The Tesla Cybertruck is one of the most anticipated electric vehicles coming to market, but it has faced several delays and challenges since its unveiling in 2019. A recent leak of an internal engineering report reveals that the Alpha prototype of the Cybertruck had multiple design flaws that affected its performance and safety.
According to the report, which was dated January 25th 2022, and obtained by Wired, the Cybertruck had serious problems with its suspension, braking, and handling. The report also mentioned issues with noise, leaks, and structural shakes. The engineers who wrote the report expressed their frustration and disbelief at how Tesla struggled with the basics of vehicle design.
The report suggests that the Cybertruck’s unconventional shape and structure made it difficult to seal and balance. The engineers rated the Cybertruck’s braking performance as a four out of ten, which is considered unsafe for public roads. The Cybertruck also exhibited excessive body roll, steering instability, and poor cornering ability.
The report was part of a larger collection of internal documents that were leaked by a whistleblower last month. The documents also included emails, memos, and presentations that revealed various aspects of Tesla’s operations and culture.
Tesla has not commented on the authenticity or accuracy of the leaked report, but it has previously stated that the Cybertruck is still in development and that it will undergo significant changes before production. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that the first release candidates of the Cybertruck will be ready by late August 2023 and that mass production will begin in 2024.
Camo’d Cybertruck recently caught testing in Palo Alto
The Cybertruck has attracted a lot of attention and interest from consumers, with over 1.8 million reservations as of June 2023. Tesla aims to produce 375,000 Cybertrucks per year at its Gigafactory in Texas. The Cybertruck is expected to compete with other electric pickup trucks such as the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Rivian R1T, and the GMC Hummer EV.
The truck is a bold and innovative vehicle that has been hyped up to revolutionize the electric vehicle market. However, it also faces many challenges and uncertainties that could affect its success. The leaked report sheds some light on the difficulties and risks involved in creating such a radical product.
Electrified Mag’s Take: Tesla, the Apple Computer of cars, is on a roll these days. Basking in the glow of rapid growth, record sales, and a fawning fan base, it can do no wrong. It even has old coot Sandy Munro frothing at the mouth over on YouTube. Seems all you need to build, sell and service millions of cars and trucks is an iPhone, robots, and CAD/CAM software, right?
Well, as Elon Musk himself admits, making cars is really, really hard. Adding disappearing door handles, falcon doors, and exoskeleton frames makes things even trickier. Looks like Tesla isn’t immune from teething problems and setbacks when producing a new model either. Wait, what? Tesla isn’t immune to the laws of physics? Apparently not.
To be fair, Wired’s expose of Cybertruck development problems is centered around an early development mule from years ago. Hopefully, things have been ironed out now, and the truck, (which is still AWOL after four years,) will appear soon.
Development issues might be the least of Tesla’s worries when it comes to the Cybertruck. While its exotic structure and space-age styling might dazzle schoolboys and high-tech hipsters, we think it will be a tough sell to fleet buyers and loyal truck buyers. Tesla has had the EV space to itself for years and its cars benefited from all that blue sky. The Cybertruck will drop into a very crowded field populated by some serious competition with bulletproof brand loyalty minus the bizarre styling.
We love Tesla and Elon but are immune from the frenzy surrounding the brand. Only time will tell, but we think the Cybertruck isn’t going to be a grand slam hit. If you hate me and think I’m crazy, tell me why in the comments section.
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