This Thursday electric car company leader Tesla announced their latest car following their previous announcement of their latest SUV Model Y, an all-electric ‘cyber’ truck. Being only their sixth vehicle and their first reach into the pickup range of vehicles, the truck’s design was presented stunningly, not just the cyber-punk themed occasion but also the reveal of its seriously bold design. Possessing Musk’s enigmatic character and ambition for ground-breaking innovation, the Tesla Pickup truck’s reveal shattered everyone’s expectations, mostly for good and some bad. Tesla continued its ambitious direction by delivering an unprecedented redesign of the traditional image of a pickup truck. With a totally stainless steel body, 16 inches of ground clearance and chunky, black tyre, the car immediately showcased itself as something brought back from the future. Unlike traditional cars or pickup trucks, there is no flat roof to this car. Instead, the body is shaped by two slopes meeting at a focal precipice like two forward-facing ramps. Tesla’s choice of a large exoskeleton and a sloping back body means the empty truck bed floor can be concealed within the shell, the back being able to slide open when needed and close to re-piece the fully armoured body. With the car stood high above the ground, two imposing LED beams run across the front bumper and roof to add to its dominating presence. The windows are designed to be well armoured, expecting to withstand weighted impact despite the demonstration going embarrassingly wrong when tested. However, this huge attention to redesigning the traditional look of a pickup truck has been extremely polarising. Musk indicated months ago of a design similar to Blade Runner but some never really expected the company to follow so closely. Some have suggested this has been a forceful, radical shift towards achieving a bold futuristic design that comes off looking obnoxious and unnecessary in today’s market.
Less has been released about the interior which remains unfinished but Verge, Marques Brownlee and others have provided followers with a brief look inside. There are six seats in total, three at the back and three at the front with the middle being able to be folded into an armrest. A large panoramic roof pans above providing an immersive driving, seating experience. And of course, at the centre as with all their cars, sits a central infotainment system, this time a wide 17-inch screen. In general, Tesla’s startling futuristic design, with its elongated sloping back and all grey steel body, is perfectly reminiscent of the Delorean in Back to the Future or perhaps closer as intended to 1982 Blade Runner.
The starting price is expected to be around $40,000 with “>three versions of the truck to be available for purchase with ranging miles, speed and towing capacity:
- Single motor rear-wheel drive will have 250 miles of range, 7-500-pound towing capacity and 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds. All for $39,400
- Dual motor all-wheel drive will have 300 miles of range, 10-000 pound towing capacity and 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds. All for $49,900
- The top range will be a triple motor all-wheel drive, covering 500 miles of range and towing up to 14-000 pounds and reaching 0-60mph in 2.9 seconds. This version will cost $69,00 but will only start production in late 2022.
I’ve long fan and follower of Elon Musk and have always been starstruck by his extraordinary inventiveness. While Musk does enjoy throwing the occasional hyperbole, his presentation and lead certainly delivered Tesla’s bold innovative character. The company is upheld by many as the leaders of changing the market. Their early dive into electric cars and persistence is now reaping major benefits as the rest are beginning to follow suit with their own models, Ford recently showcasing their new Mach-E all-electric SUV. Nonetheless, the Tesla ‘Cyber Truck’ is truly like no other. An all-electric beast that is going right up against the heavy, hungry fossil fuel eating trucks that dominate the current market. The price may still be a concern for many but there is little doubt Tesla is mounting their next challenge in the American automobile business. For me, perhaps being from the UK and not ever seeing myself buying an actual truck, I have found the whole pickup truck range sector uninspiring. However, as Musk has been so good at convincing people to buy things they don’t exactly need, his company Tesla has made me think of trucks entirely differently. Their cyber truck helps me envision a range of trucks which are for once going to be cleaner, quiet, efficient and ingenious. While still divides opinions, I strongly believe this a vehicle Tesla has showcased carries its strong branding and drive to offer products that stand out and do things truly uniquely. For now, I can only jabber on about the design and hopeful performance of this Tesla ‘cyber truck’. It will be fascinating to see how it performs in the real-world once it out there from next year.
Evolutech 