Texas shipping customers Cybertrucks. .

These are all “release candidate builds” and they are doing testing around the world for final certification and validation. Some are out for the crash testing as well. 

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

That makes sense.  The cyber truck wasn't supposed to be released until the 3/4 of this year.   Tesla never does things ahead of schedule. But they sure do them in a hurry 

It will be very interesting to see how the thing actually matches up with the competition. I'm a Rivian fan personally, but Tesla, for all their faults makes some pretty great stuff. I'll never make it past the aesthetics in any event.

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

I don't think you're the target market. We've aged out :)

But you could duplicate the wrap that's used on one of the preproduction trucks. This is not photoshop, it's been spotted by multiple people.

Looks better as a Ford..... In any event, it better stay off my lawn!

Keith Tanner said:

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

I don't think you're the target market. We've aged out :)

If Tesla hits the targets they put out when I made my reservation in 2019 (price is the big one in question for me at this point) and it has a real steering wheel (not that stupid yoke) I plan to convert my reservation to an order. I'm certain I'm older than Mr. Tanner, not sure about Kreb.

I'm not the target demographic, but it fills the odd niche that my vehicular wants/needs occupy and could shrink my fleet or at least keep it from growing. With my luck that and the Maverick I ordered will be ready at the same time & I'll have to choose without having the opportunity to really experience living with either of them.

In reply to secretariata (Forum Supporter) :

I'm 60, not that it matters. I think that you are right and the demographic will trend older than perhaps expected. It's kinda like whenever the auto industry comes out with something aimed at the "adventure set". They'll have all these pictures of beautiful 20-and-30-somethings gallivanting around with their kayaks and mountain bikes in the back, but then what you end up actually seeing in real-life are a bunch of boomers driving them. 

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

I knew you were older, we met about 15 years ago :) But I just celebrated 22 years with the same employer, so I'm obviously no spring chicken myself.

I still mountain bike and there are four kayaks stashed around here. I'm probably closer to the target market than I'd like to admit. But my truck has a specific function, and it's the thing the Cybertruck is weakest at. So I'm not a potential buyer. 

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

As I figured, you got me beat by a few years, but not many.

Kreb (Forum Supporter) said:

It will be very interesting to see how the thing actually matches up with the competition. I'm a Rivian fan personally, but Tesla, for all their faults makes some pretty great stuff. I'll never make it past the aesthetics in any event.

I'm kinda  with you on the looks.  But if the price and specs are what are talked about.  It's tempting. 
  I know between the Lightening and the Cyber. I've completely changed my mind. 
    I used to drool over the lightening.   But the biggest bed (6@1/2') compared to Fords 5&1/2 and Chevy's 4&1/2    
 If they do deliver the 500 mile range version  that would be pretty hard to overlook.  That and 2 way charging like Ford offers is very interesting. 
  

I've heard multiple ppl indicate they give a very different impression in person than in pics - hated them in pics, looked much better (but still, very different) in person.  

If you bring one of these to a local Cars & Coffee this year, I'm not sure what else would draw more of an audience. 

I saw one at the Petersen back in June of this year. It was just as ugly in person. 

dyintorace said:

I saw one at the Petersen back in June of this year. It was just as ugly in person. 

I saw the same one. There were also some details that were a bit sloppy. You'd think that the prototype that they'd feature at the Peterson would be impeccable.

 I've noticed that my emotional reaction is better when the thing is painted, whether it's the faux Ford, the camo, or basically anything breaking up the slab sides. The Cybertruck is architectural brutalism applied to vehicles.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Funny, five kayaks and three bicycles here. Middle-aged guys are so predictable! The main difference is that I'd be on or in one 6 days a week 20-years ago. It was actually a couple of kayaking injuries that made me start thinking about getting into cars (again).

My favorite thing about the Cybertruck is that it dares to be different. Unfortunately, I'm not enamored of all the ways that its different. But certainly appreciate the attempt.

I know I'm in the minority, but I absolutely love the Cybertruck's looks. If it in any way matched my use profile, I would happily drive one.

I'm 58.  Not sure where that puts me relative to the perceived 'target market'.

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

I wouldn't expect a prototype to be impeccable. Just the opposite. 

I haven't been on a bike in nearly 12 hours! ;)

Keith Tanner said:

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

I wouldn't expect a prototype to be impeccable. Just the opposite. 

I haven't been on a bike in nearly 12 hours! ;)

Good on you! As for the prototype, the thing can be an empty shell if it's only being looked at. So if all Tesla has to do is get the exterior surfaces right... well yes, I would expect them to nail it.

Keith Tanner said:

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

I don't think you're the target market. We've aged out :)

But you could duplicate the wrap that's used on one of the preproduction trucks. This is not photoshop, it's been spotted by multiple people.

Every time a prototype was photographed, I'd see a pile of posts critiquing panel fit and alignment. Knowing this wrap fools nobody (is that the Roadster?!), I'm betting it's an effort to ensure social media isn't full of photos of poorly built examples before they're done figuring out how to build it. 

It's narrower than an f150 in the rear seat which is a killer for me.  3 growing kids.   
 

but I'd do an f150 lightning once the price comes down.  I can buy three of the truck I currently own for the price of a lightning/cyber truck/rivian. 

Kreb (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to secretariata (Forum Supporter) :

I'm 60, not that it matters. I think that you are right and the demographic will trend older than perhaps expected. It's kinda like whenever the auto industry comes out with something aimed at the "adventure set". They'll have all these pictures of beautiful 20-and-30-somethings gallivanting around with their kayaks and mountain bikes in the back, but then what you end up actually seeing in real-life are a bunch of boomers driving them. 

Most of the beautiful 20-30 somethings don't have $60k+ to buy these things. 

In reply to frenchyd :

Other than the exaggerated numbers you have a point. We talked about this in another thread. At its core, Tesla is an engineering driven company who constantly improves their stuff, whereas most companies model is to base their strategy around profit, and do just enough engineering to keep up with the Jones' and spur  sales. That doesn't let Tesla off the hook for some of their actions, but pointedly, their controversial practices are products of other departments than engineering and production.

frenchyd said:

Mike (Forum Supporter) said:

Keith Tanner said:

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

I don't think you're the target market. We've aged out :)

But you could duplicate the wrap that's used on one of the preproduction trucks. This is not photoshop, it's been spotted by multiple people.

Every time a prototype was photographed, I'd see a pile of posts critiquing panel fit and alignment. Knowing this wrap fools nobody (is that the Roadster?!), I'm betting it's an effort to ensure social media isn't full of photos of poorly built examples before they're done figuring out how to build it. 

I don't understand people who get all excited about panel gaps.   Sandy Munro the guy who takes apart car companies  cars to critique them and help them build better cars n the future. Said those are superficial items easily corrected. 
    It's the hidden engineering that is important.   When he inspected Tesla's he marveled at the engineering. Saying, " Tesla engineers at the speed of thought while legacy car companies engineer at the speed of committees." ( Turtle slow) 

  Things like the Gigapress that take a thousand parts and pieces and make it in one press of the Giga press.   Saving countless billions in order to build the car at a profit which so far only BYD and Tesla have been able to do.  
 That is just one example of why Tesla is the #1selling EV in the world. 
      In the End Tesla's goal is efficiency.   Why it's performance and range beats all the rest.  Why unlike many others it doesn't have battery recall's because of fires. 
 

I still don't get why people are impressed by Tesla's habit of Move-Fast-Break-Things Silicon Valley approach to things that go on public roads.

There's a reason the big manufacturers move slowly and only part of it is committees 

Sorry about the numbers.  I took them directly off what Sandy Munro  had said .  
  Actually I think he's said 1005 or some such number. 
  I did guess on the potential savings. Though using the projected number of anticipated cars times potential savings .  

  But you are absolutely correct in the driving forces behind Tesla versus  Legacy companies. 
  I m encouraged by Toyota though,. They have placed an order for a Gigapress so let's see if that helps them in the future. Only part of it is the equipment. Most is how to use it.