Photo: Met God in Wilderness via YouTube | Edited
Evidence piles up about Tesla's seriousness with the Cybertruck production starting this summer. A recent video shows the electric pickup undergoing suspension torture tests at the Fremont test track. This is another clear sign that the Cybertruck has reached the pre-production stage.
Tesla Cybertruck was meant to be the first-ever electric pickup truck on the market, but production was delayed a few years. One of the main reasons behind the delays was that Elon Musk constantly changed course during the development phase, adding new features or even changing everything underneath the metal sheet. For instance, the megacastings weren't there from the beginning, and they changed the whole platform when they were considered.
This was Rivian's moment, as it launched the R1T to market with interesting new features, and Tesla had to ponder introducing something similar. The Cybertruck gained a new drive configuration, rear-wheel steering, and other features that weren't on the table initially. Then there was a problem with the dry battery electrode (DBE) manufacturing process for the 4680 cells. All these compounded and pushed back Cybertruck's final design, further delaying production.
Tesla appears to have sorted out whatever kept it from freezing the Cybertruck development and plan for production. The production line in Austin began to shape up, and we've witnessed how hundreds of assembly line robots were brought in and installed for the Cybertruck production. Two of IDRA's 9,000-ton Giga Presses were sent to Giga Texas to cast the Cybertruck megacastings. Soon enough, the roads around Tesla's R&D facilities filled with Cybertruck prototypes. Tesla recently accelerated the Cybertruck testing and moved to specialized testing.
A recent drone video shot at Tesla's Fremont test track shows the electric truck undergoing a suspension torture test. During these tests, the vehicle passes over a series of bumps in the "road" arranged in different patterns so that the engineers can gather data on how the suspension works in different scenarios. This puts tremendous stress on the shocks and other suspension components, comparable with road driving for much longer distances. The test can help tune the suspension and assess the reliability of different components without driving the truck for years or tens of thousands of miles.
Tesla recently showed what looked like a crash test of a Cybertruck prototype without actually showing it crash. The video was supposedly an elaborate April Fools' Day prank, but it was enough to reveal new details about the electric pickup. First, it showed a pre-production model carefully prepared to take the test, hinting that it might be the real deal. Second, it offered a unique image of the front undercarriage and suspension components.
We're no experts, but the Munro & Associates team noticed longer control arms, pointing to a longer suspension travel, which is normal for a truck. Tesla appears to have also designed a simpler suspension setup than for other vehicles in the lineup, which all use a dual ball joint suspension. This makes sense for a truck, considering its road manners are less important than its other characteristics like simplicity and durability. Tesla most likely aims to position the Cybertruck in a more affordable category than we previously thought.
This was Rivian's moment, as it launched the R1T to market with interesting new features, and Tesla had to ponder introducing something similar. The Cybertruck gained a new drive configuration, rear-wheel steering, and other features that weren't on the table initially. Then there was a problem with the dry battery electrode (DBE) manufacturing process for the 4680 cells. All these compounded and pushed back Cybertruck's final design, further delaying production.
Tesla appears to have sorted out whatever kept it from freezing the Cybertruck development and plan for production. The production line in Austin began to shape up, and we've witnessed how hundreds of assembly line robots were brought in and installed for the Cybertruck production. Two of IDRA's 9,000-ton Giga Presses were sent to Giga Texas to cast the Cybertruck megacastings. Soon enough, the roads around Tesla's R&D facilities filled with Cybertruck prototypes. Tesla recently accelerated the Cybertruck testing and moved to specialized testing.
A recent drone video shot at Tesla's Fremont test track shows the electric truck undergoing a suspension torture test. During these tests, the vehicle passes over a series of bumps in the "road" arranged in different patterns so that the engineers can gather data on how the suspension works in different scenarios. This puts tremendous stress on the shocks and other suspension components, comparable with road driving for much longer distances. The test can help tune the suspension and assess the reliability of different components without driving the truck for years or tens of thousands of miles.
Tesla recently showed what looked like a crash test of a Cybertruck prototype without actually showing it crash. The video was supposedly an elaborate April Fools' Day prank, but it was enough to reveal new details about the electric pickup. First, it showed a pre-production model carefully prepared to take the test, hinting that it might be the real deal. Second, it offered a unique image of the front undercarriage and suspension components.
We're no experts, but the Munro & Associates team noticed longer control arms, pointing to a longer suspension travel, which is normal for a truck. Tesla appears to have also designed a simpler suspension setup than for other vehicles in the lineup, which all use a dual ball joint suspension. This makes sense for a truck, considering its road manners are less important than its other characteristics like simplicity and durability. Tesla most likely aims to position the Cybertruck in a more affordable category than we previously thought.
Overhead shot next to Model Y. pic.twitter.com/XJSlKtzO2U
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) April 4, 2023
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