17 replies to this topic

[Greg Locock]

Obviously we don't know what level of prototype these are, here's some very cautious off roading. They've managed to keep the original styling, to my relief. It's about time car shapes got interesting.

 

https://twitter.com/...556240908681538

 

The nice thing with an EV for off roading is that you have direct control of the torque and speed commands for each motor, you don't waste power in the brakes (depending on how many motors you have). Whereas if I am mud plugging in my Everest, the brakes are acting as vector diffs.

[Magoo]

I  am fascinated and confused by the Cybertruck. I still don't know it if will  be a hit or a flop. Buyers are not the traditional Silverado/F-150/Silverado crowd, so it's not even clear who all the audience will be. Musk wanted to shake things up so here we go. 

Edited by Magoo, 03 November 2023 - 23:22.

[Nathan]

Since the mid 90s buyers of most trucks aren't traditional truck buying types, so I guess its the segment for it.

[jcbc3]

The more I see of it, the less I like the styling. I am also a bit curious as to how they got it through legislation regarding pedestrian safety. Did we also discuss that any dings and dents will be very expensive to repair, meaning insurance premiums may be a tad higher than the average car/Luxury truck? 

 

Well, living in downtown Copenhagen I am as far from the target audience as possible, so don't mind my opinion. Good luck to the (few/many?) buyers with their purchase.

[gruntguru]

Have to agree on the styling. Boring as batshit.

[Lee Nicolle]

Since the mid 90s buyers of most trucks aren't traditional truck buying types, so I guess its the segment for it.

Since Ford and GM are in trouble with EVs I doubt there is much of a market

[gruntguru]

Since Ford and GM are in trouble with EVs I doubt there is much of a market

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Ford F-150 Lightning U.S. Sales Hit New Record In October 2023

https://insideevs.co...es-october2023/

[GreenMachine]

Since Ford and GM are in trouble with EVs I doubt there is much of a market

 

Elon will be disappointed to learn of this.

[Lee Nicolle]

.

Ford F-150 Lightning U.S. Sales Hit New Record In October 2023

https://insideevs.co...es-october2023/

Yet report aftr report has Ford EV division near bankrupt after losing billions on them.

[Lee Nicolle]

Obviously we don't know what level of prototype these are, here's some very cautious off roading. They've managed to keep the original styling, to my relief. It's about time car shapes got interesting.

 

https://twitter.com/...556240908681538

 

The nice thing with an EV for off roading is that you have direct control of the torque and speed commands for each motor, you don't waste power in the brakes (depending on how many motors you have). Whereas if I am mud plugging in my Everest, the brakes are acting as vector diffs.

It seems to have great problems coming up a normal 4 wd hill.

[Magoo]

Since Ford and GM are in trouble with EVs I doubt there is much of a market

 

They could try making good ones. 

[MikeTekRacing]

It seems to have great problems coming up a normal 4 wd hill.

it's testing. We have no clue what they are testing

[Magoo]

All-wheel-drive EVs tend to be ridiculously good in low-speed hill climbling and rock crawling.

[Bloggsworth]

All-wheel-drive EVs tend to be ridiculously good in low-speed hill climbling and rock crawling.

And just how many people will be buying them for that purpose?

[Magoo]

And just how many people will be buying them for that purpose?

 

I'm not altogeher clear who all the buyers will be. Tesla people (like Franz von Holzhausen, head of design) are fond of saying that  the orders come largely from non-truck owners, so we'll see. 

[gruntguru]

And just how many people will be buying them for that purpose?

Probably a similar percentage to those currently buying utes/trucks for serious off-road use - ie not many.

[GreenMachine]

"Trucks"?!  I would think any real 'truckie' would either take offence, or laugh out loud.

[Magoo]

By the way, here in the USA today we have been pounded with screaming headlines such as "GM BUYS KEY TESLA GIGACASTING COMPANY OUT FROM UNDER TESLA." 

 

But no, GM did not buy IDRA, the Italian-based, Hong Kong-owned maker of Gigapress aka gigacasting machines for Tesla. (Though Ford and Toyota have also bought machines.). 

 

Rather, GM has acquired TEI, a Livonia, Michigan maker of core boxes and so forth with 100 employees. 

 

If I were a really cynical, nasty person, I might even suspect that GM pushed and spun this story to deflect the news that Warren Buffett has dumped his $1 billion in GM shares. 

 

But as you know, I am Mr. Sunshine.with never a distrustful thought. Especially where automakers are concerned.