Musk says the Tesla Cybertruck has been shrunk, can float
Funky features on Tesla’s Cybertruck
With a bulletproof body and 500-mile battery-powered range, Tesla’s electric pickup isn’t like every other truck.
Elon shrank the Cybertruck.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote on Twitter that the exterior size of the electric pickup has been reduced by around 3 percent since its infamous unveiling last fall, when its “armor glass” broke twice during a demonstration of its alleged strength. The original dimensions of the truck listed it at 231 inches long, 79.8 inches wide and 75 inches tall, and Musk said the update would result in a 1.5 percent reduction in cabin size.
Musk added that the design has also been altered with a lower window sill and a more level centerline that could tone down its dramatic wedge stance. A Norwegian design student took the liberty of rendering what the Cybertruck might look like with Musk’s suggested alterations.
Responding to a question on Twitter about the water-fording capabilities of the Cybertruck, which will offer an air suspension and up to 16 inches of ground clearance, Musk said it will be able to float for a while, echoing a claim he previously made about the Tesla Model S sedan, but never demonstrated.
The plan for the Cybertruck, which is very much still in development, is to use a unibody chassis made from stainless steel, which is difficult to paint. To get around that issue, Musk recently said that other colors and patterns will be possible by using a vinyl wrap, but didn’t clarify if Tesla would offer the service or if customers will have to have it done on their own.
Tesla is aming to have the Cybertruck in production by the end of 2021 and is currently looking for a location in the U.S. to build a factory to produce it. While cities in Texas and Tennessee have been rumored to be in the running, the city of Joplin, Mo., is publically offering the company an incentive package it says will save the company $1 billion.
