Tesla Truck

[scjbash]

Lego piling on:





-https://www.cnet.com/news/elon-musk-tesla-cybertruck-drives-snarky-lego-response/

A Lego truck would solve the Godzilla problem should it arise.

[Zincwarrior]

A Lego truck would solve the Godzilla problem should it arise.

Indeed. We are now completely safe from Kaiju attack.

[Lex Luthier]

I had a conversation yesterday with a brother-in-law who is a professional product designer. His take is that it's brilliant, and he compared it to the various lunar vehicles produced over the last 40+ years.
He pointed out that the truck is comprised of an exoskeleton of metal too thick for stamping, so it had to be built more or less as it is just to meet the structural requirement specifications.

Looking at it that way, I'm far more toward neutral about the thing.

[Maple Syrup Actual]

There are two ways to look at that...one is "we had to run with this unconventional appearance to use this space age stainless exoskeleton."

The other is "we solved a non-problem by creating a massive problem."


People periodically have these ideas in boat design...if we could just build one out of stainless/kevlar/unicorns/whatever, wouldn't that last forever/be super durable/never rust?

In reality, corrosion isn't really a problem with conventional materials, longevity is rarely an issue with modern build methods, and if you hit it hard enough to dent it, people need it repaired, and the cost of repairing a dent in stainless is at least as much as repairing a larger dent in aluminum, and so on.

So to me this is a really questionable trade-off. Would a steel-framed Glock have more ultimate durability? Maybe. Would it be an improvement?

[Lex Luthier]

There are two ways to look at that...one is "we had to run with this unconventional appearance to use this space age stainless exoskeleton."

The other is "we solved a non-problem by creating a massive problem."


People periodically have these ideas in boat design...if we could just build one out of stainless/kevlar/unicorns/whatever, wouldn't that last forever/be super durable/never rust?

In reality, corrosion isn't really a problem with conventional materials, longevity is rarely an issue with modern build methods, and if you hit it hard enough to dent it, people need it repaired, and the cost of repairing a dent in stainless is at least as much as repairing a larger dent in aluminum, and so on.

So to me this is a really questionable trade-off. Would a steel-framed Glock have more ultimate durability? Maybe. Would it be an improvement?

Sure. Improvement? Like so many other of Tesla's products, we'll know in 5 years. Meanwhile, pre-orders on this thing may have just saved the company.

https://electrek.co/2019/11/23/tesla...ck-pre-orders/

[Maple Syrup Actual]

Yeah if there's one thing you can credit the guy with, he's a great huckster. I don't know if it's viable, long-term...I mean presumably there would be some point at which you could no longer raise operating capital by promising a future release if people have been burned by previous experiences, but then on the other hand, if people are satisfied with the stuff you put out, maybe running like a giant Kickstarter project IS viable long-term, I have no idea. Clearly he's a lot better at making money than I am so I'm not in any position to judge the method, I guess.

I could be way off-base with this but I think their biggest problem is exposure to the stock market. If they weren't a publicly traded company I would (ironically) bet on their success. I am more skeptical of the market tolerating Tesla's idiosyncrasies for a long time.

But for sure I agree, give it five years, we'll know quite a bit.

[txdpd]

He pointed out that the truck is comprised of an exoskeleton of metal too thick for stamping, so it had to be built more or less as it is just to meet the structural requirement specifications.
.

Look at how much people love to complain about how thin the sheet metal is on cars and trucks now days (imagine the hilarity if more people realized the bed on the Tacoma was Tupperware). Put thick sheet metal on a vehicle and immediately people complain about it.

I’m not a fan of shiny metal, but as good as two stage paint is capable of being these days, it’s pretty abysmal.

The only thing worse than the way things are, is trying anything new. I still wouldn’t buy any Tesla product.

[BehindBlueI's]

Put thick sheet metal on a vehicle and immediately people complain about it.

I don't think that's what anyone is complaining about.

[txdpd]

I don't think that's what anyone is complaining about.

I get that it’s ugly as sin and completely impractical as a pickup. But if we look at things that people complain about with trucks, this puts a lot of check marks in boxes. Fuel cost, acceleration, getting power to the wheels with traction while off road, entry/exit/break over angles, ground clearance, durability of body panels and paint. I’m not saying it’s a good product, regardless of looks, every Tesla car I’ve looked has had terrible fit and finish. If it even comes to fruition it’ll still be crap, but the ideas behind the Tesla pickup aren’t that far out of touch with the complaints a lot of people have.

[fixer]

Charles DeGrasse Tyson and Elon Musk trolling each other about physics...neither of them have it right. Charles is closer than Elon. Pulling a truck up hill adds to the power requirement of engine. It also reduces the friction available to the tire on the vehicle being pulled.