Cybertruck
Tesla ditches key Cybertruck charging feature for very obvious reason
“Wireless charging something as far off the ground as the [Cybertruck] is silly.”
Tesla is officially ditching the development of a key Cybertruck charging feature, and the reason is very obvious, all things considered.
The Cybertruck is among the most unique vehicles available on the market, and, like all Tesla vehicles, it has continued to improve through Over-the-Air software updates that enhance performance, safety, and other technological features.
However, the development of some features, while great on paper, turns out to be more difficult than expected. One of these features is the presence of wireless charging on the all-electric pickup, a capability Tesla has been working to integrate across its entire vehicle lineup.
Tesla wireless charging patent revealed ahead of Robotaxi unveiling event
Most people who have used wireless charging for their phones or other devices have realized it is not as effective as plugging into a cord or cable. This is even relevant with Tesla vehicles, as the introduction of wireless charging for smartphones within the vehicles has been a nice feature, but not as impactful as many would hope.
It’s not necessarily Tesla’s fault, either. Wireless charging is a complex technology because much of the energy intended to be transferred to the phone is lost through heat.
Instead of the energy being stored in the battery, it is lost on the outside of the phone, which is why it becomes warm to the touch after sitting on a charging mat.
-
This is something that Tesla is likely trying to resolve with its vehicles before rolling out inductive charging to owners. The company has confirmed that it is working on a wireless charging solution, but it has yet to be released.
However, this feature will not be coming to the Cybertruck. Wes Morrill, the Cybertruck’s lead engineer, said that the vehicle’s height makes wireless charging “silly,” according to Not a Tesla App:
“Wireless charging something as far off the ground as the CT is silly.”
This is something that could impact future vehicle designs; the Cybertruck might not be the only higher-ground clearance vehicle Tesla plans to offer to customers. Therefore, being transparent about a design’s capabilities, or even developing technology that would enable this, would be useful to potential buyers.
At this point, wireless charging seems like it would be more advantageous for home charging than anything.
Due to its current inefficiency, it would likely be a great way to enable seamless charging in a garage or residential parking space, rather than something like a public charger where people are looking to plug and go in as little time as possible.
-
Cybertruck
Tesla Cybertruck production snaps back after ugly supplier fight
Cybertrucks are piling up again at Giga Texas after Tesla’s court win against a parts supplier.
Cybertruck production at Giga Texas is showing its first visible recovery since Tesla sued a supplier last month over withheld manufacturing tooling.
Aerial observer Joe Tegtmeyer flew over the Austin factory Wednesday morning and counted roughly 100 or more Cybertrucks filling the outbound lot, a sharp jump from the thin numbers seen in recent weeks. The flyover came a day after a judge granted Tesla a temporary restraining order against Angstrom Automotive Group, the parts supplier at the center of the dispute.
Tesla filed an emergency lawsuit in late July after Angstrom told the automaker it planned to close the Troy, Texas facility where Tesla’s die-cast tools, trim dies and other Cybertruck stamping equipment were housed. According to Tesla’s complaint, a shipment of 700 finished parts never left the building, and when Tesla sent representatives to retrieve its equipment, accompanied by law enforcement, they were turned away. Angstrom allegedly then asked for an extra $250,000 a week to keep operating, which Tesla’s filing described as holding its own property for ransom.
TESLA: U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Wolfe of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Waco Division granted Tesla a Temporary Restraining Order and Writ of Replevin in its dispute with Angstrom Automotive (Case No. 6:26-cv-00477).
The order authorizes… https://t.co/E1DKcQSxMn pic.twitter.com/LR8aAiV2Og
— S.E. Robinson, Jr. (@SERobinsonJr) August 5, 2026
-
The restraining order gives Tesla immediate right of entry to Angstrom’s facility to recover the tooling. It is temporary, with a fuller hearing still to come, but the speed of Wednesday’s rebound suggests the Angstrom shortage was indeed the main bottleneck limiting Cybertruck output. Outbound lot counts are an imperfect measure of actual production, since finished trucks can sit for days before shipping, but a lot that full after a lean stretch is a meaningful signal.
Cybertruck output at Giga Texas has fluctuated all year as Tesla worked through supply issues and introduced new trims, including a cheaper Dual Motor AWD version that drew strong early demand.
Tesla has continued to flex the strength, rigidity, and robustness of its all-electric pickup, the Cybertruck. In fact, since 2019, Cybertruck’s ability to avoid dents, dings, and even gunfire has been one of the main selling points Tesla has used to attract buyers who are looking for a vehicle that can handle the most intense challenges.
But that does not mean Tesla is not still actively trying to make it even better.
In a new hardware update, Tesla has decided to change the material of the Cybertruck’s underbody panels from aluminum to carbon fiber, a move that aims to not only increase pricing efficiency but also improve strength.
RELATED:
Cybertruck Lead Engineer Wes Morrill confirmed the change was made to the Cybertruck recently after it was spotted by Coleton Guerin of Out of Spec. This particular trim level was a Cyberbeast, but it is being applied to all trims to keep supply chain efficiency high and have less variance across trim levels.
Morrill said that Tesla tested different materials for the underbody panel protection, and carbon fiber performed better than aluminum, which is what the company was using since its first deliveries in 2023.
-
Additionally, there are some efficiency improvements because Tesla can better form the areas around the bolts to keep underbody airflow cleaner than previously.
good eye – it’s a new material. Testing showed it to be more durable than the aluminum while being lower weight and cost. Also slight efficiency improvement since we can better form the areas around the bolts to keep the underbody airflow cleaner than what stamped aluminum allows
— Wes (@wmorrill3) July 30, 2026
Carbon fiber is traditionally lighter and more durable than aluminum, which is why it is such a popular material among luxury automakers, and EV makers will utilize some of the materials around battery packs to save weight.
This is the first instance of Tesla utilizing carbon fiber on the Cybertruck’s exterior to help with overall performance and strength. As previously mentioned, Tesla used aluminum to protect the underside of the body, but it is pretty typical for the company to continue making engineering changes that will improve the car in the future.
Cybertruck
Tesla claims supplier is holding Cybertruck production hostage
Tesla has sued a supplier over Cybertruck tooling it now says is held for ransom.
Tesla is asking a federal court to force a Cybertruck parts supplier to hand back manufacturing equipment the automaker says it owns, warning that production of the pickup could stop within days without it.
The company filed an emergency lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, asking for a hearing on short notice to recover tooling used to stamp Cybertruck components at Giga Texas. According to the complaint, first reported by Bloomberg, the equipment sits inside a Troy, Texas plant run by Angstrom Automotive Group, which bought the facility from Anderton Casting last year and kept it on as a Tesla supplier. Case 6:26-cv-0477 is one of the more urgent supplier disputes Tesla has brought to court.
The dispute traces back to July 13, when Angstrom told Tesla it planned to close the Troy facility. The two sides then failed to agree on a plan to retrieve the die-cast tools, trim dies, fixtures, cutting tools, gauges and X-ray equipment that belong to Tesla. A shipment of 700 finished parts due out on July 17 never left the building, according to the filing. When Tesla sent representatives to the plant on July 21, accompanied by law enforcement, they were turned away.
Tesla’s complaint alleges Angstrom then asked for an extra $250,000 a week to keep the facility running, a demand the automaker calls an attempt to exert commercial pressure by holding its own property “for ransom.” Angstrom has not issued a public response.
The lawsuit states thousands of Cybertrucks already assigned to customers are tied to the parts in question, and that supply will run out “in mere days” without court intervention. Tesla says it is not asking the judge to resolve the underlying contract dispute or award damages, only to get physical access to equipment it already owns.
Tesla has also turned to the courts before to protect its supply chain, including its ongoing trade secret fight with former battery equipment supplier Matthews International, where a judge issued a permanent injunction against the company earlier this year.
-
A ruling on Tesla’s request for emergency relief is expected within days.
The Boring Company’s newest tunnel vehicle runs on Tesla parts and no one is driving it
Elon Musk and SpaceX shrugs off the trading day Wall Street feared most
