Updated CyberTruck to be shown in a month or so says Musk!

[Diehard]

Really? Double check your requirements.. One of the biggest for me is refuel/ease of use. As of today and for the next 5 years Tesla is the ONLY vitable option for me. As I travel with the fam, this is the only option. Just look at soooo many videos out there on going on any trip and the pain they go through finding chargers (that work) and prices the pay for those. But requires lots (or some extra) of planning. Versus Tesla, it will tell you where to charge, hoping your going to be there (estimated) and just easies the whole trip. With still the option to use any other charger out there with an adapter.

If just staying in town then yes any car will do as you can just charge at home..

If the biggest requirement is “refuel” / ease of use during travel, I suggest looking into ICE. with $40K - $70K you can find many decent options you don’t have to wait 3+ years (my case) for. ICE is still in the running for me.
I fully understand that even the current time frame Tesla has for such dramatic design departure from norm is mind blowing. I would expect 10+ years to perfect it (Rivian was founded in 2009). So I don’t expect Tesla to do anything faster than it is already doing but for me ICE is still in the running and even though I like CT more than any ICE out there, 3+ years of wait is a real issue for me. If I know midgate is added, I may figure out a way to tough it out otherwise it is a touch and go for me. Elan has that information but is not sharing. I know with this many reservations, neither Elon nor anyone else cares what my individual circumstance is but assuming ICE is not an option for people at this point is a bit early.

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[CompMaster]

I am done with ICE, if I want ICE I'm good with the cars I have now. I'm looking forward, and really looking forward to not going to the pump and just charge at home. But I don't ever just focus on one thing. So since we like to "get out of town" I am looking at the whole picture. Thus only a Tesla, and for now the CT is the best option.

 

[Sirfun]

Well, there's a small overlap. Right now it is bigger since there are no electric trucks.

But they will both have a four-door cab, lockable storage, and similar cargo capacity. The disconnect will happen when someone wants something 'to throw lumber into', a longer bed, longer range, more cargo capacity, more durable materials, a little more ground clearance...

Rivian is going for something a little more maneuverable than Tesla is. Like the difference between the Taycan and the S... Slight, but it's there. And Rivian is already testing their SUV.

-Crissa

I agree, right now they are the only choices in town and people are grouping them together. But they are hardly even related, maybe distant cousins. ?
To me the Rivian is an Electrified, AWD Honda Ridgeline. Not a bad thing, just a mix of sport-utility, car, and pickup truck. I have no doubt that it will be efficient at what it does. And there will be people that want that type of vehicle.
The Cybertruck with it's large passenger compartment and 6 1/2 foot lockable bed space, made of Stainless Steel is a very different animal. It actually fills in lots of spaces for vans, family toy hauler, camper, tow vehicle, worktrucks, weekend warrior, off-road adventure vehicle. or you could even take it out for the night, clubbing like Elon.

 

[Sirfun]

The existing pickup truck makers have a huge advantage: they understand their core customers and their needs really well.

The Cybertruck is going to eat the Raptor's lunch, because the Raptor is about badassery. But it's also a low-volume boutique vehicle.

The Cybertruck is much less of a threat to regular F-150 sales because a lot of F-150 aren't about badassery. A lot of those customers want *exactly* what Ford/GM/RAM are selling now, and the platform leadership teams know exactly why in excruciating detail.

This is a smart strategy on Tesla's behalf, because they'll be able to sell Cybertrucks to people like me (who appreciate the technology and the projected-longevity), while they learn what it takes to satisfy the Ford/Chevy/RAM traditionalists. I expect that we will see a lot of Cybertruck variations over time as Tesla dials it in.

P.S. The American pick up truck market is a hard nut to crack. Toyota and Nissan have been trying for decades with the Tundra and Titan, and they've ended up as also-rans despite fielding smart products. The Cybertruck is a smart product, too, and I think they have a better chance because the CT has lots of things that I think are important -- but selling the Cybertruck to anyone in the rural branch of my family will be an uphill battle because they resist change and they honestly like what they have.

This is why it was such a smart move by Elon to build the Cybertruck in TEXAS, USA.

 

[HaulingAss]

If the biggest requirement is “refuel” / ease of use during travel, I suggest looking into ICE. with $40K - $70K you can find many decent options you don’t have to wait 3+ years (my case) for.

Everyone is already familiar with ICE, that's why we are eagerly awaiting availability of the Cybertruck.

Yes, our F-150 still works fine but it mostly just sits there since we went electric 3 years ago. That reminds me, it needs an annual oil/filter change even though it only has 1000 miles on it since the last one!

We could never go back to ICE having lived with two Tesla for the last 3 years. Maybe I can get my wife to take it for it's oil change as I fear we're going on 14 months. I wonder if I can get her to fuel it up while she's at it! It holds 36 gallons but it probably only needs 25-28 gallons. I hope it's less than $100 - I gotta say, the current cheap gas has taken some pain out of the fill-ups even though neither of us want to put the gas in or drive the ICE unless we absolutely have to. The tank tends to get emptier than ever since we no longer think of going to gas stations. And we procrastinate because we both have better things to do than pump gas. And pay for it.

Now, how can I trick my wife into needing to use the truck, I don't like the thought of it sitting there with a mostly empty tank. Yesterday I cut a big pile of fir branches that need to be hauled to the composting station about 10 miles out of town. I don't like to stop for gas or oil changes when I'm trying to get stuff done but I don't see any way out of it. Maybe I'll procrastinate the oil change another month.

 

[Diehard]

I am done with ICE, if I want ICE I'm good with the cars I have now. I'm looking forward, and really looking forward to not going to the pump and just charge at home. But I don't ever just focus on one thing. So since we like to "get out of town" I am looking at the whole picture. Thus only a Tesla, and for now the CT is the best option.

I would make the same choice, if I was in your shoes. My truck is 18 years old. It will decide for me when it is time.

 

[Sirfun]

Everyone is already familiar with ICE, that's why we are eagerly awaiting availability of the Cybertruck.

Yes, our F-150 still works fine but it mostly just sits there since we went electric 3 years ago. That reminds me, it needs an annual oil/filter change even though it only has 1000 miles on it since the last one!

We could never go back to ICE having lived with two Tesla for the last 3 years. Maybe I can get my wife to take it for it's oil change as I fear we're going on 14 months. I wonder if I can get her to fuel it up while she's at it! It holds 36 gallons but it probably only needs 25-28 gallons. I hope it's less than $100 - I gotta say, the current cheap gas has taken some pain out of the fill-ups even though neither of us want to put the gas in or drive the ICE unless we absolutely have to. The tank tends to get emptier than ever since we no longer think of going to gas stations. And we procrastinate because we both have better things to do than pump gas. And pay for it.

Now, how can I trick my wife into needing to use the truck, I don't like the thought of it sitting there with a mostly empty tank. Yesterday I cut a big pile of fir branches that need to be hauled to the composting station about 10 miles out of town. I don't like to stop for gas or oil changes when I'm trying to get stuff done but I don't see any way out of it. Maybe I'll procrastinate the oil change another month.

Be careful, gas sitting in that HUGE tank can go bad! Like the commercials on TV, on buy what you need!

 

[HaulingAss]

This is how the legacy auto makers are planning to hold off the EV's for a while, by selling their cusotmers Hydrids.

Be careful, gas sitting in that HUGE tank can go bad! Like the commercials on TV, on buy what you need!

The problem with not filling it up all the way is then water vapor from the air in the tank can condense with temperature changes. The alcohol will absorb all of it until a certain point and then it will separate and make the engine difficult to start or misfire and run like crap. That's only one reason I always fill it all the way even when I know it won't be getting much use. Another reason is that I don't want to stop for gas every time I need to use the truck! Anyone who says ICE is more convenient than BEV doesn't get it.

I am so ready to get rid of the ICE truck even though it only has 50K miles on it and still looks new.

 

[Crissa]

The fuel may age evenly, but what goes bad doesn't sit evenly in the tank. Most of the water in the tank will go to the bottom - the worst part of the gas goes down. And that's where the engine usually sips from. So as long as you run it a little every month, you'll burn off the bad part of the fuel each time, leaving the good stuff left in the tank.

-Crissa

 

[Diehard]

Everyone is already familiar with ICE, that's why we are eagerly awaiting availability of the Cybertruck.

Yes, our F-150 still works fine but it mostly just sits there since we went electric 3 years ago. That reminds me, it needs an annual oil/filter change even though it only has 1000 miles on it since the last one!

We could never go back to ICE having lived with two Tesla for the last 3 years. Maybe I can get my wife to take it for it's oil change as I fear we're going on 14 months. I wonder if I can get her to fuel it up while she's at it! It holds 36 gallons but it probably only needs 25-28 gallons. I hope it's less than $100 - I gotta say, the current cheap gas has taken some pain out of the fill-ups even though neither of us want to put the gas in or drive the ICE unless we absolutely have to. The tank tends to get emptier than ever since we no longer think of going to gas stations. And we procrastinate because we both have better things to do than pump gas. And pay for it.

Now, how can I trick my wife into needing to use the truck, I don't like the thought of it sitting there with a mostly empty tank. Yesterday I cut a big pile of fir branches that need to be hauled to the composting station about 10 miles out of town. I don't like to stop for gas or oil changes when I'm trying to get stuff done but I don't see any way out of it. Maybe I'll procrastinate the oil change another month.

Thanks for the inside look at the EV life. It sounds beautiful. Never owned one so I have the luxury of not missing it. I do my own oil changes and it is not something I look forward to. I have replaced catalytic converters, mufflers and dealt with many ICE specific issues so no need to make the case for EV. I am already sold. All I am saying is that if someone needs a truck now, ICE is not only an option, it is the only option. It sounds like a lot of folks responding, not only do not “need” a new vehicle, they don’t “need” a truck. I do not plan to replace my truck with a sedan, hatchback or SUV. It’s replacement will be a truck. I would absolutely prefer it to be an EV Truck. Even though ICE is better for some people, overall CT is much better for my use case. However if mine dies tomorrow, I can’t go to a dealerships and pickup an EV truck, Tesla or otherwise. For folks that look at CT as fashion accessory waiting indefinitely may make sense. For me, I wait as long as I can but if it is not there when I need one, gotta go with the next best real option.

 

[HaulingAss]

The fuel may age evenly, but what goes bad doesn't sit evenly in the tank. Most of the water in the tank will go to the bottom - the worst part of the gas goes down. And that's where the engine usually sips from. So as long as you run it a little every month, you'll burn off the bad part of the fuel each time, leaving the good stuff left in the tank.

-Crissa

When using gasoline with 10% ethanol, as almost all motorists in the US do, the water will be absorbed by the ethanol and evenly distributed throughout the fuel mixture. The water will not separate out or sink to the bottom. However, all of this changes when the ethanol becomes saturated. That's when the excessive water can no longer combine with the fuel mixture and, yes, it will settle out.

I suppose if there was only a tiny amount of water beyond what the ethanol could absorb, it would be sucked up and burned each time the vehicle was driven any distance with no one the wiser beyond a little miss here or there. However, the usual case is for difficulty starting, no starting, severe sputtering, missing and surging to occur. And now that we have two EV's and the f-150 gets driven very little, we are at higher risk of water condensation overwhelming the ability of the ethanol to absorb it.

Before ethanol was routinely added to gasoline by refiners, this was a very common problem in the wet Pacific Northwest. Everyone knew if your engine was difficult to start or started sputtering and missing and everything else looked normal, a 6 or 8 oz. bottle of "Heet" or equivalent would fix it. There were multiple brands to address the same problem and they were all exactly the same - nearly pure alcohol.

Now that we already have plenty of ethanol in the gasoline the problem rarely crops up and only when there is a lot of water condensing in tanks that sit half full or less for long periods. It can also happen if rainwater is finding it's way into the tank.

The best practice is to run your tank below 1/4 and fully refill every time. This gets the fuel/ethanol mixture that has already absorbed some water out of the tank and replaces it with fresh fuel which has not lost it ability to absorb some water.

These are all things that future generations will not need to know! I can fix just about any gasoline or diesel engine but I've never looked forward to it and it was necessary all too often! Bring on the electrics!

 

[FutureBoy]

These are all things that future generations will not need to know! I can fix just about any gasoline or diesel engine but I've never looked forward to it and it was necessary all too often! Bring on the electrics!

There are a number of things even this generation doesn’t remember or need to know. Like the difference between leaded and unleaded gas. When leaded gas was finally banned I was driving a vehicle that required leaded gas. Had to buy little bottles of lead additive to add with each fill up.

Some things are better just forgotten I think.

 

[Dids]

So 2nd quarter reveal turns out to be exactly a month or so from today.

 

[Cyber_Dav]

So 2nd quarter reveal turns out to be exactly a month or so from today.

Or 4 months, depending on how soon "soon" is ...