But How...?

[FutureBoy]

At first I thought it was a pipe dream, but I kind of have a feeling Tesla may really try to make it happen.

They may have ALREADY made it happen!

We just haven’t seen the final design yet. I’m getting giddy with excitement.

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[myco.rrhizae]

The issue is probably more structural than complex. The vault cover already passes through the mid-gate, and has no need of a wall there. Windows can roll down or fold up, and seats can fold down. These aren't even really uncommon features, either.

-Crissa

its more about the number of moving parts in a system and their durability over time and use. (we have all witnessed that alignment happens to be one of the greatest manufactuing challenges ~ at least for Tesla)
the cybertruck is explicitly designed for the greatest possible durability, longest lifespan and affordable manufacturing. Those are three strikes against designing the mid-gate into production.
Only incentive for Tesla to add complexity to the manufacturing process while compromising those design values would be to increase demand, but demand is not an issue for this vehicle.

the tonneau vertical tracks are mounted to the side walls at the front of the bed and enter into the mid gate and back out the bottom to coil under the seats. with the mid-gate being hinged, there are four distinct points that have to re-enter perfect alignment every time the mid gate is closed. also the tonneau coils under the seat where the mid-gate would need to fold down.

but stilll??

 

[Cyberman]

The problem is... the cooler is in the frunk.

Foiled again.

 

[Crissa]

the tonneau vertical tracks are mounted to the side walls at the front of the bed and enter into the mid gate and back out the bottom to coil under the seats. with the mid-gate being hinged, there ...

...is no reason for the tonneau tracks to interact with the gate.

-Crissa

 

[rodmacpherson]

My personal favorite totally unsupported belief is that it rolls as a flat panel under the bed remaining a flat panel. By my guess distances it appears to me that sufficient room exists to pull the cover to the point of the under bed storage.... this would mean the trailing edge stops just below the rear window, this is important to prevent foreign object intrusion into the gap between the bed head and the cab. When the cover is closed a cover would need to be held in the gap.
Additionally a flat configuration allows a simple cable loop to pull open and PULL close the cover with the cable running from the rear of the cover down through the bed wall just inside the tailgate. The pull open cable is of course attached to the front of the cover and it's path is the cover track.
The rapid smooth operation of the cover sure makes it look like the cover is not pushed close, but

This would seem to be the simplest way to implement the cover.

 

[myco.rrhizae]

...is no reason for the tonneau tracks to interact with the gate.

-Crissa

ya potentially, but:

 

[Crissa]

ya potentially, but:

It goes past the window. The window doesn't stop it. The same is true for the wall: There's no reason for the tracks to move when the wall does.

-Crissa

 

[myco.rrhizae]

It goes past the window. The window doesn't stop it. The same is true for the wall: There's no reason for the tracks to move when the wall does.

-Crissa

are you suggesting that the tonneau slides in front of the mid gate instead of into the midgate?

way i understand it is that there's three options for the tracks:

1. into the mid-gate (as the CT prototype has it)
if we get a mid-gate, the tracks must be integrated into the hinged mid gate in this circumstance, otherwise if the tracks are stationary on the wall, the tonneau would effectively slice the mid gate into two non-connected halves on the bed side and the cab side.

2. tracks are in front of the midgate on the bed side
Track s could be stationary as the midgate folds, but you would have problems with the tracks being exposed to elements and debris in the bed, as well as the opening at the floor of the bed for the cover to collapse into.

3. Tonneau slides down on the cab side.
weather proofing issues as a wet cover passes through the passenger compartment and safety issues of passengers getting snagged by the moving cover.

 

[CWiley]

are you suggesting that the tonneau slides in front of the mid gate instead of into the midgate?

way i understand it is that there's three options for the tracks:

1. into the mid-gate (as the CT prototype has it)
if we get a mid-gate, the tracks must be integrated into the hinged mid gate in this circumstance, otherwise if the tracks are stationary on the wall, the tonneau would effectively slice the mid gate into two non-connected halves on the bed side and the cab side.

2. tracks are in front of the midgate on the bed side
Track s could be stationary as the midgate folds, but you would have problems with the tracks being exposed to elements and debris in the bed, as well as the opening at the floor of the bed for the cover to collapse into.

3. Tonneau slides down on the cab side.
weather proofing issues as a wet cover passes through the passenger compartment and safety issues of passengers getting snagged by the moving cover.

As my original post suggests...But How? It ain't that easy, and probably not cheap either!

 

[CyberDingo]

Maybe if the rear window was "bigger" as from top to the dividing wall, it could be like an electric window to slide down giving reasonable access between cab and bed (where my bed will be). Obviously a safety detect so cover cannot chop anything.

 

[Crissa]

are you suggesting that the tonneau slides in front of the mid gate instead of into the midgate?

That's an option.

So if we assume the tracks don't move, you still have the entrance to the tonneau storage.

The tunnel can be blocked by a segment of the tonneau, so that it's covered by the 'last' rung of the tonneau either down or up.
There could be a flip-cover that pops open while the tonneau is open, keyed by a segment of the tonneau chain.
It could be left open, much like the sliding plates of a manual transmission. (Probably the worst option, but it is an option!)

The wall itself can fold forward, backward, lift out (tho I prefer forward). It can sit over the tonneau tunnel as two pieces or as a single piece that the tonneau slides through.

There are just so many ways to do this!

The tonneau doesn't have to have continuous chain action on the sides; powered rollers can drive the cover along its track so the cover doesn't need to be continuous through the mid-gate. It looks like this is the option they're using, honestly, it takes up less space (since you only store the complete segments, and no incomplete segments) and makes it powered in both directions.

-Crissa

 

[Dids]

Maybe if the rear window was "bigger" as from top to the dividing wall, it could be like an electric window to slide down giving reasonable access between cab and bed (where my bed will be). Obviously a safety detect so cover cannot chop anything.

I agree that this is the most likely scenario that the rear window lowers. What won't be able to be lower though is the front bed wall without impacting the amount of load carrying. Indeed a larger rear window is a pain because even though it's armor glass it would still need protection from being hit by the load.
Maybe they could make the mid gate and window another tambour door that rolls under the back seat. ? and also one for the front bed wall....
3 tambour doors seems like too many!

 

[Crissa]

There's another option! No mid-gate gate at all! Just an opening!

-Crissa

 

[Dids]

There's another option! No mid-gate at all! Just an opening!

-Crissa

Like a portal?
Quick... some tell Elon to play portal.?

 

[FutureBoy]

Like a portal?
Quick... some tell Elon to play portal.?

So a solid wall with a portal on each side to traverse the solid wall? Turn off the portal when not traversing. I wonder what the physics of that would be.