Connect with us

News

Elon Musk hints at smaller Tesla Cybertruck version down the road

Tesla Cybertruck unveiled in Los Angeles, Nov. 21, 2019 (Photo: Arash Malek)

Published

on

Following the unveiling of Tesla’s Cybertruck last week, CEO Elon Musk has hinted that a smaller version of the futuristic pickup may be coming in the future. This statement from Musk came after some potential owners expressed they would be interested in a more compact version of the recently-unveiled vehicle that would be more suitable for smaller driveways and residences.

Tesla unveiled the Cybertruck on November 21. The all-electric truck from the company based out of Silicon Valley caught the eye of many people due to its unique and unorthodox shape. One Twitter follower of Musk’s requested a smaller truck down the road, as he facetiously expressed the vehicle may block his whole street. Musk replied, saying that it “probably makes sense to build a smaller Cybertruck too.”

The size of the Cybertruck is a big talking point for those who are interested in the vehicle. Its futuristic and unusually modern shape is a design that has not been used in the past by any other car manufacturer. However, not everyone who wants or needs to own a truck for either work or leisure can house this gigantic pickup.

Other manufacturers have had success varying the sizes of their trucks by releasing multiple models of the same body style. Ford, for example, has done this with its F-Series that has gained the reputation as the most popular line of pickup trucks in the U.S. in 2019, with the F-150 being recognized as the most popular truck in the country, according to J.D. Power. In terms of dimensions, the Cybertruck is similar to the F-150 and Dodge Ram 1500.

  • Tesla Cybertruck: 231.5 inches long, 79.8 inches wide, 75 inches tall, 6.5-foot bed
  • 2020 Ford F-150 XL: 209 inches long, 80 inches wide, 75 inches tall, 5.5-foot bed
  • 2020 Dodge Ram 1500: 229 inches long, 82 inches wide, 77 inches tall, 5.6-foot bed
Tesla Cybertruck 6.5 ft pickup bed “Vault” (Photo: Teslarati)

Tesla’s Cybertruck will give owners more storage capacity than any other pickup on the market right now thanks to its bed that is nearly a foot longer than the other two vehicles. The Ford F-150 XL has 62.5 cubic feet of storage, and while this is the company’s smallest version of the truck, it packs 62% of the storage capacity compared to the 100 cubic feet offered by Tesla’s Cybertruck. The 2020 Dodge Ram 1500 offers 61.5 cubic feet, just one foot less than the F-150 but still only a fraction of Tesla’s new “Bladerunner-Esque” pickup.

Tesla may find it beneficial down the road to try and create a smaller variation of the Cybertruck. The truck, while available in different variants as far as the number of engines, is only available in one size. While more cargo space is definitely a plus, there are certainly plenty of reasons why it could be the reason someone does not buy the vehicle. Some people simply do not have the room for a large truck, especially if they live in a small house or community where there is not enough room for the vehicle. The Twitter user who reached out to Musk recognized that the truck would be a great vehicle to own, but it may not be the most logical thing to buy considering he does not have space for it.

Advertisement

Elon Musk has proven to us in the past that he is a man of the people. He listens to the requests of potential Tesla owners and uses them to improve the vehicles Tesla manufactures. While the Cybertruck does not begin production until late 2021, there is plenty of time for Musk and Tesla’s team of designers to come up with a modified design that would appeal to those who do not have the need for the massive Cybertruck.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

Advertisement
Comments

News

Tesla is adding an interesting feature to its centerscreen in a coming update

In a recent dissection of coding, Tesla hacker green noticed that the company is bringing in screenshare with Software Update 2025.38

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla is adding an interesting feature to its center touchscreen in a coming update, according to a noted hacker.

In a recent dissection of coding, Tesla hacker green noticed that the company is bringing in screenshare with Software Update 2025.38. Details on the use case are slim, but he said the feature would export the car screen so it could be viewed remotely.

It would bring up a notification on the screen, along with a four-digit pin that would link the two together:

As previously mentioned, the use case is unclear, but there are some ideas. One of which is for remote support, which is something Apple has used to help resolve issues with its products.

Support staff and employees routinely tap into customers’ screens to help resolve issues, so this could be a way Tesla could also use it.

This seems especially relevant with Robotaxi, as the screen might be a crucial part of resolving customer complaints when there is no employee in the car.

Additionally, it seems as if it will not be exclusive to those owners who have newer vehicles that utilize the AMD chip. Intel will get support with the new feature as well, according to what green has noticed in the coding.

Finally, it could also be used with all sorts of content creation, especially as Full Self-Driving videos and what the vehicle sees in Driver Visualization.

As it is released, Tesla will likely release more information regarding what the screensharing mode will be used for.

For right now, many owners are wondering where it could actually work and what advantages it will offer for owners as well as the company itself.

Continue Reading

Elon Musk

SpaceX posts Starship booster feat that’s so nutty, it doesn’t even look real

The Super Heavy booster’s feat was so impressive that the whole maneuver almost looked like it was AI-generated.

Published

on

Credit: SpaceX/X

SpaceX has shared a video of a remarkable feat achieved by Starship’s Super Heavy booster during its 11th flight test.

The Super Heavy booster’s feat was so impressive that the whole maneuver, which was captured on video, almost looked like it was AI-generated.

Super Heavy’s picture perfect hover

As could be seen in the video shared by SpaceX, Starship’s Super Heavy booster, which is nearly 400 feet tall, smoothly returned to Earth and hovered above the Gulf of America for a few seconds before it went for its soft water landing. The booster’s picture-perfect maneuver before splashing down all but capped a near-flawless mission for Starship, which is about to enter its V3 era with Flight 12.

The booster’s balance and stability were so perfect that some users on X joked that the whole thing looked AI-generated. Considering the size of Super Heavy, as well as the fact that the booster was returning from space, the hovering display all but showed that SpaceX is dead serious about keeping its dominant lead in the spaceflight sector.

Starship V2’s curtain call

As noted in a Space.com report, Flight Test 11 achieved every major goal SpaceX had set for the mission, including deploying Starlink mass simulators, relighting Raptor engines in space, and executing a stable reentry for both the Starship Upper Stage and the Super Heavy booster. The feat also marked the second time a Super Heavy booster has been reflown, a milestone in SpaceX’s quest to make the entire Starship system fully reusable.

Advertisement

Starship’s V2 vehicle will now give way to the upgraded Starship V3, which is designed for faster turnaround and higher payload capacity. The Starship program is expected to pursue even more aggressive targets in the coming months as well, with Elon Musk stating on social media platform X that SpaceX will attempt a tower catch for Starship Upper Stage as early as spring 2026.

Continue Reading

Elon Musk

After moving Tesla to Texas, Elon Musk is back in the Bay Area with Neuralink expansion

The news marks a noticeable step in Musk’s expanding presence in the Bay Area, despite the move of his biggest companies, Tesla and SpaceX, to Texas.

Published

on

Neuralink-Demo-Elon-Musk
Credit: Steve Jurvetson/Twitter

Recent reports have indicated that Elon Musk’s brain-implant startup, Neuralink, has leased a five-story, 144,000-square-foot building in South San Francisco. At the same time, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI is reportedly also looking around for a Bay Area office. 

The news marks a noticeable step in Musk’s expanding presence in the Bay Area, despite the move of his biggest companies, Tesla and SpaceX, to Texas.

Neuralink’s Bay Area expansion

As noted in a report from the San Francisco Business Times, the property that Neuralink has leased is located at 499 Forbes Boulevard, and it was built by Aralon Properties before it was leased to cancer test developer InterVenn Biosciences. The site, however, had remained vacant since 2023 after InterVenn canceled its 10-year lease.

xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, is reportedly scouting for an even larger Bay Area office as well, as noted in a report from the San Francisco Chronicle. Combined, the two ventures could secure nearly 400,000 square feet of local workspace, a move seen as a symbolic return of sorts for Musk-led innovation to Silicon Valley.

Neuralink’s momentum

Founded in 2016, Neuralink develops brain-computer interfaces intended to help paralyzed patients control digital devices through thought. The company received U.S. regulatory approval in 2023 to begin human trials, with its first patient, quadriplegic Noland Arbaugh, making headlines for his stunning ability to control a computer cursor and play games using only his mind. Since receiving his implant, Arbaugh has stated that he now browses the web, plays video games like Mario Kart, studies neuroscience, and operates his smart home without lifting a finger. 

Advertisement

Nauralink is only just getting started, with Elon Musk noting on X that the company is busy preparing its next product, Blindsight, for human trials. As per Musk, Neuralink is “aiming to restore (limited) sight to the completely blind next year,” an aggressive target for a potentially life-changing device.

Continue Reading

Trending