Some are calling this an F-150 competitor, thinking this is a workhorse truck. However, I think this car is more of a bad-ass vanity truck, competitive with the F-150 Raptor, for guys and gals who want to feel like they're driving an awesome machine but don't actually do that much work with it. Why?
LOAD and WIND RESISTANCE.
Tesla claims a 500 mile range on the Cybertruck, but let me tell you two little stories.
I routinely make the 200 mile trip from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe, California -- In a Lincoln Navigator. We have a Tesla model S, but we never take it to Tahoe. Because the 75 mile uphill trip into the Sierra mountains, takes over 150 miles of range, putting the trip at the uncomfortable limit of range even for the highest capacity cars. Our friends with Teslas stop at the supercharger, every time.
Why? It turns out that Tesla's cars make their range as much by lowering consumption as by increasing capacity, and there just isn't any way to to make hauling a 5000 lb car uphill any more efficient. Load matters.
Why? It turns out that Tesla's cars make their range as much by lowering consumption as by increasing capacity, and there just isn't any way to to make hauling a 5000 lb car uphill any more efficient. Load matters.
However, that's only half the story.. A friend of mine tried to bring his Tesla S to Tahoe, with three bicycles on the roof. Wind resistance is another big part of efficiency, and we've heard all about how the Tesla S and X are designed to have minimum drag. Well, not so when you stick two bicycles on the roof. He could barely make it 100 miles on a charge, and couldn't even make it to the first supercharger. He had to stop at a 110v outlet, to add some extra juice, to get to the first supercharger. Then, realizing this wasn't going to work all the way to Tahoe, they somehow managed to squeeze three bicycles in the back of the model S with three adults inside. And after all these shenanigains, a second supercharger stop (for juice to make it up the sierra grade), and some traffic, it took them 10 hours to reach Tahoe. Not fun for anyone. My Navigator drive was 3.5 hours non-stop.
What do pickup truck owners do? They drive around with open beds, that have massive drag, often with stuff inside, sometimes hauling trailers. It's good Tesla juiced the Supertruck up with 500 miles of range, because when the bed is open creating drag, you're going to get alot less range. If you pull a trailer, I'd be shocked to see it get 200 miles, and if you're dragging it all up the Sierra Grade, good luck.
I love my Tesla. I love Electrics. However, it's really important to understand that every tool is not right for every job.
The Tesla Supertruck has polarizing styling, and is sure to have amazing performance. I think it may play well in the vanity semi-luxury style truck market, such as consumers buying F-150 Raptors and Jeep Rubicons to do their suburban and city driving in. However, if you want a working truck to carry big hauls, and pull big loads even medium distances, I don't think an electric pickup truck is your cup of tea - yet.
The Tesla Supertruck has polarizing styling, and is sure to have amazing performance. I think it may play well in the vanity semi-luxury style truck market, such as consumers buying F-150 Raptors and Jeep Rubicons to do their suburban and city driving in. However, if you want a working truck to carry big hauls, and pull big loads even medium distances, I don't think an electric pickup truck is your cup of tea - yet.
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