[Rushy]

Apparently Tesla is still set on actually making this monstrosity of a vehicle. I thought it was a went-on-for-too-long joke that Elon came up with to troll mass media. But, no, they're actually doing it. They're trying to get to the point of finalizing a production model of this meme machine. I mean, look at it:

https://electrek.co/2023/02/09/tesla-cybertruck-spotted-with-new-front-end-and-monstrous-wiper/

Look at that windshield wiper. That's hilarious. Who comes up with this stuff? I will, of course, be buying one. No one can stop me except perhaps the dreaded "OUT OF STOCK" phrase.

[Lord Dave]

I wonder what its drag coeficient is.  Like, is it a very aerodynamic design and thats why it looks like that?

I'd say no, given other more aerodynamic vehicles(race cars, plans, etc...) but I have no idea.

Also: not gonna get that wiper at Autozone.

[Tom Bishop]

The look of this truck is a smart marketing decision. If it looked like any other truck few people would even care.

They couldn't do this with their car lines because those are more personal and the consumer wants it to look like a version of a normal car on the road. In the case of trucks, those are more utilitarian, rugged, and meant for doing a job. There is more leeway with how a truck should look.

[Rushy]

There is nothing at all that's utilitarian about the design of the cybertruck. Its bed looks designed to make using it as annoying as possible; it has an oversized interior cabin (like all modern "look guys I have a truck am I cool now" trucks) while sacrificing storage capacity and usability. And, of course, the powertrain is electric, meaning your range while towing anything of considerable size goes from a slightly reasonable 500 miles to an abysmal 50.

To put it bluntly, the cybertruck is a truck for people who don't need and/or use one, which makes it perfect for the modern truck market.

[stack]

Kinda like when the Humvees first came out. I think they were successful.

[secretagent10]

To put it bluntly, the cybertruck is a truck for people who don't need and/or use one, which makes it perfect for the modern truck market.

This may be the best summary of the cybertruck I’ve ever read.

[crutonius]

I preordered one years ago.  It was only $100 which is refundable.  Also it was a huge bargain, 50k for a vehicle with I think a 300 mile range, dual motors, around 600 horse power.

I seriously doubt that this will actually get produced.  If it does then I likely won't follow through since I'm not a truck guy.

The design is interesting.  I think it's hideous and cool at the same time.  But for serious truck people I would think they'd be turned off by it just because none of their accessories will fit on this thing.

[Rushy]

I preordered one years ago.  It was only $100 which is refundable.

In other words you gave Elon Musk an interest free $100 loan.

  Also it was a huge bargain, 50k for a vehicle with I think a 300 mile range, dual motors, around 600 horse power.

Just like how the F-150 Lightning had an MSRP of $40,000 but the real price starts at $60,000 for a bare bones model that they don't seem to actually produce. Similarly, prepare to get screwed by Elon's bait-and-switch tactics.

[crutonius]

I preordered one years ago.  It was only $100 which is refundable.

In other words you gave Elon Musk an interest free $100 loan.

  Also it was a huge bargain, 50k for a vehicle with I think a 300 mile range, dual motors, around 600 horse power.

Just like how the F-150 Lightning had an MSRP of $40,000 but the real price starts at $60,000 for a bare bones model that they don't seem to actually produce. Similarly, prepare to get screwed by Elon's bait-and-switch tactics.

Correct.  An interest free $100 loan.  In my defense Elon has been very gracious about it.  He personally thanks me every time we meet over the many tens of cents he's made on that loan over these last few years.

The bait and switch is a very real possibility.  On the other hand Tesla may be compelled to give reservation holders the original price for something which should really cost closer to 80k.

[Rushy]

Correct.  An interest free $100 loan.  In my defense Elon has been very gracious about it.  He personally thanks me every time we meet over the many tens of cents he's made on that loan over these last few years.

The bait and switch is a very real possibility.  On the other hand Tesla may be compelled to give reservation holders the original price for something which should really cost closer to 80k.

Elon, in loving Elon fashion, put in the fine print that there is no final price or product. The $100 "pre-order" doesn't mean anything at all. It says in the legal document that he isn't obligated to actually honor your pre-order, which is hilarious all things considered.

The $100 doesn't count towards the cost of the vehicle: https://www.tesla.com/configurator/api/v3/terms?locale=en_US&model=mp&saleType=Sale

You paid $100 for Elon to send you a sheet of how much the truck will cost, which means if you wait until that point and decide not to buy it, you don't get a refund and Elon keeps your $100. Just a heads up:

We will then issue you the Vehicle Configuration and Final Price Sheet based on the base price of the model and any options included or that you select. Your Pre-Order Payment covers the cost of these activities and other processing costs and is not a deposit for the Vehicle.

[stack]

Just like how the F-150 Lightning had an MSRP of $40,000 but the real price starts at $60,000 for a bare bones model that they don't seem to actually produce. Similarly, prepare to get screwed by Elon's bait-and-switch tactics.

In my experience, this applies to pretty much all vehicles at any dealer. The "real" price is always way more than the advertised stock, barebones model. And a stock, barebones model never seems to exist on the lot and is impossible to get.

You paid $100 for Elon to send you a sheet of how much the truck will cost, which means if you wait until that point and decide not to buy it, you don't get a refund and Elon keeps your $100.

I think you can get your 100 bucks back and the 100 bucks is applied to the final price, though that's 100 dollar credit, so to speak, on an $80k hunk of dangerously sharp delorean stainless steel...

"Until your Vehicle is delivered to you, you may cancel your pre-order at any me, in which case you will receive a full refund of your Pre-Order Payment. When you take delivery of the Vehicle, we wil provide a credit to the final pre-order price of your Vehicle equivalent to the amount of the Pre-Order Payment you paid."

All with a grain of salt. There may be language buried further down that says something like, "Though you can cancel anytime prior to delivery and receive a full refund of your pre-order deposit, you must first provide 10ML of blood from the very rare Lange’s Metalmark butterfly contained in a vial of pure gold encased in a 300x300MM calfskin lined box made of palladium."

[Rushy]

In my experience, this applies to pretty much all vehicles at any dealer. The "real" price is always way more than the advertised stock, barebones model. And a stock, barebones model never seems to exist on the lot and is impossible to get.

Yes.

I think you can get your 100 bucks back and the 100 bucks is applied to the final price, though that's 100 dollar credit, so to speak, on an $80k hunk of dangerously sharp delorean stainless steel...

Yes, but only if you take final delivery of the vehicle. If you choose not to buy it, Elon still keeps your 100 dollars. If someone doesn't get a refund before Tesla issues the price statement then they'll never get one. Their choices are a $100 credit to the final price or to let Elon keep the $100.


In other news, here's a picture of a Cybertruck from about two weeks ago: