedestrian safety into consideration. Of course, with self driving safety features you could argue it should never hit a pedestrian.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedestrian_safety_through_vehi...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedestrian_safety_through_vehicle_design)

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedestrian_safety_through_vehi...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedestrian_safety_through_vehicle_design#/media/File:PedCrashSequence.png)

</comment><comment><USER198> The video link stopped working halfway through for me, but that design isn't final, right? Looks like an early prototype for integration testing- that angular look can't be what it'll actually ship like?

<comment><USER199> That's the final look, what i'd like to see is more about that new ATV!

</comment></comment><comment><USER200> 20 years late but finally it started to feel like we are living in 21st century.

</comment><comment><USER201> Most people who have trucks rarely use them for things a car or suv couldn't do. I think the range limitations when towing and other limitations probably won't hurt sales because people who have to do serious long distance towing wouldnt consider a tesla anyway. The cybertruck will be used as a big car by most people most of the time. As long as it is able to maintain the aspirational marketing properties of other trucks it should do well in the US. Plus it has the chicken tax on its side.

</comment><comment><USER202> ... and I'm just sitting here wondering if the rims really are not round (as it's interlock the tire design seems to indeed indicate), and why on earth one would do that?

</comment><comment><USER203> Inspired by [https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokedex/porygon](https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokedex/porygon)

</comment><comment><USER204> I wonder if the motor is 1.21 gigawatts.

John Delorean is back!

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-77xulkB_U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-77xulkB_U)

</comment><comment><USER205> I'm not up to speed with US regulations, but the design seems very dangerous for pedestrian collisions. A sharp and hard shell must be very harmful, even at low speeds.

</comment><comment><USER206> "What does this monstrosity cost?"

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPc- VEqBPHI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPc-VEqBPHI)

</comment><comment><USER207> Who wants Simone's Truckla instead ? [https://twitter.com/SimoneGiertz](https://twitter.com/SimoneGiertz)

</comment><comment><USER208> Let's hope these trucks are more reliable than the Teslas that are in use as electric taxis at Amsterdam Airport: [https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=nl&sl=auto&tl=en&u...](https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=nl&sl=auto&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrc.nl%2Fnieuws%2F2019%2F11%2F20%2Fin-3-jaar- moest-de-taxi-33-keer-terug-naar-tesla-a3981098)

</comment><comment><USER209> Ugliness aside, I wonder if the onboard electrical outlets will allow it to be used as emergency power for a fridge / sump pump in case of a power outage.

</comment><comment><USER210> This seems to be the electric version of the hummer. Not a practical replacement to actual pickup trucks, but a lot of coolness factor for people who want it.

</comment><comment><USER211> For some reason, immediately reminded of Knight Rider[0]. I hope the lights strobe[1].

[0]: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_Rider_(1982_TV_series)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_Rider_\(1982_TV_series\)) [1]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj80Kwenh6I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj80Kwenh6I)

</comment><comment><USER212> I'm not crazy, right? This thing is totally hideous.

</comment><comment><USER213> I'm impressed, honestly, I want one. I imagine this is going to become a cool collectors item some day. I never want to be seen driving it though.

</comment><comment><USER214> Ya'll joke, but I don't suspect they are going to make/sell a lot of these and if Tesla goes under in the near future these things will skyrocket in value.

If you really want to bet against Tesla, buy one of these and wait for Tesla to fold. No one will ever make anything like this again.

I could even imagine them only making a few hundred of these and them all being worth a million dollars after the company collapses.

</comment><comment><USER134> Wow. This thread is going to be one of the most commented of the year.

Tesla has been really bold with the design, I love it, and I hope Tesla will be rewarded for it.

</comment><comment><USER215> I don't think this is a legit new model by Tesla. Do you really think they wouldn't have properly tested their "shatter-proof" windows before a global unveil? And fail twice?

This is a really well orchestrated publicity stunt designed to boost the stock price. They calculated that even the failed shatter proof windows wouldn't matter much in public opinion because the car itself is so ugly.

</comment><comment><USER216> I wonder if this video will be erased from the internet

<comment><USER217> There was a video? Didn't see anything on my phone just now.

</comment></comment><comment><USER218> Assuming these ever make it to production, the will absolutely be the vehicle featured in the eventual inevitable _Back to the Future_ reboot.

</comment><comment><USER219> Is it just me who is a bit wary of the sports car claims?

Acceleration is going to be impressive and CoG will be lower than for similar vehicles but likely much higher than say for a BMW M2 or similar sporty car, so cornering isn't likely to be anywhere near as good which coupled with the extra weight, it seems that this will be good for a pick up truck but no competition for a car in a circuit.

</comment><comment><USER220> Given how homogenous the last 20 years of automotive design has been I'm really impressed by Tesla's willingness to do something so radically different.

Jobs understood the power of great design: Conceiving a product that people don't know they want until you show them. Not normally a big fan of Musk or Tesla, but this feels like one of those products. It feels like the future.

</comment><comment><USER221> It will be interesting to see just how useful the bed is. Angled sides are usually a non-starter for a work truck. Also, if this is supposed to be a bug- out vehicle, how do you charge it when it's bugged-out?

Anyway, the design is certainly getting people talking. We'll have to wait and see if Ford and Chevy have any response to this in terms of how their design language changes.

</comment><comment><USER222> Nobody noticed, that besides _Armour Glass_ they also sold a _Dead blow hammer_ as a _Sledgehammer_.

These are categorically opposite things in terms of impact force. How gullible must they think, their audience is?

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_blow_hammer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_blow_hammer)

<comment><USER222> Even worse the first trials against the conventional door were partly sideways, where the dead blow hammer just functions like a regular hammer or worse depending on area size of impact with P=F/A.

</comment></comment><comment> select-all The renders on their site are exceptionally bad. They don't even look quite like renders, rather hand-made sketches with textures applied on top. The design of the truck is not that bad and I bet the car would look fantastic in real life and on real photos, with all the minor detail, reflections and the feel of the real material, that is now missing.

<comment><USER223> Most are not renders, just heavy photoshop.

</comment></comment><comment><USER214> So weird that people take the design here personally. This thing looks FUN. It seems just as ridiculous looking as an F-350 to me, and more practical than a Hummer.

This is what I imagine a luxury vehicle looking like post zombie apocalypse. Most of the world falls apart, but the 1% create disconnected suburban paradises and this is what you drive to get between them.

</comment><comment><USER224> Everyone in this comment thread is referring to a video of a live event, but I can't find any such thing on the linked site.

<comment><USER225> It was at livestream.tesla.com. Looks like the stream is no longer up.

</comment></comment><comment> seph-reed Something I haven't seen mentioned much is that this is going to be one of the only cars on the market that you can fix the exterior on with plate-steel and a welder. In terms of apocalyptic vehicles, this is amazing. Also, in terms of me fucking hating curvy bullshit that nobody can work on without special tools... I really like it.

</comment><comment><USER226> This design is just strange. When the Model S was introduced, Tesla specifically stated that it was designed to look like high-end luxury/sports cars instead of following the funky/future design that hybrids always had until.

Interesting that they reversed it with this truck, and I wonder how it'll affect the market of potential truck buyers.

</comment><comment><USER35> It looks like Elon ordered a little too much stainless steel for his Starship fleet and wants to put it to a more earthly use.

</comment><comment><USER227> I kind of love it. Seems to hit the mark on price, range, capability, size.

Would personally only want a van version, or possibly just the ability to take out the second seats and barrier. Would be great then for urban travel and camping.

Also would love to learn more about the engineering trade-offs in their exoskeleton structure over traditional frame on body designs.

</comment><comment><USER228> Very militaristic design. In fact it looks like the russian Zil Punisher: [https://www.topspeed.com/cars/zil- punisher/ke5011.html](https://www.topspeed.com/cars/zil-punisher/ke5011.html) Maybe Musk is planning to sell his vechicles to the military, also?

</comment><comment><USER229> Ever since that cement bridge collapsed at Florida International University a few months ago on top of cars, I've been wondering if any type of car could withstand the force of such a scenario.

Anyone know if this truck could withstand the scenario? Hopefully someone smart with the Physics or Engineering can help me out with an answer.

</comment><comment><USER117> I can't believe how cheap this is. They could charge 10k more for each, at least for 1-2 years. What am I missing?

</comment><comment><USER230> Anyone knows how the laser lighting works on stage. The effect looks like the light beam has a start/end and can move, similar to a lightsaber. e.g. around -44minutes [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZbVixSkgu0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZbVixSkgu0)

</comment><comment><USER231> The cab/bed ratio is off IMO, should have a bigger bed to look more truck-like regardless of the future styling.

</comment><comment><USER232> Does anyone else see a problem in giving virtually indestructible (or at least much more so than any other car) in the hands of typical "truck driver" or is it just me ? I can just picture a dumbass in this truck on the highway not giving two shits about other cars around him. I dont like this picture.

</comment><comment><USER233> It certainly doesn't fit in with current car aesthetics that try to mimic something like a bulging piece of muscle with a face. It's like straight out of the future we were hoping for in the 80's, where machines were cold, hard steel and not mushy plastic. Has Arnold Schwarzenegger preordered one?

</comment><comment><USER234> It looks like it was designed in Minecraft.

<comment><USER235> looks like a low poly design.

</comment></comment><comment><USER236> I really like the design. It seems like the sci-fi car designs from my childhood are finally here.

I just found this! [https://www.motor1.com/photo/486061/1980-citroen- karin-48606...](https://www.motor1.com/photo/486061/1980-citroen- karin-486061/)

</comment><comment><USER237> Reminds me of an old game I used to play where you drove around a blocky vehicle with a similar shape. Now I can't stop trying to think of the name of it.

EDIT: Was the link changed right after posting? Everyone's talking about a failed glass demo with Elon and all I'm seeing is photos of an odd looking truck.

<comment><USER191> Kinda reminds me of the ships in the Descent series.

<comment><USER238> Oh yeah, the Pyro (GL?) looked absolutely awesome.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER20> This looks extremely dangerous. It looks like it could mow down a whole sidewalk full of people if the driver made a wrong turn.

So I guess this one won't be marketed for its safety and its ability reduce traffic deaths, like the Teslas with Autopilot. Or will this also have Autopilot? That sounds even worse somehow.

<comment><USER239> Which feature allows it to mow people down better?

<comment><USER20> From Tesla's website:

 _EXOSKELETON

Cybertruck is built with an exterior shell made for ultimate durability and passenger protection. Starting with a nearly impenetrable exoskeleton, every component is designed for superior strength and endurance, from Ultra-Hard 30X Cold-Rolled stainless-steel structural skin to Tesla armor glass._

[https://www.tesla.com/cybertruck?redirect=no](https://www.tesla.com/cybertruck?redirect=no)

The steel exterior coupled with the flat square front seems to me like a perfect combination to kill in a collision with a person.

By the way, visiting the website I can confirm that the word "safety" is nowhere to be found.

<comment><USER239> You do know trucks with brush guards already have no problem mowing down tons of people, right?

<comment><USER20> So we should just make more?

<comment><USER239> Yes, they are a non-issue.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER240> I appreciate the vaporwave aesthetic. I like that it was given space to be designed by someone passionate and not a design by committee - appeal to the masses blob. Unfortunately what they came up with is crap. I'm worried this will kill off any further vaporwave designs because it is so bad.

</comment><comment><USER241> Angular vehicle

Stainless steel body

Smaller auto manufacturer with potentially dubious finances

Charasmatic founder with a host of drug use

I feel like I've heard this story...before...[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeLorean_Motor_Company](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeLorean_Motor_Company)

</comment><comment><USER242> Could you live in one of these cybertrucks? Put in a sofabed in the back, small kitchen, work table, router...

</comment><comment><USER243> Alright.

So I just wanna step aside and stop drooling over how handsome/ ugly it is and ask a real question.

Has a prototype been created, and shown at any expo?

Or Elon is just gonna squeeze money out of starry eyed buyers now and only then start design + production?

In the past he has been late by months in delivery after making customers shell out money.

</comment><comment><USER244> I can't see why I'd buy an ugly truck like this instead of an F150. Talk about ugly and expensive

</comment><comment><USER110> One part Nova Sterling [1], 9 parts hideous. They should have used a CAD system that supported more than straight lines.

1\. [https://www.google.com/search?q=nova+sterling&tbm=isch](https://www.google.com/search?q=nova+sterling&tbm=isch)

</comment><comment><USER245> If you like such unconventional design, take a look here: [https://www.peugeot.co.uk/concept- cars/e-legend/](https://www.peugeot.co.uk/concept-cars/e-legend/) unfortunately this one is only a concept car.

</comment><comment><USER246> The 90s have called... They want their Cyberpunk 2020 font back into something more legible.

I suggest he hires Hasselhoff for the promotion [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTidn2dBYbY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTidn2dBYbY)

</comment><comment><USER247> The included air compressor and security lock on the bed does mean it could be quite popular with contractors especially given the competitive price.

It does have way too much of the "in case I need to flee the mob to my private jet to flee to New Zealand" flavor to it though.

<comment><USER248> Most of the features of this truck are things that we should have already gotten in our pickup trucks 10 years ago when they started breaching $50k.

Hopefully this will light a fire under Ford/Chevy to actually giving us some tangible value.

</comment></comment><comment><USER249> In fashion nothing is new and everything is born again. I love this..

Elon prefaced it best by stating the inspiration was early 007. How amazing a large-scale mfg can do such a thing. How dare Ford, Cadillac, etc waver from their aesthetic. It's possible for Elon and he does it.

<comment><USER250> So the inspiration is the Lotus Esprit S1 from the Moore era, is my guess: [https://jamesbond.fandom.com/wiki/Lotus_Esprit_S1_(1976)](https://jamesbond.fandom.com/wiki/Lotus_Esprit_S1_\(1976\))

</comment></comment><comment><USER98> Just emphasizing the fact that the top end has a 0-60 in sub seconds is INSANE. My model 3 is just a base model and is crazy quick, this is 40% faster than that! Imagine being in a 2019 Porsche and get smoked off the line by this giant industrial crazy hunk of metal.

</comment><comment><USER251> Is no one else wondering why there are no rear view mirrors on the thing? Looks really cool though!

<comment><USER252> Probably cameras instead.

</comment></comment><comment><USER253> Extend the roofline back, add a third row of seating and charge +$10k... I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

</comment><comment><USER254> This announcement eclipsed the previously-announced Bollinger Motors products ([https://bollingermotors.com/](https://bollingermotors.com/)). These were intriguing but the price ($125k) is a bit eye popping.

</comment><comment><USER255> So... it looks like they stuck a solid steel shell on a passenger vehicle.

Many of the safety gains that cars have shown in the past few decades come from strategic crumple zones and the like.

So how does this stand up in terms of actual safety? This seems like it reverses many of our advancements.

</comment><comment><USER256> So basically Tesla is starting products for military and police (armored offroad vehicles). Cool.

</comment><comment><USER257> It's kind of cool and I like that it looks very different. But do we really need more super heavy, huge and expensive vehicles on the road? It would be much better if they put their efforts into something small, efficient and affordable and made that cool.

<comment><USER145> Like a model 3?

<comment><USER257> Much smaller. We need smaller cars.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER258> This looks a lot like the M577 Armored Personnel Carrier from Aliens.

[https://alienanthology.fandom.com/wiki/M577_Armored_Personne...](https://alienanthology.fandom.com/wiki/M577_Armored_Personnel_Carrier)

</comment><comment><USER259> Does a general public really needs bulletproof cars with unbreakable windows? What if there's a traffic accident and passengers are caught inside, how do you get them out? (assuming you don't have a handy metal ball laying around somewhere :P)

</comment><comment><USER260> For me, if it can't hold a 4x8 sheet of plywood flat in the bed, it's not a truck.

</comment><comment><USER261> It's a pick-up truck, so... why isn't there a single clear shot of the cargo bed?

</comment><comment><USER262> Put a new ski-doo in the back and that's a sick rig! After living through so many rusted out car bodies I was in to the aluminum f150s but stainless steel is even better. No paint to worry about scratching up on narrow deactivates logging roads.

</comment><comment><USER136> It would be super cool if the cover of the back truck is a solar panel: [https://www.tesla.com/xNVh4yUEc3B9/06_Desktop.jpg](https://www.tesla.com/xNVh4yUEc3B9/06_Desktop.jpg)

</comment><comment><USER263> I find this looks goofy, but other than the lack of physical buttons inside, this is a dream vehicle for me. Most weekends I want to drive 4 people + 4 mountain bikes a 120 mile round trip including fast highway and rough mountain roads.

</comment><comment><USER264> I quite like the Paul Verhoeven '80s angular action movie aesthetic in general, but this just looks bad. The proportions are all off. I thought it was a joke and they were going to bring out the actual truck at some point.

</comment><comment><USER265> The Citroen Karin[1] concept car has come to life.

1\. [http://www.citroenet.org.uk/prototypes/karin/karin.html](http://www.citroenet.org.uk/prototypes/karin/karin.html)

</comment><comment><USER266> Probably smart to wait for the second generation model with way better vertex count.

</comment><comment><USER267> Oh and now the order page can't handle the traffic… Error 429 Too Many Requests

</comment><comment><USER268> so assuming Elon launchs one of these into space heading for mars in the near future, will this thing drive on mars? Does the air pressurization system, super rugged shell, and ATV make this thing ideal for life as a martian?

</comment><comment><USER269> Love the design. It's a vehicle, specifically a truck. A simple geometry is practical and applausable for most of cases.

Those who can't accept the anesthetic couldn't accept current iPhone design in if they are in 2005 either.

</comment><comment><USER167> The video seems to have been taken down from official Tesla spots, so here's a mirror.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwvDOdBHYBw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwvDOdBHYBw)

</comment><comment><USER270> The overall feeling of this truck's design transports me back to when I was a small boy dreaming up my ideal adventure vehicle and drawing it out in my school notebooks.

It makes me want one just to satisfy my inner child. :)

</comment><comment><USER271> Two things just occurred to me: 1) The built in air compressor is so it can maintain cabin pressure in space. 2) The shape might have some optimum cylindrical packing arrangement for starship's cargo bay.

</comment><comment><USER272> I've seen this vehicle before, in the 2018 film 'Upgrade': [https://www.imcdb.org/v001169007.html](https://www.imcdb.org/v001169007.html)

</comment><comment><USER273> The car looks like the car from a B or C level scifi direct to DVD movie :)

</comment><comment><USER274> Looks cooler than the FJ Cruiser and the Wrangler!

Now if only my wife will be seen in one, we'll be able to tow a travel trailer and drive on the beach guilt-free!

(But how do we back into a super charger while towing?)

</comment><comment><USER275> Happy the GPU which will have to render that in the next Gran Turismo.

</comment><comment><USER268> Late 2021 delivery of the dual motor, late 2022 of the trimotor model

</comment><comment><USER276> For some reason it strongly reminds me of the drop ship tank from Aliens.

[https://www.imcdb.org/v040477.html](https://www.imcdb.org/v040477.html)

</comment><comment><USER277> Curious why there isn't a Founders Series on this car -- full prepayment (on a loaded config) for first-in-line position, which helps them with cashflow (a major issue for Tesls).

</comment><comment><USER278> What is the visibility like from that angular cockpit, I wonder?

</comment><comment><USER279> It would be cool if military vehicles looked like this though.

</comment><comment><USER280> I'm getting a strong "Homer Simpson's car" vibe from this. I'm rooting for Tesla but this... I wouldn't even want to _ride_ in it.

</comment><comment><USER281> Everyone thought this thing was a joke and waiting for the real truck reveal esp after all the laughing and smashing of the windows. Next day all of us wants one.

</comment><comment><USER180> Rumours are this will be folded rather than pressed...

Is there a source for this? I'd press parts if I were designing it - <USER3> you want welds showing at the corners!

<comment><USER65> Motortrend are saying this (They had access to it back in September).

It's going to drastically reduce production costs.

[https://www.motortrend.com/news/tesla-cybertruck-electric- pi...](https://www.motortrend.com/news/tesla-cybertruck-electric-pickup- engineering-manufacturing)

<comment><USER180> I don't agree - as soon as you need to make more than one fold in a bit of steel, then pressing becomes cheaper in volume.

People fold prototypes because the press dies are expensive to make, but when made, a press can fold all the edges at once.

Even cheap washing machines are all pressed steel.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER282> Reminds me of a Syd Mead design or something from Car Wars.

</comment><comment><USER283> Looks like that RV prop "Ark II" from that 70 s scifi show ... ex BMW flame surfacing car designer Chris Bangle would be proud of so much ugly.

</comment><comment><USER284> Cybertruck's target niche market = thugs, gangs, & drug lords. Why? 9mm bullet proof, faster than a cop car. Can carry everything and hide it.

</comment><comment><USER285> It's the frikkin Batmobile! I want one. I will never actually buy one because a) $$$ and b) I live in a city with small roads. But it looks awesome. No

</comment><comment><USER286> Throw in Delorean-style gullwing doors for good measure. It's already stainless steel. And vertical takeoff and landing. SpaceX can do that too.

</comment><comment><USER287> Reminds me of the "Homer" upon laying first eyes on it.

<comment><USER288> I've seen that meme floating around on Twitter, but I don't get it.

The "Homer" was a car with a million little crazy details added onto it. It was bubbly and green.

This thing has all the details _removed_ from it (it doesn't even have side mirrors!), and it's flat and black and gray.

There's zero resemblance? Is the joke just that "it's different from other cars"?

</comment></comment><comment><USER289> Cybertruck you say? and that font? Let me guess, release date somewhere around April 16 2020? Is this a Cyberpunk 2077 cross promotion gimmick?

</comment><comment><USER290> I think the most underrated part of the presentation was the Tesla ATV - <USER4> think that might end up being Tesla's most successful product yet.

</comment><comment><USER291> their demo of it reminded me of some of Apple's product demos when things didn't "just work" like Apple likes to brag that they do. Steve Jobs actually made them funny to watch. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/technology-50513294](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/technology-50513294)

</comment><comment><USER292> That design looks like straight from the Tron movies, which perhaps is just the aesthetic and associated nostalgia Tesla is aiming for here.

</comment><comment><USER293> I like to imagine the name is a homage to Cyberduck.

</comment><comment><USER294> I'm so glad they went with a unique design. This looks so crazy it will likely be talked about for days and months to come. And I want one!

</comment><comment><USER295> Elon: "... and its bulletproof!"

Hardware Eng #1 turns to Hardware Eng #2: "Wait... where does it say that in the spec we received..."

</comment><comment><USER296> Looks horrendous to me, but I guess many people love it.

Also, "truck" doesn't seem appropriate at all, maybe "tugcar" would be?

</comment><comment><USER52> I didn't even realize there was an announcement event. Don't care. Take my $100. This is the beast-mode version of a Model S.

</comment><comment><USER297> I don't really own a car, I don't really consider myself "a car guy" but I want this truck, it's beautiful and awesome.

Bravo.

</comment><comment><USER298> They are going to sell an insane amount of these.

</comment><comment><USER299> Even if the target market fails, they've got a fallback. These things are going to be on Hollywood sci-fi sets for years to come!

</comment><comment><USER300> > near infinite mass

What is "near infinite"? Ten?

I'm not a fan of this marketing faux pas. Also, the carousel moves too fast for me to read it.

</comment><comment><USER301> Not a huge fan of the design. But, it just seems like it would be a horrible truck. How are you suppose to get to the bed?

</comment><comment><USER302> I sense a disturbance in the force, like the voices of millions of inner nine year olds howling in ecstasy (myself included)

</comment><comment><USER303> This is dystopian future car, how many sci fi movies have we seen with cars looking like this? I.e. Ghost in the Shell

</comment><comment><USER304> It is amazing how weird and poorly produced these things are. The cheesy outfits, the terrible lighting, the window demo failure. Its like they go out of their way to cut corners and look unprofessional to strike some kind of authenticity note. Like, obviously they're not faking the demo, or the windows wouldn't have broken. And the mumbling fumble/botched-transition to the ATV...

VH1 interns could produce a better event than this.

</comment><comment><USER305> Sure would be a shame if the Internet reacted to this like they did when screenshots of the new Sonic movie came out.

</comment><comment><USER306> Pity HN doesn't support polls, I would loved to have seen a number on the people who love/hate this design.

</comment><comment><USER307> Given Tesla has axed their capex to almost nothing due to their liquidity crunch it is highly unlikely this ever gets built. Same with the semi truck.

These "Product" unveils are designed to pull in cash deposits to fund current expenses and massive cash incineration, not future development.

This will likely never be built and if you are thinking of giving Tesla a deposit for anything they currently are not producing I implore you to look at Tesla's balance sheet.

<comment><USER308> $100 pre-order would be a rounding error in their balance sheet.

</comment></comment><comment><USER309> If I could only make one goofy comment on HN every week, I'd probably say this looks like a giant lego truck.

</comment><comment><USER310> If it's really made out of stainless, with those angles wouldn't it fail on pedestrian collision tests?

</comment><comment><USER311> The 80's called, they want their truck back.

Jokes apart, what is the target demographic and what about the unusual aesthetic?

</comment><comment><USER61> Let's be honest, Cybertruck (CYBERTRK) is one hell of a name, compared for example to Model T or Model B.

</comment><comment><USER312> I'm sorry, but this looks terrible... I can't imagine seeing the average person driving this at all.

</comment><comment><USER313> I cannot imagine buying a truck without racks for lumber or ladders or paddle board. I use my rack so much.

</comment><comment><USER314> Speaking of stealth, how well will self driving autonomous cars be able to detect a Cybertruck on the road?

</comment><comment><USER315> I really dislike how trucks look, but this one actually looks pretty cool.

Not something great for our European roads though.

</comment><comment><USER316> This looks like something out of Total Recall, which maybe makes sense since Musk is obsessed with Mars.

</comment><comment><USER317> I love it. It looks like the future, but also reminds me of Johnny Cab from Total Recall. Still love it.

</comment><comment><USER318> I'm excited for it, though I guarantee the end result will look a lot different than what is presented.

</comment><comment><USER319> Is there any country other than the US where people see a truck as a viable option to drive around in?

</comment><comment><USER320> Where on earth does one get tires for septagon wheel - I wonder how much those will cost to replace.

<comment><USER321> Most likely, those are just aesthetics and are more like large hubcaps over a round tire.

</comment></comment><comment><USER322> Terminator, Mad Max, Robocop, Batman.

</comment><comment><USER323> It's no coincidence the hull of the Starship will also be made of cold-rolled stainless steel.

</comment><comment><USER324> I wonder if part of the motivation for this design is to test components for future mars rovers...

</comment><comment><USER325> The design is such that it's hard to tell if the video on the website are real or animations.

</comment><comment><USER326> The tent/camping mode looks cool. I'm excited to make an autonomous truck + RV my next home.

</comment><comment><USER327> The best thing about this is you can put your gas powered generator in the bed to recharge. :)

</comment><comment><USER328> I really do wish they had a landing page for the ATV. It was the best part of the presentation.

</comment><comment><USER329> When I was a kid I had a phone that kinda looked like a car. This car looks like that phone.

</comment><comment><USER330> This is what happens when you let Elon binge watch James Cameron movies and then StreetHawk.

</comment><comment><USER331> We know Elon is worried about AI. I think the plan is to blend in when Skynet takes over.

</comment><comment><USER332> Anyone think the window breaking in the demo was done on purpose - for the media points?

</comment><comment><USER333> Not really a fan of the design - too rough for this world and too fragile to survive Mad Max ;)

Plenty of Tesla design concepts online that were way better: [https://www.behance.net/gallery/78909965/TESLA- Pickup](https://www.behance.net/gallery/78909965/TESLA-Pickup)

</comment><comment><USER334> _Get into my Cybertruck with my Cybiko to take a trip through Cyberspace. Whoosh_.

</comment><comment><USER335> The tri motor version will go from 0-60mph in under three seconds. That's insane!

</comment><comment><USER336> $100 preorder seems.... quite low? I wonder how many serious buyers are reserving one.

</comment><comment><USER337> The first thing i thought of...its the Delorian. I want one and i want this to succeed

</comment><comment><USER338> It looks like a bullet proof DeDelorean and that's not intended as a complement.

</comment><comment><USER339> I think I have to change my graphics card, I see very few polygons on this website.

</comment><comment><USER340> It looks like it was designed by someone who saw an 80s movie set in the year 2019.

</comment><comment><USER173> loving the very ugly, but so different design. But are those LED headligths legal?

</comment><comment><USER341> Is it just me, or does that thing not look like a rip off of Paloma from Megarace?

</comment><comment><USER342> I _need_ to drive one of these around Dallas, Texas with truck nutz on it.

</comment><comment><USER343> Low-poly car from the 80s' sci-fi :D

I didn't expect future to materialize like this...

</comment><comment><USER344> Where do I hang the back plate?

Also, the ugliest car ever. Worse than the latest Batman car.

</comment><comment><USER39> GMC just got pwned with their electric smooshed truck reveal earlier today.

</comment><comment><USER345> I get wanting something that looks different, but difference just for difference's sake is no virtue.

I think if I had to render the term "alt-right" in vehicular form, it would look something like this. It seems to me an disturbingly accurate reflection of our polarized times.

<comment><USER346> So you're saying it's "too alt-right", right? Isn't the alt-right also the group that doesn't believe in climate change? So they'd never adopt an electric vehicle based on its virtue of being electric. What if the vehicle is made specifically to appeal to them, though, and just happens to also be electric?

I don't know whether your premise is correct or not, but if it is, this might be genius.

<comment><USER345> I think you've got it precisely right.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER347> Apparently Blade Runner was set yesterday.

Well, we're there folks. Just needs VTOL. ;)

</comment><comment><USER180> Anyone got a link to the original video of this event?

Seems to have vanished from the net.

</comment><comment><USER348> It reminds me of the robot dogs from the Black Mirror episode Metalhead.

</comment><comment><USER349> I like the car but it seems really dangerous to pedestrians in a crash.

</comment><comment><USER350> the car would look 70% better if they remove a triangle of steel between the bowl and the end of the roof. i think i am warming up to the design after seeing more pics in better lighting.

</comment><comment><USER40> I'll stick with my 50 year old cars thanks - this looks shite.

</comment><comment><USER351> I would rather buy a Bollinger Motors truck, this is just too ugly

</comment><comment><USER130> So weird and terrible looking that I love it. My pre-order is in!

</comment><comment><USER352> Designed to appeal to all the people who grew up playing Elite.

</comment><comment><USER12> All of the aesthetic stuff aside, the high sides next to the bed make it completely useless as an actual pickup truck. This is what it looks like when a bunch of people who have never done manual labor in their lives designs a truck.

</comment><comment><USER353> I have mixed feelings right now, but this thing is going to grow on a lot of people. It just looks... badass.

EDIT: It's like the first time I saw The Rock. I thought his head was too small and his face was stupid. Now I love Dwayne Johnson.

</comment><comment><USER354> What. Seriously. WHAT. Also, RWD? This thing breaks my brain.

</comment><comment><USER355> What is the name of ailment which makes someone buy trucks?

</comment><comment><USER356> tsla down almost 7% i told you it was ugly. How hard would it have been to make it _not ugly_. Just use some sweeping lines, add some more polygons!

</comment><comment><USER357> Looks like a stainless steel origami opression vehicle.

</comment><comment><USER358> is this safe? modern cars are designed to absorb impact and not transfer it to passengers. this sounds like it is a rigid metal car like a vw beetle

</comment><comment><USER359> As a pickup it looks worthless, as a futuristic military transport that checks off a bunch of my childhood fantasies I wish I could afford one but at more than a year's gross income... _sigh_.

</comment><comment><USER360> The opposite aesthetic direction from the Roadster.

</comment><comment><USER83> i don't think i've ever seen a car that's hideous from every single angle. did something happen to the tesla design team?

</comment><comment><USER361> Is it me or it looks like a proposal for US Army ?

</comment><comment><USER362> I laughed at the Model Y unveil, but looking at this I am experiencing "Sam Neill 'In the Mouth of Madness' " paroxysms of laughter. What an ugly hunk of garbage.

</comment><comment><USER267> Woah. I think it it's actually pretty cool!

</comment><comment><USER363> I don't even need a truck, I am driving a Prius Prime (32 miles battery + gas tank) today and I want to buy this. The look, the specs, the design of the website, I love it all!

</comment><comment><USER364> This looks like the result of a bet gone wrong.

</comment><comment><USER365> there's no way this is what the production version will look like. US still requires side-view mirrors, for instance.

</comment><comment><USER366> Whats with that logo? Is tagging cool again?

</comment><comment><USER367> This thing is so fucking quirky I love it.

</comment><comment><USER368> > With the ability to pull near infinite mass

Wait, what?

</comment><comment><USER369> The edges are way too sharp for EU regulations I guess. Don't think this model will be allowed in the EU. Sharp edges like these do more harm on collision.

</comment><comment><USER370> I absolutely love the design. I want one.

</comment><comment><USER371> Suddenly, it feels like the 21st century!

</comment><comment><USER372> I feel like I just arrived to the future

</comment><comment><USER371> Suddenly it feels like the 21st century!

</comment><comment><USER373> flat surfaces, no curved panels.. i wonder how much of that design decision is to reduce production costs?

</comment><comment><USER374> i wonder if this truck car will be just as bad for the other guys it hits as it would be hitting a truck.

</comment><comment><USER375> Its not a truck its the new mars rover.

</comment><comment><USER376> The best car design since DeLorean! :)

</comment><comment><USER377> A distopian car for a distopian world.

</comment><comment><USER378> Back to the Future reboot incoming...

</comment><comment><USER285> Can someone with more 3D skills than me please make a video of the Cybertruck smashing though a normal truck ICEing a supercharger bay.

</comment><comment><USER379> How many of you actually preordered?

</comment><comment><USER380> Ugly, but cool. That's perfect.

</comment><comment><USER381> Stealth bomber on wheels. I love it

</comment><comment><USER382> The design reminds in style old project Boomerang by Ital Design from 1972

[https://www.italdesign.it/project/boomerang/](https://www.italdesign.it/project/boomerang/)

BTW, it is the same company that design famous Back to the Future car DeLorean DMC 12.

[https://www.italdesign.it/project/dmc-12/](https://www.italdesign.it/project/dmc-12/)

<comment><USER255> Reminds me of the Christian Bale batmobile.

Paint it black and I'm in.

<comment><USER382> I think US Army will be the main contractor for the pickup replacing Hummer in many cases.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER383> I've read Cyberdrunk, sorry.

</comment><comment><USER384> If they can get the glass breaking issue figured out, this might be the first truck to make an appearance in SF.

</comment><comment><USER385> It's so ugly, I want one.

</comment><comment><USER386> My disappointment is palpable.

</comment><comment><USER356> This is so ugly i don't even know where to begin. I think it's worse or on par with the pontiac aztek

<comment><USER387> I can't believe there are so many people in this thread that actually like the design. Just goes to show how insanely nerdy the denizens of HN are.

<comment><USER388> You can also add that to this type of audience which pretty much sums up what the technical bias of a typical HN reader/commenter really is.

So far it is more like all things:

Linux, Rust, AMD, ThinkPads, Elon Musk, Rick and Morty, Stanford, MIT, Web- Tech, Stripe Design, Mr Robot, Space Travel, Kubernetes, Data Structures and Algorithms, and now Telsa.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER389> Reminiscent of the Delorean

</comment><comment><USER390> the aluminium surface won't it reflect all the sunlight to others?

</comment><comment><USER391> What is the shipping date?

</comment><comment><USER392> Is this even legal to sell in Europe? Looks like it is designed to slice objects on collision.

<comment><USER393> Looks are often quite misleading when you actually start to investigate collision safety.

</comment></comment><comment><USER394> With a 6.5s 0-60 time, it won't be smoking too many sports cars on the track.

<comment><USER395> Who buys a truck for this reason?

<comment><USER10> Apparently you've never heard of rolling coal or proud boys

<comment><USER396> Yes, but you realize the factor uniting that crowd is a hatred of Prius drivers, right?

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER397> I love it. Brave step!

</comment><comment><USER144> This design is so ugly it makes me question my investment in Tesla.

What are they thinking...?

</comment><comment><USER398> Where is back mirror

</comment><comment><USER399> Trucla was better.

</comment><comment><USER400> Looks like Tesla has no clue who the people are that buy trucks

</comment><comment><USER356> tsla down almost 7%, i told you it was ugly

</comment><comment><USER401> It looks straight from a 70s sci-fi movie.

</comment><comment><USER402> love the retracting bed cover

</comment><comment><USER403> Lots of interesting comments and perspectives in this thread, from the judgmental "trucks are stupid" group (typically outside the US) to "this thing is ugly" reactionaries and everything in between. This is what I love (and hate) about HN. Yet, if you stop and use it as stimulus for though, HN turns out to be a good way to force you to reevaluate your mental models...sometimes.

My first reaction to this truck was along the lines of "this is the very definition of ugly". From there it moved to "well, that was stupid" (the glass). And, slowly, once past the shock, it morphed into "it seems to have lots of practical features". Now I want to see one in person and explore it a bit.

A few random thoughts:

We are in the market to purchase two vehicles within the next, say, 12 months, with one of them likely in the next four months or less. We thought we would go electric...until the fires here in California caused us to rethink things.

Simple issue: The infrastructure for conventional vehicles is ubiquitous. You don't even have to think about the availability of energy at all. Simple example, yesterday one of our cars was down to 7 miles of range left in the fuel tank. This wasn't a big deal at all. There are easily twenty gas stations within that driving distance, if not more. And topping-off takes ten minutes or less total time.

From my perspective, and some might disagree, at the current time the weakest point of any electric vehicle, Tesla or otherwise, is the --and I think I can use this word-- fact that they cannot be relied upon during emergencies. The infrastructure isn't mature and ubiquitous enough to match the degree of reliance one can place on IC vehicles. If your life and that of your family depends on being able to travel, electric vehicles are a bad idea.

Because of this we went from really wanting to transition in to electrics (we even installed a 13 kW solar system in preparation for this transition) to now thinking timing isn't quite right.

A brief comment for those disparaging the "American obsession with large vehicles". I'll just say you likely lack context. I don't own a truck, I've always been as sports car guy. I've probably owned more sports cars than anything else. However, most (all) US cities are very different from European cities. There are no problems with the size of roads, all the way down to business districts and neighborhoods. I've traveled all over Europe and other parts of the world. And, yes, in a lot of the cities and towns I have visited US-style SUV's and trucks would make no sense whatsoever.

Don't think Americans are ignorant or less sophisticated because they are buying SUV's and trucks. If they were not practical there wouldn't be a market for them. It's the same for what we call minivans --not sure if the same term is used in Europe. We have a Toyota Sienna with 220,000 miles on it. We bought it new. It is incredibly practical in the context of family life, home renovations, dealing with our three German Shepherd dogs, going to the lake, going camping, loading it up with friends and family for travel. Form follows function AND needs, and in the US trucks and SUV --large and small-- exist because they are practical, useful and deliver value.

Sure, it is disconcerting to see just one person effectively commuting in a truck. The perspective here is that not everyone is a software engineer, most people have limited financial resources and they can't buy both an efficient small "green-er" vehicle and the truck or SUV they need for family and home use. So, again, they make a choice based on form, function and needs, and if a truck, minivan or SUV make sense, well, that's what they buy, and that's what they drive every day.

Back to Tesla...

One possible perspective on this is that of what I am generally going to put under the umbrella of fiduciary responsibility.

One could rightly argue that coming out with something like this is a breach of that responsibility to investors. Tesla has excellent technology and could become a massive company. The truck market can support millions of units per year in sales just in the US (about 2.5 to 3 million per year). This radical design is, from that perspective, irresponsible. It will capture a very, very small percentage of the 250,000+ trucks per month sold on average in the US. It's a shocker, like the Hummer, but it isn't going to make a dent on overall truck sales. If anything it might signal that Elon isn't interested in growing Tesla beyond a certain level.

These are not decisions you make if you want to beat the other guys at their own game (or even redefine the game). In an industry where historical P/E ratios are in the 10 to 15 range, Tesla will eventually have to face that hard cold reality. Sure, today investors ignore this but, at the end of the day, when everyone is making electric cars and batteries, Tesla might not be able to escape the fact that it will be just another car company. In that context, I think this truck might be an irresponsible waste of an important competitive advantage.

Two of the worst things you can waste in life are time and trust. This offering is guaranteed to waste a ton of time. Years. And trust also. Anyone who wants a "real" or, let's just say "traditional" truck is going to ignore Tesla and assume they are just crazy. There are 250,000 people making a decision to buy a truck EVERY MONTH, and the VAST majority of them are going to laugh at Tesla and move on. It will be year, maybe even a decade, before anyone looks at Tesla as a serious truck company. So, yeah, time and trust wasted, unnecessarily.

I need to see this Tesla thing (that would have been a good name "Thing") but I don't think I am buying one. Next iteration, perhaps.

</comment><comment><USER404> Is it April first already?

</comment><comment><USER405> fucking impressive

</comment><comment><USER356> honestly i think my 4 year old could design a better looking truck

</comment><comment><USER406> Autopilot?

</comment><comment><USER407> So my hypothesis is the people who buy stupidly oversized pickup trucks (which generally speaking aren't going to be the people on this site btw) are either crazy gun people, trailer _____, or people who seriously are trying to prove something. For all of these people it's about making a very large very visible and very obnoxious over the top statement. Really can't see how any of that demographic either wants anything "cyber" (although again this site is the wrong place to be making this argument) or anything that isn't just "in your face over the top MACHO". If you imagine the Cybertruck in wood, it looks like a cheap Pinewood derby car. The design looks like something a 3rd grader came up with. It should be redesigned to: a) have an obnoxiously loud (yet completely unnecessary) ENGINE sound; b) have an incredibly obnoxious front grill that emphasizes absolute dominance; c) a bed in the back that's open to the elements (because no one carries stuff there anyway, and being open to the elements is tough); d) be about 3x the size. Nobody wants a pinewood derby car masquerading as a truck imho. I think this will be a huge flop.

</comment><comment><USER408> Is this for real? That rear slope looks like it will kill headroom in the back.

Looks like a concept car (truck).

</comment><comment><USER409> I was hoping for a design similar to the Bollinger. I thought that box look with Tesla battery could be a big hit.

[https://bollingermotors.com/](https://bollingermotors.com/)

</comment><comment><USER410> This thing looks like one of those low-poly svgs used while loading the full thing; I keep expecting an actual truck to appear, but no dice.

</comment><comment><USER411> How is it that all ~2000 comments are under one discussion thread?

</comment><comment><USER412> This is what happens when an Aztec mates with a Delorean. This is the biggest boondoggle, maybe ever. The Reliant Robin has more charisma than this thing.

<comment><USER413> An iconic car with an almost 30-year production run? I'm sure Tesla would be OK with that kind of "boondoggle" on their hands.

</comment></comment><comment><USER414> A lot of people are talking about how it looks awesome. I guess they've done their market research to target the audience that wants this. It's looks like 1980s sci-fi threw up and I think it looks terrible for appealing to most of the general population.

They'll probably make their money off of it (with tax subsidies, which is still keeping most of Musk's enterprises afloat .. so we're all paying for it, sadly), but it's because they target the demographic clearly represented in a lot of these comments.

Personally, I think the design looks awful and terrible. I don't even really like the current Tesla with their terrible UI, stupid "touch-screen- everything" and lack of tactile buttons. But whatever, I'm sure it will sell.

<comment><USER62> i had to double back and check where i came from, as i said out loud to myself "wait, is this a joke?".

</comment></comment><comment><USER415> Cringe moment of the year when the glass broke

<comment><USER416> Twice...

</comment></comment><comment><USER417> Busted armoured windows on stage, live on TV - priceless.

</comment><comment><USER418> Are the people commenting that this truck is a good product just delusional or trolling?

<comment><USER98> Are you delusional or just trolling?

Shocking that people can like different things, I know.

</comment></comment><comment><USER419> Since nobody else has commented on this, I'd like to address the jackass who kept shouting to shoot the car with a gun:

You want him to fire live rounds in a room full of people. Live rounds that we are expecting to ricochet.

Stop watching action movies and go the fuck outside, you absolute unit.

</comment><comment><USER420> This is a design abomination and a colossal mistake. Like many, I've been a fan of Tesla from the beginning because of the beautiful and tantalizing design language which was backed up with mind boggling performance. It made you aspire for the vehicle. Why would Tesla mess with that formula? This truck is horrendous, an absolute beast. This looks like a high school science project gone bad. I actually thought the whole thing was a joke and I was waiting for Elon to smash it with the sledge hammer at the end to reveal a prince of a vehicle underneath a frog skin. It never happened and I was speechless. Yes, the features and specs were in keeping with Tesla's awe- inspiring tradition. But, I can't say the same for the design. Elon, we're all human beings and we make mistakes. Please fix and re-do. Your company reputation and survival depend on this. I am utterly shocked and extremely disappointed.

Jay K.</comment>