New Cybertruck "alpha" spotted at Giga Texas

[glhs837]

So, some nice person found views similar enough to make comparison easier. The "OMG they ruined it" crowd is in full roar. The changes dont bother me, about what I expected when you turn concept into reality. Most thing its significantly smaller, I think the only real loss was length in the nose, maybe 5-7 inches. Mirrors, some love them, some hate them. But in any case, they will be easily removable in favor of cameras. No door handles, the doors open themselves when you approach. passengers will trigger theirs by touching a finger to the small rectangle seen to the rear of each window. The mega wiper, most think it will extend lengthwise as it travels through its arc to hit the while window. Its two wiper blades in one arm. I'm still sold

 

[OccamsRazor]

Looks like something from Damnation Alley or Mad Max.

 

[stgislander]

Doesn't look like a truck. How many bags of mulch or sheets of plywood can it carry?

 

[Ken King]

How many bags of mulch or sheets of plywood can it carry?

Well it claims a 3,500 pound payload capacity and a 6.5 foot bed so I'm guessing one each.

 

[Kyle]

Doesn't look like a truck. How many bags of mulch or sheets of plywood can it carry?

Seriously.

I doubt you’ll ever see it on a construction site.

 

[Sneakers]

Rich man's Honda Ridgeline.

A lot of concept cars never look like the final product, if even ever built. All of those futuristic Popular Mechanic looking bubble cars back in the 50s and 60s come to mind.

concept bubble cars 50s - Google Search

 

[glhs837]

Rich man's Honda Ridgeline.

A lot of concept cars never look like the final product, if even ever built. All of those futuristic Popular Mechanic looking bubble cars back in the 50s and 60s come to mind.

concept bubble cars 50s - Google Search

So. there is some commonality in appearance, but the structure is obviously a lot different, as those specs might hint. 3,500 payload, towing was 7K base to 14K top, but that base model single motor is gone, we are looking at either 10K for the dual motor, or 14K for the quad motor. All these number are not Ridgeline numbers. And costwise, we are looking at being comparable to other full size rucks with similar capabilities. So no more rich man than anyone else buying a full size truck. More details on the 26th, we hope.

So the top one is the concept, the bottom is the much closer to production version. Call it the 90% production version which should start production late this year, or early in 23.

 

[jrt_ms1995]

Still ugly.

 

[Clem72]

They rounded the front a bit (bumpers, profile, and lights), I liked it more square. This seems like a compromise. Don't like the mirrors, would have rather had the camera setup.

I have a reservation on the lightning, but I don't think I will pull the trigger. Ideally I would want EV features from the lightning in a Bronco package that will fit in my garage.

 

[Sneakers]

Don't like the mirrors, would have rather had the camera setup.

I found mirrors to be much easier on the eyes, although they do detract from the appearance.

If you are focused forward, then glance in a mirror, your focal length is the same. If you are focused forward and then look down to a screen, your eyes have to refocus to 1-2 feet. When you look up again, re-focus to distance. Since I can't see clearly at 2 feet, I have to use glasses to clearly see the screen. I don't need glasses for the rear-view mirror. At highway speed, the time needed to re-focus and register is significantly longer for me than just glancing in a mirror.

 

[glhs837]

They rounded the front a bit (bumpers, profile, and lights), I liked it more square. This seems like a compromise. Don't like the mirrors, would have rather had the camera setup.

I have a reservation on the lightning, but I don't think I will pull the trigger. Ideally I would want EV features from the lightning in a Bronco package that will fit in my garage.

From what Musk has said, the mirrors, the ones you see or the final design, will be easily removable. Then its between you and your state. The FMVSS requires them to deliver it with three mirrors, but some states only require one, some require two. MD is a two mirror state. And while Id like to think the boys in blue might have better things to do than count your mirrors, who knows.

I think Ford isnt going to be introducing any new EVs for a couple of years. They were already battery constrained with the Mach-E, then they upped production quite a bit. They are committed to the Lightning in a big way, and since that's an inefficient conversion job, its going to need a metric shitton of batteries per unit, even for the base with low range. The new Maverick Hybrid was cut off from ordering last fall, I assume because they simply don't have the spare batteries. going to take 2 years to scale new capacity, maybe longer if Unka Joe cant whip out the subsidy checkbook.

 

[Clem72]

I found mirrors to be much easier on the eyes, although they do detract from the appearance.

If you are focused forward, then glance in a mirror, your focal length is the same. If you are focused forward and then look down to a screen, your eyes have to refocus to 1-2 feet. When you look up again, re-focus to distance. Since I can't see clearly at 2 feet, I have to use glasses to clearly see the screen. I don't need glasses for the rear-view mirror. At highway speed, the time needed to re-focus and register is significantly longer for me than just glancing in a mirror.

Might be different on the cybertruck, but every car I have seen that uses cameras instead of mirrors puts the video on the dash or in the window corner where you would see the mirror anyways. Not on the center console/infotainment system.

 

[Sneakers]

Might be different on the cybertruck, but every car I have seen that uses cameras instead of mirrors puts the video on the dash or in the window corner where you would see the mirror anyways. Not on the center console/infotainment system.

Where it is isn't the issue. Having to change the focal length of your eyes is the issue. You don't change the focal length for mirrors, you do with screens.

 

[Clem72]

Where it is isn't the issue. Having to change the focal length of your eyes is the issue. You don't change the focal length for mirrors, you do with screens.

Sorry, misread what you originally said. Agree that is a an issue, though I don't know if I would consider it a significant one. People see motion better out of their peripheral vision, so even if you have spend an extra 1/2 second looking to the side screen while waiting for your eyes to focus, you will still be able to detect sudden large movements in front of the car.

 

[Sneakers]

Sorry, misread what you originally said. Agree that is a an issue, though I don't know if I would consider it a significant one. People see motion better out of their peripheral vision, so even if you have spend an extra 1/2 second looking to the side screen while waiting for your eyes to focus, you will still be able to detect sudden large movements in front of the car.

I use screens for rear-cameras when pulling the trailers and I have one on the Slingshot. I find it very annoying. It's significant to me. Like I said, I have to wear glasses to see the screen, but don't to see forward or in a mirror. I don't normally wear glasses when driving, so seeing the screen is a problem.

 

[Sneakers]

Cybertruck delayed until 2023.

 

[glhs837]

Cybertruck delayed until 2023.

But it already was Production, anyway. Seems like they are still moving forward, but with less urgency. Need to ramp the new battery plant to levels that can support the cash cow Model Y, which initially will be using cells made at the pilot plant at Kato Road. So either the battery line in Texas will need to ramp, or maybe they are going to wait til Panasonic completes its 4680 line in Nevada.