Photo: Murray Alexander, Tesla NZ Group | Edited
Although people expect the Cybertruck production to start soon, Tesla's electric pickup truck is not yet done testing. A prototype has been spotted being unloaded from a cargo plane in New Zealand close to the SHPG proving grounds.
Although we've seen many Cybertruck prototypes on public roads in the US, they were never on the radar of spy photographers. Until the recent sighting of a camouflaged prototype in Palo Alto, previous trucks showed no attempts at covering the design. Still, with the latest prototype, people noticed a detail that made everyone believe this was finally the production model. The truck exited a drive-thru In-N-Out restaurant, which has become a Tesla tradition at the end of a development cycle.
Although development has been completed, the Cybertruck is still testing, as revealed by a covered truck being unloaded from a plane in New Zealand. It's wintertime in the Southern Hemisphere, and New Zealand is home to the South Hemisphere Proving Grounds (SHPG). This is a state-of-the-art testing facility used by carmakers and tire producers all over the world for winter tests in June-September. The Cybertruck sighting has caused mixed feelings for Tesla fans and critics alike.
Many consider it very late to test the truck in winter conditions, only three months before the first deliveries. Many automakers start testing at least a year before the production model is finalized, some even before they have a body for the new model. Tesla is no traditional carmaker, and we've seen before that Tesla tests even production cars, even after years of mass production.
The other group points out that Tesla has already winter-tested the Cybertruck in the Northern Hemisphere. Tesla shared a picture of the pickup truck driving in the snow without offering more details, except it was taken during the tests. Given the closed nature of these testing facilities, anything done behind their fences would not be known to the world outside. This would've also been the case at SHPG had the lucky spotter not seen the truck at the airport in Queenstown.
Some people believe the truck may have been flown to New Zealand for some cool promotional video. Tesla certainly doesn't lack resources, but that would've been such a monumental waste. It's more likely that the EV maker needs to fine-tune the truck's dynamics in low-traction conditions such as snow and ice. In this case, it makes sense that the Cybertruck under the tarp is the production model, not an earlier prototype.
Tesla used the SHPG facility for winter testing before, with the entire S3XY lineup shown playing in the snow last December. The video was shot during a winter testing session in July 2022 before the Model Y Performance's Track Mode was released with the 2022 Holiday Update. Other models were also tested during this session, which shows that Tesla is fine-tuning its vehicles even after the series production is well underway. Over-the-air updates can improve the driving experience for everybody, even after the cars are delivered.
Although development has been completed, the Cybertruck is still testing, as revealed by a covered truck being unloaded from a plane in New Zealand. It's wintertime in the Southern Hemisphere, and New Zealand is home to the South Hemisphere Proving Grounds (SHPG). This is a state-of-the-art testing facility used by carmakers and tire producers all over the world for winter tests in June-September. The Cybertruck sighting has caused mixed feelings for Tesla fans and critics alike.
Many consider it very late to test the truck in winter conditions, only three months before the first deliveries. Many automakers start testing at least a year before the production model is finalized, some even before they have a body for the new model. Tesla is no traditional carmaker, and we've seen before that Tesla tests even production cars, even after years of mass production.
The other group points out that Tesla has already winter-tested the Cybertruck in the Northern Hemisphere. Tesla shared a picture of the pickup truck driving in the snow without offering more details, except it was taken during the tests. Given the closed nature of these testing facilities, anything done behind their fences would not be known to the world outside. This would've also been the case at SHPG had the lucky spotter not seen the truck at the airport in Queenstown.
Some people believe the truck may have been flown to New Zealand for some cool promotional video. Tesla certainly doesn't lack resources, but that would've been such a monumental waste. It's more likely that the EV maker needs to fine-tune the truck's dynamics in low-traction conditions such as snow and ice. In this case, it makes sense that the Cybertruck under the tarp is the production model, not an earlier prototype.
Tesla used the SHPG facility for winter testing before, with the entire S3XY lineup shown playing in the snow last December. The video was shot during a winter testing session in July 2022 before the Model Y Performance's Track Mode was released with the 2022 Holiday Update. Other models were also tested during this session, which shows that Tesla is fine-tuning its vehicles even after the series production is well underway. Over-the-air updates can improve the driving experience for everybody, even after the cars are delivered.
Via Murray Alexander, Tesla NZ Group pic.twitter.com/6tqIkrOzYO
— Mathias Føns (@FonsDK) June 18, 2023
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