Is the Cyber Truck a Flop?

[WinterDeere]

I think the cyber truck's outward appearance hinders its acceptance. The design is for a niche that for the most part can't afford it
And if that is such a great design why don't his cars look the same? Because they are very popular....

Agreed. The appearance keeps me from even looking at one, and I'm not particularly opposed to EV's. Heck, I even like the Rivian, but would be hesitant to drop that much money on a brand that could very likely go away during my ownership period. Anyone try to buy parts for a Saturn or an Oldsmobile, recently?

Trailer hitch receivers that fall off also kill the deal for me, since I use my pickup as my primary tow vehicle. It's hard to understand how Tesla screwed that one up, so badly.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I'll take one of these with 3 pedals...

 

[Fixastuff]

Huh.....

I think he’s saying you constantly cover the forum in stank. lol. His words not mine

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm repeating myself. If the Ford Lightning ever becomes a serious option, I might buy one. Not having an engine under the hood, but using that space for a lockable truck is a game changer for me. As a contractor, an 8 foot bed isn't enough storage for me. Especially when doing demo!!! I have tools inside my truck, but there is never enough room. I put tool boxes on the passenger seat too.

If it had a reliable range, and I could charge it home and avoid going to the gas station, and it could haul a full load of debris, it would be a very tempting work truck. I don't see Tesla doing any of those things that I need, and Ford is the only one that seems to have this idea in mind. They just haven't passed the test on actually working properly. If they stick with it, they should be able to figure it out. The next question would be if I could afford it or not?

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I'm repeating myself. If the Ford Lightning ever becomes a serious option, I might buy one. Not having an engine under the hood, but using that space for a lockable truck is a game changer for me. As a contractor, an 8 foot bed isn't enough storage for me. Especially when doing demo!!! I have tools inside my truck, but there is never enough room. I put tool boxes on the passenger seat too.

If it had a reliable range, and I could charge it home and avoid going to the gas station, and it could haul a full load of debris, it would be a very tempting work truck. I don't see Tesla doing any of those things that I need, and Ford is the only one that seems to have this idea in mind. They just haven't passed the test on actually working properly. If they stick with it, they should be able to figure it out. The next question would be if I could afford it or not?

?

 

[5030]

2 key aspects of ANY pure electric powered truck is 1. Useable range and 2. Purchase cost.

Until the useable LOADED range becomes substantial and cost gets manageable, I don't see them being widely accepted.

Having said that, battery technology is advancing rapidly so the useable loaded range should improve. The question is and always will be, affordability.

 

[5030]

I think he’s saying you constantly cover the forum in stank. lol. His words not mine

Really, glad he's not my neighbor... Forums are all about opinions and if my opinion don't jibe with his, I could care less and if he don't like my opinion, he can always put me on ignore. Simple solution I'd say.

 

[ning]

Other that providing a way for investors to make $$, and to kick other auto makers in the pants, Tesla has no reason to exist.

An electric motor in a car is nothing more than a line-item option. Check one box: Gas, Diesel, Hybrid, Electric. Now pick the color, choose your interior trim package, etc. It doesn't even justify a specific car model, let along a whole company. There is nothing to prevent every car manufacturer from offering electric versions of their cars. Oh, wait, they are already doing that. You don't see specific car models because they have an automatic transmission rather than a manual transmission. And you surely don't see a whole car company built around offering automatic transmissions.

All the feedback I get from people who have owned Teslas is that they are fundamentally crappy cars. Lots of problems, and cheap construction. Electric, yes. But otherwise crap. Other companies are underselling their forecasts of electric cars. That speaks to real market demand. The only reason Tesla is selling more is because it's a fashion statement. A way for indulgent people to green-wash themselves. It's for 1%ers to demonstrate their greenness.

Manual transmissions go in the same slot of a car as an automatic, and overall aren't significantly different in size and shape. Same with gas vs diesel in the same power class - goes in the same place, similar(ish) size.

There's a significant difference between ICE and EV powertrains: the EV battery is frikken huge and heavy - full EV batteries can top a TON in weight. This matters to construction because you don't just say "well we don't need that 600# (6 liter gas) / 1000# (diesel) up front, drop the battery there!". The good thing about batteries is that you can either split them up or make them fairly flat, which gives better weight distribution (EV batteries are often placed under the floor between the two axles, which keeps the center of mass low and close to 50/50). Also, EV motors don't need to be at one end of the power train, and they're very compact and light; it's common for EVs to have one motor in front and one in back.

Finally, ICE engines need a cooling system that's significantly bigger and different than EVs.

You could make a vehicle design that allows either type of powertrain (ICE/EV), but it would likely have some serious compromises in either configuration.

 

[WinterDeere]

I'll take one of these with 3 pedals...View attachment 2396631View attachment 2396632View attachment 2396633

Looks fun. But for 6am every morning, I like my remote start, auto-defrost, heated seats, and heated steering wheel. Also, you will need to pry the backup camera out of my cold, dead hands, I will never go back to the days of lining up a ball under a hitch without one.

 

[5030]

Hard to fault remote start on a cold morning for sure plus the heated seats and steering wheel.

Far as lining up the ball with the receiver, never been an issue here as I pull a GN trailer.

 

[WinterDeere]

Far as lining up the ball with the receiver, never been an issue here as I pull a GN trailer.

Must be tough, only owning one trailer.

Mine are all way lighter than yours, but I seem to be backing up to a different trailer with a different hitch, each time. I can just muscle my boat trailers into place, but the tongue weight on my landscape trailer runs maybe 400 - 1000 lb., depending on how I have the thing loaded. I can't budge it when more than half-loaded.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Looks fun. But for 6am every morning, I like my remote start, auto-defrost, heated seats, and heated steering wheel. Also, you will need to pry the backup camera out of my cold, dead hands, I will never go back to the days of lining up a ball under a hitch without one.

They're all 1970...the pinnacle of American cars & trucks. I've never had trouble lining up hitch ball with a trailer. If it's close I move truck or trailer a bit by hand. We have 3 cars with cameras we never use.
I worked at a service station in 1970 and drove the owner's '70 F100 352FE 3 on the tree he ordered. Sweet truck. Here are the engine choices, not all were imported:
140 CID (2.3 L) Lima I4 (Brazil)
170 CID (2.8 L) Thriftpower I6
221 CID (3.6 L) I6 (Argentina)
240 CID (3.9 L) I6
272 CID (4.5 L) Y-block V8 (Brazil)
289 CID (4.7 L) Windsor V8 (Mexico)
292 CID (4.8 L) Y-block V8 (Argentina)
300 CID (4.9 L) I6
302 CID (5.0 L) Windsor V8
335 CID (5.4 L) V8 (Mexico, medium-duty only)
352 CID (5.8 L) FE V8
360 CID (5.9 L) FE V8
390 CID (6.4 L) FE V8
Diesel
203 CID (3.3 L) Perkins I4 diesel (Argentina)
239 CID (3.9 L) MWM D2229-4 Naturally Aspirated I4 diesel (Brazil)
239 CID (3.9 L) MWM TD229-4 Turbocharged, non-intercooled I4 diesel (Brazil)

 

[ruffdog]

Must be tough, only owning one trailer.

Mine are all way lighter than yours, but I seem to be backing up to a different trailer with a different hitch, each time. I can just muscle my boat trailers into place, but the tongue weight on my landscape trailer runs maybe 400 - 1000 lb., depending on how I have the thing loaded. I can't budge it when more than half-loaded.

^same here. Other than my trailers and wood splitter, I seem to get the job of towing my friends boats, splitter, hay wagons and RVs so I wished my truck had a rear camera.

 

[Oaktree]

2 key aspects of ANY pure electric powered truck is 1. Useable range and 2. Purchase cost.

Until the useable LOADED range becomes substantial and cost gets manageable, I don't see them being widely accepted.

I'd add a third factor...overabundance of technology. It seems that every automaker thinks they have to install a dash that looks like a spaceship in EVs instead of something logical and simple to use. Not to say they aren't doing it with ICEs too, but they seem obligated to go over the top on EVs.

Looks fun. But for 6am every morning, I like my remote start, auto-defrost, heated seats, and heated steering wheel. Also, you will need to pry the backup camera out of my cold, dead hands, I will never go back to the days of lining up a ball under a hitch without one.

I'll give you the camera for lining up a hitch, but a for the rest of that stuff...meh. My truck has all that, never use it. Actually, even for normal backing up, I'll stick with mirrors/looking over my shoulder...just can't get the hang of backing straight with a camera.

 

[Tomtint]

I think the Tesla truck is the Hummer H2 of today. More a status symbol.. Or virtue signal than anything else.

 

[Oaktree]

They're all 1970...the pinnacle of American cars & trucks. I've never had trouble lining up hitch ball with a trailer. If it's close I move truck or trailer a bit by hand. We have 3 cars with cameras we never use.
I worked at a service station in 1970 and drove the owner's '70 F100 352FE 3 on the tree he ordered. Sweet truck. Here are the engine choices, not all were imported:
140 CID (2.3 L) Lima I4 (Brazil)
170 CID (2.8 L) Thriftpower I6
221 CID (3.6 L) I6 (Argentina)
240 CID (3.9 L) I6
272 CID (4.5 L) Y-block V8 (Brazil)
289 CID (4.7 L) Windsor V8 (Mexico)
292 CID (4.8 L) Y-block V8 (Argentina)
300 CID (4.9 L) I6
302 CID (5.0 L) Windsor V8
335 CID (5.4 L) V8 (Mexico, medium-duty only)
352 CID (5.8 L) FE V8
360 CID (5.9 L) FE V8
390 CID (6.4 L) FE V8
Diesel
203 CID (3.3 L) Perkins I4 diesel (Argentina)
239 CID (3.9 L) MWM D2229-4 Naturally Aspirated I4 diesel (Brazil)
239 CID (3.9 L) MWM TD229-4 Turbocharged, non-intercooled I4 diesel (Brazil)

Are you saying all those engine choices were available for a F100 in 1970? Seems a bit excessive, don't you think? Imagine the inventory logistics keeping track of matching transmissions, radiators, etc.

 

[Fixastuff]

They're all 1970...the pinnacle of American cars & trucks. I've never had trouble lining up hitch ball with a trailer. If it's close I move truck or trailer a bit by hand. We have 3 cars with cameras we never use.
I worked at a service station in 1970 and drove the owner's '70 F100 352FE 3 on the tree he ordered. Sweet truck. Here are the engine choices, not all were imported:
140 CID (2.3 L) Lima I4 (Brazil)
170 CID (2.8 L) Thriftpower I6
221 CID (3.6 L) I6 (Argentina)
240 CID (3.9 L) I6
272 CID (4.5 L) Y-block V8 (Brazil)
289 CID (4.7 L) Windsor V8 (Mexico)
292 CID (4.8 L) Y-block V8 (Argentina)
300 CID (4.9 L) I6
302 CID (5.0 L) Windsor V8
335 CID (5.4 L) V8 (Mexico, medium-duty only)
352 CID (5.8 L) FE V8
360 CID (5.9 L) FE V8
390 CID (6.4 L) FE V8
Diesel
203 CID (3.3 L) Perkins I4 diesel (Argentina)
239 CID (3.9 L) MWM D2229-4 Naturally Aspirated I4 diesel (Brazil)
239 CID (3.9 L) MWM TD229-4 Turbocharged, non-intercooled I4 diesel (Brazil)

Give us the tow #s for them. If I can remember right I think it tops out at one potato sack(no potatoes in it, just the sack) lol. The pinnacle!!

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Are you saying all those engine choices were available for a F100 in 1970? Seems a bit excessive, don't you think? Imagine the inventory logistics keeping track of matching transmissions, radiators, etc.

Yes if you look it up. As I said, some were import market. Lots of parts interchange between like motors, just different bore & stroke.
I should have mentioned '70 Jeep Gladiator also.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Give us the tow #s for them. If I can remember right I think it tops out at one potato sack(no potatoes in it, just the sack) lol. The pinnacle!!

Then you'd want an F250 or F350 (10K#).

 

[Fixastuff]

Then you'd want an F250 or F350 (10K#).

10k is pathetic too.