Tesla truck

maschinenbau said:

How about a Tesla minivan? Now hear me out... 

Some of us don't "need" the comically small, tall bed, but we DO need big, low cargo space, family space, and towing capacity for the weekends. The only things that do that are 4-door pickups or big SUVs. Replace the weak link in the traditional minivan - the car-based transmission - with a torquey EV drivetrain, and combined with the long wheelbase should tow as much as an electric truck. But with 4x8 sized cargo space. Now that's the EV I actually need.

Plus, gapping muscle cars at the strip doing AWD burnouts...

They're coming. Maybe not quite the workhorse you're imagining, but Mercedes just unveiled their new EV van:

Latest speculative render...

In reply to BradLTL :

If that's a full size truck, then there's a lifted Caprice in the 'hood that is missing its wheels.

maschinenbau said:

How about a Tesla minivan? Now hear me out... 

Some of us don't "need" the comically small, tall bed, but we DO need big, low cargo space, family space, and towing capacity for the weekends. The only things that do that are 4-door pickups or big SUVs. Replace the weak link in the traditional minivan - the car-based transmission - with a torquey EV drivetrain, and combined with the long wheelbase should tow as much as an electric truck. But with 4x8 sized cargo space. Now that's the EV I actually need.

Plus, gapping muscle cars at the strip doing AWD burnouts...

Robbie said:

If Tesla made a minivan not only would I buy one for the family, I'd also buy as many as I could finance.

I'd outfit them with airline-style beds and comfy chairs and wifi and start running concierge service between east coast cities. Get on, sleep, arrive at your destination for the same price as a flight. No security hassle, no waiting for delays, no parking, bag fees, airports, or other idiots sitting next to you.

And then, as soon as the Tesla's become fully self driving, my profits skyrocket since I no longer have to pay the drivers.

But aint that just the Model X?

I hate those speculative renderings - people always jump to the conclusion they're real, when they're just made up by some random person.

I'd love an ev minivan. Probably buying an ev for my next car. 

But not a Tesla.

Here's your reveal...

That was unexpected.

There's no berking way that's the real thing.

Spy shot of Elon during design session that produced that um, thing.

On the other hand, my Ridgeline just edged a bit closer to legitimacy.

Design is totally polarizing, but the specs are great.

$40k starting price single motor RWD 7500lbs towing capacity and 250 mile range on that model

$70k AWD triple motor 14000lb towing and 300+ mile range.

Towing will eat into the range for sure, but probably a non issue for all but the most hardcore users.

I honestly cant tell if the reveal was an elaborate joke, or if they are just winging it... the wheel was falling off for hecks sake. So confused. 

The Cybertruck design is so out there, so Total Recall, that I'd actually buy one.  To be "THAT GUY" in the HOV lane.  For Model 3/Mustang Mach-E money.

In reply to nderwater :

Its bold. I honestly gotta give them credit for not doing what was expected. I almost like it, but the roofline is a bit akward. I am totally a fan of the bladerunner styling, but the proportions seem all wrong. The Aztec'esque tent option shown on their site suggests a better roofline *might* just be a topper away. I also dig the minimal lighting, and hard lines, much missing in todays cars. 

It just feels like they took the clay model and slapped stainless cladding and wheels on it.(#SEMA!) I got the distinct impression that it was still a design study, if even a prototype. A few months ironing out angles, would seemingly pay dividends. Maybe a new demonstration routine as well...

This may be the first concept car I look forward to being watered down a tid bit. All of that said, I have a strong suspicion that just being that unique will attract buyers tired of the current yawn-inducing 'ev look'. If your future car just resembles a base model E36 M3box with a different grille and blue accents, its hard to feel cool. As much as I, and many others laugh, they might have already secured enough interest to make it happen, and profitably, even if a minor redesign is in order. 

Needs more ugly stick.

Hahahahahaha! Not sure yet who the joke is on, (Consumers, Elon, Other OEMs, Tesla investors) but I do know that it's a joke.

This reminds me of a basketball player heaving up a low probability "heat check" from long distance just to see how much they can get away with. And in this case, it's an air ball.

I kept waiting for the prank to be revealed. I thought any moment that funky ass design my 3 year old could draw, would lift off to reveal the actual vehicle under. When the glass broke, I thought for sure I was watching a spoof. But it never happened. That was by far the oddest launch video, for the oddest looking vehicle I've ever seen. 

The perfect ride for a dystopian sci-fi villain...

Seriously though, I think it looks awesome. I wasn’t interested at all from the other pics, but this one has my attention. 

If the idea was to build a truck for people who don't like trucks, they knocked it out of the park. My kid just showed me a picture of the unibody (all stainless? Never go full Delorian) and it looks like there was a significant effort to simplify manufacturing. Maybe they can make money with it? That would be good for them. 

I look at those big flat panels and think of the oilcan sounds it will make when you push on it. I also have doubts that they can make a big flat surface like that actually look flat with paint on it, but we'll see. 

Apparently it's a new alloy of stainless steel used in Elon's rockets, and it's literally bulletproof up to about a 9mm.  During their reveal someone hit it with a sledgehammer and didn't harm the truck at all.  Then they hurled some big steel balls at the glass and that broke, but didn't shatter and fall in like regular glass would.

The top of the line model of this truck also does 0-60 in 2.8 seconds, has a 500 mile range, can tow 14,000 lbs, and you can get a matching ATV that rolls up in the bed and can actually charge from the bed of the truck.  I don't much care for the roofline but the rest of the truck is so strange that I kinda like it.  I certainly would love to drive one, that's for sure.  With the 500-mile range I think this legitimatizes EVs as possible tow vehicles.  I imagine the charge time, even supercharging, would be a bit long and towing would eat into the range but even with a 400 mile range that's still pretty significant.

Honestly, it's the most iconic design of this century and if it fails, which it most likely will, in 15 years you won't be able to find one for sub 150k. 

BradLTL said:

Here's your reveal...

Thanks. I hate it

I can't figure out if this is a joke or not, but the only things that actually look like they might be bad ideas are the roofline cutting into back seat head room and the cost of stainless steel bodywork. Or are they gambling that spending a bit more on alloys will save money on paint?

Rather interesting that the Tesla sedans were intentionally designed to look more conventional outside than they were mechanically, while the pickup truck design went full '80s sci-fi.