Tesla Truck preview?

[begreen]

Other than a pimped up macho image, it doesn't seem like much of a real truck. The pickup truck bed looks like a 3-4ft afterthought.
(broken link removed)

 

[ABMax24]

I think it'll sell like crazy. Colorado, Canyon, Ranger and Tacoma sized trucks with the short boxes seem to be selling like no tomorrow around here. Add in the incredible acceleration of an electric and I think they will have a winner. I'd probably even buy one, but it wouldn't be able to replace my 1 ton for fifth wheel towing.

 

[HitzerHillbilly]

I have to say, I really like the look of Tesla cars....... this truck not so much.


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[pjohnson]

I see exactly zero use for that thing, I need a truck that pulls a trailer and tractor, I need to pull a 6000 pound boat, I need to haul fire wood, I need plywood and 2x4’s. It doesn’t look like it has any practically as a truck. I’ll keep my one ton diesel.

 

[Sawset]

Foo foo hasn't stopped vehicle sales in the US in the past, pickups or otherwise.
If utility was the only criteria, then get a fiat flatbed.
Styling comes in different degrees, some just need more.
I bet if they could pop the body off this one (bet they can) and drop on a f350 bling body, that would change the whole dynamic.

 

[blades]

get thre price down to 30k and they would not be able to build it fast enough. 300-500 mile range more details needed but even at the 300 on one charge is a game changer at present. even with the state surcharges for electric vechiles and the a $50 k price tag I just may be able to afford one considering what I spend in fuel on my escape doing 100 miles a day minimum. I sure miss having the truck with me everyday ( f250 or f150) but one has to make concessions. I will run the F250 diesel about once a week to do all the things I can't do with the little roller-skate. Towing and heavy stuff is for the F250 anyway. and NO I do not like the tiny engines in the newer F150s because just like my escape the fuel mileage goes to h in a hand bag quick ( no replacement for displacement in the ICE world) when you start loading it. Cord of wood and my trailer is around 7000+ lbs( 5t trailer) the 6x10 trailer and 1/2 cord is apx 3000 + ( yep pulled that with the 16 Escape ( 2L turbo) several times but the milage drops to about 14 or less vs no load at 25+. Weather and temps really play with the fuel mileage on that unit. Above 60 deg F 29-31 mpg, 30-60 deg apx 25-27 mpg, below 30deg 25 or so mpg, no load. roughly 90 miles freeway and 10 city daily round trip. avg velocity on freeway 72mph city portion apx 40mph. avg. I can't see the mills in the current f150 units doing any better and likely suffer the same fuel economy drops temp wise.

 

[begreen]

I don't like the looks of the Rivian, but it seems like it wouldn't be a challenge to put a ladder or pipe rack on it. The Tesla to me looks like a Frankentruck with the sloped roof scalped off the sedan and an afterthought of a truck bed glued on the rear. It doesn't look like it is made to be a daily chit hauler.

 

[blades]

soccer mom/dad type? if it is uni body not interested. Actual towing abilities? Are brakes even going to be able to handle a 30k load? making it move is one thing keeping it on the road and stopping is another ball park- 5 ton behind my F250 is twitchy enough when the cross winds start and that truck weighs in at just shy of 9k lbs, F150 mostly tip the scales at under 7k for the 4door cab.

 

[ABMax24]

soccer mom/dad type? if it is uni body not interested. Actual towing abilities? Are brakes even going to be able to handle a 30k load? making it move is one thing keeping it on the road and stopping is another ball park- 5 ton behind my F250 is twitchy enough when the cross winds start and that truck weighs in at just shy of 9k lbs, F150 mostly tip the scales at under 7k for the 4door cab.

Odds are it will have electric regenerative braking like the Tesla cars that will do the brunt of the work. Besides if you are towing 30k lbs you'd better have brakes on the trailer, if not that's a suicide mission regardless of the tow vehicle.

I've also towed enough different trailers with enough different trucks to understand that weight doesn't play the role that many believe. I also have an F350 and tow a 10,500lb fifth wheel with a 2000lb boat trailer behind that handles like a dream, other than the extra weight on acceleration the truck drives the same as empty. I have also towed 22,000 lbs behind a Ram 5500 for a GCWR of 38,000lbs and had absolutely no issues with handling. Along with numerous other trailers behind 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. It's all to do with hitch and trailer type as well as how it's loaded. A standard bumper pull trailer that is loaded with the weight front or back handles aweful, the more weight that can be placed over the axles the better.

I feel this Tesla truck will be no different, it will be more than capable at whatever it is rated at. The new SAE standards on towing capacity definitely give a better representation of capacity than the old standards.

 

[Ashful]

I see exactly zero use for that thing, I need a truck that pulls a trailer and tractor, I need to pull a 6000 pound boat, I need to haul fire wood, I need plywood and 2x4’s. It doesn’t look like it has any practically as a truck. I’ll keep my one ton diesel.

Well, first let’s remember that the majority of pickup trucks (at least around here) seem to be driven by people who treat them as bloated family wagons, and never even want to get them dirty, let alone haul anything with them.

But then for the rest of us, I agree with some of your points, but not quite all of it. The short bed is useless, and would kill the deal for me right there. If it’s unibody construction, which I did not see mentioned in the article, then that’s definitely a problem for hauling capacity, as well.

But as a tow vehicle, I’m not sure I see the problem, in fact I suspect they might make a very good short-range dedicated tow vehicle. Why not? I do a ton of short-range towing, whether it’s taking my boats to the lake, towing my tractor over to the church to do work there, or pulling my tandem-axle firewood trailer. I do a ton of towing that’s under 100 miles round trip, and also use my truck as my commuter any time the weather is too ugly for my fun car. The Tesla could be good for both of these purposes, and could be a viable option if they’d just put an 80 inch bed on it.

 

[ryanwc]

Looks like the old Avalanche. Which didnt exactly light a fire, but who knows. I'm a pickup driver/environmentalist, so intrigued. I pull 16-kayak trailers, which don't require that much power. But it doesn't look like I could put paddles in the bed. Everyone's use for a pickup will be different.

 

[semipro]

The Tesla truck reminds me of a Tonka toy truck, but I have to admit I like it.

The short bed is useless

Having had full sized pickups and I was a bit worried when I bought a double cab Tacoma with the short bed. After 8 years of ownership I can honestly say that I haven't found anything that I've wanted to haul that I couldn't, and I haul a lot and often.
I thought the bed extender would be useless - far from it. I haul 4x8 sheet goods and 10 ft. lumber on it regularly. Anything bigger and I use my receiver hitch rack with roof racks or stick it through the rear sliding window. I find the rear seating area to much more useful than another foot or two of bed. If I need to haul bigger, I hook up the 18 ft. dual axle trailer.
I can't honestly see how I'd benefit from a full sized pickup unless I was towing a large RV or equipment a lot.

 

[Ashful]

I was a bit worried when I bought a double cab Tacoma with the short bed. After 8 years of ownership I can honestly say that I haven't found anything that I've wanted to haul that I couldn't,

The bed on your little Taco looks enormous, compared to the bed on that Tesla.

I’ve had all three bed lengths common to American pickups, 8’, 6.5’, and now 5.5’. I’m fine with the 6.5’ bed, but have to admit the 5.5’ bed is a problem every time I need to haul any trim moulding.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

If a 4 ft bed works for you, you probably don't need a truck. That said, if you still want one, go for it!

 

[Seasoned Oak]

This one is even weirder.
And the bulletproof test didnt go well at all.

Tesla Cybertruck: Watch Elon Musk debut his electric truck

If you missed tonight's livestream reveal of Tesla's radically angular, bulletproof pickup truck, fear not! You can still watch it here.

www.cnet.com

 

[EatenByLimestone]

In high school, a friend shot a beebee at his window. It started ceacking and eventually, like a couple days after, stared all of the tempered glass.

Musk should have played with beebee guns more as a kid.

 

[Ashful]

Stainless steel bodies were tried before, by John deLorean. They ended up looking even worse than uncleaned stainless appliances, as soon as they got some finger oils and road grime on them. Permanent stains that could never be washed away, and just forget ever doing body work after a fender bender.

I hope the stainless body is just to show off the concept, and not something actually being considered for production.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Personally, I'm surprised the Saturn plastic body didnt take off. The few still on the road still look great. Pop a fender off and put a new one on. It's not like the body shops dont do that with the regular steel fenders.

I dont think it would work for the truck bed, but front quarter panels and doors would be fine and they wouldn't rust out.

 

[DBoon]

I'm surprised the Saturn plastic body didnt take off. The few still on the road still look great.

As a long-time Saturn owner in a perpetually snowy upstate NY climate in a state where the roads are covered in salt 4 days out of 7 in the winter, I can attest to what a great idea the plastic body panels were in terms of durability.

 

[CombatChris]

Stainless steel bodies were tried before,

It's not a body. It's an exoskeleton. Not panel on unibody, or even body on frame. Exoskeleton. Think airplane, how the outer surface is load bearing. 3mm thick cold rolled stainless.