Tesla's Cybertruck will retain it's massive wiper for production
MatthewDR/Twitter
The Tesla Cybertruck buzz continues to ramp up. Elon Musk says it will change the road, and he plans to make the futuristic truck his daily driver. Thanks to its distinctive design and outstanding performance capabilities, millions of buyers are on the wait list to drive this amazing truck.
Matthew Donegan-Ryan, a shareholder who attended Tesla's Investor Day, had the chance to speak with senior Tesla executives and learn more about Cybertruck. Several investors were sharing information about Cybertruck, but Matthew Donegan-Ryan has posted extensive videos about his conversations with Tesla executives.
Sizes and Variations
According to rumors, the Cybertruck pre-production beta that was on display at Investor Day is how the truck would appear if it were available for purchase right now. The Cybertruck is about 5% smaller than the prototype unveiled in 2019, but despite being a smaller vehicle than the Ford F-150 Raptor, it has more usable space. The Ford Super Crew Raptors at the event were comparable to the Cybertruck, which is slightly smaller. The size reduction means that the Cybertruck can only hold five passengers instead of six. It's expected to weigh between 6,500-7,500 pounds. Other investors are reporting 7,000 pounds
The Cybertruck will come in two versions: a dual-motor base model and a high-end performance model. It was initially believed that the top trim would be a quad motor, but conversations with Tesla staff seemed to suggest that Tesla would forego developing a quad-motor powertrain in favor of a tri-motor powertrain for the Cybertruck. All Cybertruck configurations will come standard with rear-wheel steering.
Largest Display in a Tesla
The Cybertruck will have Tesla's largest display ever, measuring 18.5 inches diagonally, however it'll come without a gauge cluster, or heads-up display. The redesigned Model S and Model X have a 17" center screen, while the Model 3 and Model Y include a 15" center display.
A combination of a typical round steering wheel and the yoke found on the Model S and Model X, the steering wheel will be round on the sides with flat top and bottom edges.
Unlike the F-150 Lightning, the front bumper grille does not open along with the hood. The production version of the Cybertruck windshield light bar will have amber lights, just like the Tesla semi, to indicate that the truck is wider than the standard 80 inches.
Wheels and Suspension
Highly advanced air suspension will come standard on every Cybertruck. Staff told the intrepid investor that Cybertruck can handle pretty much anything. "I was told very directly that they have tested the air suspension and they're confident it can handle Baja-style racing."
The Cybertruck will have 18-inch wheels, and at the very least, all-terrain and all-season standard tire options will be available. The tire's dimensions are 285/65 R18, or 35 inches by 11.25 inches by 18 inches. The company in charge of making the tires for the Cybertruck will be Goodyear. Donegan-Ryan estimates each tire will cost $385.
No Self-Presenting Doors
The doors on the Cybertruck won't self-present themselves like the doors on the Model X. Unlike the prototype's stainless steel bumpers, the Cybertruck's production beta's bumpers and side skirts are made of black plastic and are five-mile-per-hour impact compliant. The side-view mirrors are supposedly removable, but no confirmation of that.
New Team is Developing Accessories for Cybertruck
The 48-volt architecture used by the Cybertruck will provide more power, lighter and less expensive wiring, and a smaller accessories battery. For the vehicle, Tesla has created a Cybertruck Accessories Team, and rather than working with aftermarket businesses to build add-ons, Tesla will do it themselves. Off-roading, camping, and racing are the three subgroups of the Accessories team.
With millions of people on the waiting list in North America, it appears that list will not be opening up in Europe. With it's immense size, Donegan-Ryan says there are no plans to have this beast on the narrow European roads.
The Cybertruck will be a strong and adaptable vehicle, suitable for off-roading, camping, and even racing, according to the most recent information about it. The Cybertruck is poised to have a big impact on the pickup truck market thanks to its distinctive design and impressive features.
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Tesla recently showed off Giga Small Haus, an interesting new display project hosted at Giga Berlin. The small new house is located just outside the main entrance of Tesla’s Giga Berlin factory, with a Quicksilver Model Y parked inside.
Giga Small Haus is powered only by solar and Powerwall 3 - disconnected from the local grid and from Giga Berlin itself. It serves as a live demonstration of Tesla Solar and Tesla’s Powerwall battery backup.
Giga Small Haus
The centerpiece of the display is a Model Y in Quicksilver - a beautiful pick for a beautifully lit house. However, that’s not the real focus here - it's the Powerwall and Gateway on the wall.
The Powerwall is the focus of Giga Small Haus, and there’s a display with some additional information on the wall. Part of the display also includes a screen that displays the current output of the Powerwall itself versus the consumption of Giga Small Haus, as well as the input from solar.
The interior exhibit of Giga Small Haus
Not a Tesla App
The text on the exhibit is divided into several sections. Here’s a translated and edited version of what we can see from Tesla’s images. Some additional text is obscured. If someone visits Giga Small Haus, let us know.
Powerwall
Powerwall is a home battery system that stores energy from solar panels, the electrical grid, or during off-peak hours and powers your home during the day or during a power outage.
With Powerwall, you can use self-generated solar energy during the day and night, thus avoiding high electricity costs. You can also store excess energy produced during sunny periods for use during times of low production or power outages.
Key Features
Energy Storage: Powerwall stores excess energy from solar panels or the grid for later use or during power outages.
Backup Power: In the event of a power outage, Powerwall automatically switches to battery power to ensure continuous power supply.
Integration: Powerwall can be seamlessly integrated with existing solar systems and other power sources.
Scalability: Multiple Powerwalls can be installed to meet higher energy storage needs.
Smart Energy Management: Powerwall works with Tesla's software to optimize energy consumption and reduce costs.
How Powerwall Works
Storage: During the day, when solar panels produce more energy than needed, the excess is stored in Powerwall.
Usage: At night or during times of low solar production, the stored energy is used to power the home, reducing reliance on the grid.
Backup: During a power outage, Powerwall automatically provides power to critical circuits, ensuring continuous operation of essential appliances.
Benefits
Cost Savings: By storing and using solar energy, you can reduce your electricity bills.
Reliability: Provides backup power during outages, ensuring your home remains powered.
Sustainability: Promotes the use of renewable energy by storing excess solar production for later use.
Overall, Giga Small Haus is an interesting real-life demo of what Powerwall and Solar can accomplish. It would be neat if Tesla built more of these displays - perhaps near major Delivery and Service Centers and at Giga Texas, Fremont, Giga Shanghai, and other facilities. Many Tesla owners have yet to learn about and experience some of Tesla’s Energy products.
Tesla has added the Acceleration Boost option to the Tesla store for owners of the 2024 Model 3 Long Range - specifically owners in Australia and China. Acceleration Boost is an upgrade that provides a significant performance boost, drastically narrowing the performance gap between the Long Range and Performance versions of the same model.
This upgrade will likely become available in Europe, Canada, and the United States in the next few days as Tesla updates its shops globally.
Acceleration Boost
This new Acceleration Boost is retailing for $3,000 AUD, or approximately $2,000 USD. That’s the same price for current owners of older Model 3 or Model Y Long Range vehicles, which all have the option to purchase Acceleration Boost through the shop.
The boost provides improved 0-100km/h (0-60mph) performance, bumping the 2024 Model 3 LR from 4.4s to 3.8s. The 2024 Performance version comes in at a blazing fast 2.9 seconds, so while it isn’t equivalent to just buying a performance variant in the first place, it is still a noticeable and significant upgrade.
Performance variants also come with a different front fascia vent for cooling, performance drive units, sport seats, adaptive suspension, 20-inch wheels, and Track Mode V3. That’s a significant number of additional features in the $10,000 USD price difference between the Long Range and Performance versions.
Should You Buy It?
If you’ve purchased a Long Range model and are itching to go just that little bit faster at every red light, this is the upgrade for you. It previously came with the cost of slightly reducing vehicle range, but the Tesla store doesn’t make a note of reduced range this time around. The 2023 Model 3 and Model Y Long Range models had an efficiency loss of about 5% due to the additional always-available acceleration and cooling.
You could drive in Chill mode to mostly negate that efficiency loss, but what’s the fun in driving in Chill when you just got Acceleration Boost? Anyhow, the shop listing for the 2024 variant doesn’t include this detail, so it's possible Tesla may have worked some more engineering magic.
Overall, if you’ve got the $3,000 AUD burning a hole in your pocket, some Tesla referral credits sitting around, or just want to go faster, it's definitely an upgrade many users find valuable.
