Photo: @langiange via Twitter
A new, darker camouflage wrap appeared on a Tesla Cybertruck in California, sparking a heated debate about its purpose. This comes after Tesla officially confirmed the start of release-candidate production at Giga Texas.
The first Tesla Cybertruck wearing a camouflage wrap appeared in public last month when the truck's development concluded. According to Elon Musk, this is usually celebrated with a visit to the In-N-Out Burger drive-through, and that's precisely where the camoed truck was first seen. Since then, the black-and-white camouflage has become a familiar sighting on California roads. Still, as the Cybertruck has often been seen without camo, people wondered what the purpose was.
Usually, carmakers wrap their prototypes to hide the design from prying eyes before the official launch. At least, this is the official explanation. However, seeing how carparazzis stalk these prototypes in search of a story, the wrap could also be used to attract attention. For Tesla, this has become a joke. Musk replied with a "Good thing we used camo lol" to the pictures of the Cybertruck shared on Twitter. Since then, "It's practically invisible" has become a meme.
We'd thought camouflage was pointless with the start of release-candidate production at Giga Texas. After all, the production Cybertruck looks no different from the prototypes we've seen before. Yet, a new Cybertruck caused uproar after being spotted with a different wrap driving on I-280 in San Francisco Bay Area. The truck featured a darker wrap and tinted windows for the first time. It looks quite good, actually, despite critics claiming otherwise.
Although it started as a joke, the Cybertruck wrappings can also be a form of advertising. They certainly are a conversation starter, but there could be other reasons why Tesla uses them. Since the electric pickup features stainless steel body panels, painting is not an option. The only alternatives to personalize its looks are laser engraving and car wrapping. Tesla will probably offer factory wraps for the Cybertruck, and it could also test these wraps to see how durable they are.
The shape of the side mirrors is even more intriguing than the wrap. Unlike the pyramid-shaped mirrors on previous Cybertrucks, the ones in the pictures appear to be slimmer. Is Tesla considering rear-view cameras instead of mirrors? That would not be permitted under US regulations, although they are road-legal in Europe. The pictures are not clear enough to offer a clue, but it's a fact that cameras offer much better aerodynamics compared to classic mirrors.
Based on the info we got at the second-quarter earnings call, Tesla will deliver the first Cybertrucks later this year, with volume production planned for 2024. The electric pickup truck is under 19 feet long to fit in a residential garage and will have a 6-foot bed. Another interesting detail is that Tesla developed improved 4680 battery cells specifically for the Cybertruck, and they're called, predictably, Cybercells. Considering the name, these would not be used in the Model Y built at Giga Texas, possibly because the low production yields would not allow it.
Usually, carmakers wrap their prototypes to hide the design from prying eyes before the official launch. At least, this is the official explanation. However, seeing how carparazzis stalk these prototypes in search of a story, the wrap could also be used to attract attention. For Tesla, this has become a joke. Musk replied with a "Good thing we used camo lol" to the pictures of the Cybertruck shared on Twitter. Since then, "It's practically invisible" has become a meme.
We'd thought camouflage was pointless with the start of release-candidate production at Giga Texas. After all, the production Cybertruck looks no different from the prototypes we've seen before. Yet, a new Cybertruck caused uproar after being spotted with a different wrap driving on I-280 in San Francisco Bay Area. The truck featured a darker wrap and tinted windows for the first time. It looks quite good, actually, despite critics claiming otherwise.
Although it started as a joke, the Cybertruck wrappings can also be a form of advertising. They certainly are a conversation starter, but there could be other reasons why Tesla uses them. Since the electric pickup features stainless steel body panels, painting is not an option. The only alternatives to personalize its looks are laser engraving and car wrapping. Tesla will probably offer factory wraps for the Cybertruck, and it could also test these wraps to see how durable they are.
The shape of the side mirrors is even more intriguing than the wrap. Unlike the pyramid-shaped mirrors on previous Cybertrucks, the ones in the pictures appear to be slimmer. Is Tesla considering rear-view cameras instead of mirrors? That would not be permitted under US regulations, although they are road-legal in Europe. The pictures are not clear enough to offer a clue, but it's a fact that cameras offer much better aerodynamics compared to classic mirrors.
Based on the info we got at the second-quarter earnings call, Tesla will deliver the first Cybertrucks later this year, with volume production planned for 2024. The electric pickup truck is under 19 feet long to fit in a residential garage and will have a 6-foot bed. Another interesting detail is that Tesla developed improved 4680 battery cells specifically for the Cybertruck, and they're called, predictably, Cybercells. Considering the name, these would not be used in the Model Y built at Giga Texas, possibly because the low production yields would not allow it.
@elonmusk spotted this on 280 Northbound! Made my day! @Tesla @teslaownersSV pic.twitter.com/7kb3RAsvfO
— Mahesh Kumar (@MKumarTweets) July 21, 2023
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