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Tesla Cybertruck to be ‘Elon Musk’s first disaster,’ according to Jim Cramer

Credit: /cybertruckjourney

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Since November 2019, arguably the most frequently-discussed electric vehicle coming to the market has been the Tesla Cybertruck. The first pickup from Elon Musk’s electric car company shocked nearly everyone who tuned in to the live event streamed nearly two years ago as the Tesla frontman and the company’s Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen rolled out the Cyberpunk-inspired pickup onto the stage in Hawthorne, California. However, despite having over 1.2 million pre-orders thus far, the truck is not making everyone turn their heads and throw $100 down to reserve one. One of those people is Tesla investor and Musk fan Jim Cramer, who said that the truck is bound to be Musk’s “first disaster.”

While fielding questions regarding Tesla’s AI Day last week during an interview on Wall Street, Cramer averted commenting very much on the Tesla Bot that Elon Musk said the company would bring in 2022 in a prototype form and instead focused on the Cybertruck. His comments were unfavorable toward the all-electric pickup, with Cramer recommending that consumers opt for a more traditional pickup style in the Ford F-150 Lightning as the Cybertruck is “ugly.”

“I saw the actual pickup truck,” Cramer said when speaking about the Cybertruck. “Go buy an F-150. I mean, this thing is not just ugly…You have got to love Tesla to get this thing,” Cramer added.

There is no doubt that the Cybertruck has an unorthodox and “polarizing” look, as many people have described the truck. Still, this was the point of the design. One of the first portions of Musk’s presentation in November 2019 had to do with the traditional automakers and how their pickups stood apart from others. Taking manufacturer badges away from the truck makes it more difficult to tell each model apart. The traditional design has been broken down to a rectangular driver’s cabin and a bed, with relatively the same shapes and angles shared amongst the major pickup truck designs in the United States.

This is where Tesla decided that an orthodox pickup may not be the best option. Instead, Tesla went with a futuristic design, covered in ultra-strength stainless steel alloy and equipped with resilient glass and, potentially, solar panels on the tonneau for additional range.

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Cramer is still a Tesla supporter, he says, especially as the automaker has avoided massive failures with its product. Specifically mentioning the recent Chevrolet Bolt EV recall due to faulty batteries, Cramer believes Tesla is one of the major players in the sector, especially in terms of autonomous driving. “I still like Tesla because I think it’s been unfair the way their autonomous driving has been handled. There are many more accidents from drunk drivers. But I recognize…I think this pickup truck is going to be a disaster, his first disaster.”

Interestingly, Cramer and Musk share a similar but not an identical point of view on the Cybertruck. While Cramer is undoubtedly convinced the Cybertruck will fall flat, Musk has stated in the past that the truck could be a flop due to its unfamiliar design. However, 1.2 million reservations for the truck say differently.

The Ford F-150 Lightning will be the company’s second EV to the market, following the Mustang Mach-E. The truck has already amassed an impressive 120,000 pre-orders, according to Ford’s Q2 2021 Earnings Call. Sporting a traditional pickup design, the two options on the market may be the perfect recipe for accelerating the transition to sustainable energy as the traditional and unorthodox designs should cater to consumers and what they’re looking for in a new vehicle.

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Don’t hesitate to contact us with tips! Email us at tips@teslarati.com, or you can email me directly at joey@teslarati.com.

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

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Tesla might be doing away with a long-included feature with its vehicles

It appears Tesla is mulling the possibility of not including key cards with its vehicles any longer.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla might be doing away with a long-included feature with its vehicles, as it could be looking to phase out something that very few owners utilize.

Tesla Key Cards are included when you purchase your vehicle, and they assist in the initial setup process. However, after that, they are not super useful or relevant to the owner, as many rely on their Phone Key through the Tesla App to access their cars.

As such, it appears Tesla is mulling the possibility of not including key cards with its vehicles any longer. According to some language that has been removed from vehicle Owner’s Manuals that talks about the inclusion of key cards with the car upon delivery:

“Tesla provides you with two Model 3/Y key cards, designed to fit in your wallet.”

That sentence was removed from Owner’s Manuals, according to Not a Tesla App, which first spotted the change.

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Interestingly, the timing of the phrase being removed from Owner’s Manuals comes just after Tesla launched its “affordable” Standard Models, and could be a small money-saving measure for the company.

Key Cards have been utilized by Tesla for its cars since 2017, as they became an included accessory with the vehicle. They still have their place and are useful for other applications, such as Valet service and even to be used by car owners if their phone is dead or if someone else needs to get into the car.

They can also be purchased in the Tesla Shop for $40.

It seems as if Tesla is planning to have owners be completely reliant on the Phone Key, which is more useful and convenient than carrying around the Key Cards.

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Although it is minor, it is yet another strategy Tesla is using to trim any sort of costs that can be eliminated and could save money in the long run.

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Elon Musk confirms Tesla FSD V14.2 will see widespread rollout

Musk shared the news in a post on social media platform X.

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Credit: Whole Mars Catalog/X

Elon Musk has confirmed that Tesla will be implementing a wide rollout of Full Self-Driving (FSD) V14 with the system’s V14.2 update. Musk shared the news in a post on social media platform X. 

FSD V14.1.2 earns strong praise from testers

Musk’s comment came as a response to Tesla owner and longtime FSD tester AI DRIVR, who noted that it might be time to release Full Self-Driving to the fleet because V14.1.2 has already become very refined.

“95% of the indecisive lane changes and braking have been fixed in FSD 14.1.2. I haven’t touched my steering wheel in two days. I think it’s time, Tesla AI,” the longtime FSD tester wrote

AI DRIVR’s comment received quite a bit of support from fellow Tesla drivers, some of whom noted that the improvements that were implemented in V14.1.2 are substantial. Others also agreed that it’s time for FSD to see a wide release.

In his reply to the FSD tester, CEO Elon Musk noted that FSD V14’s wide release would happen with V14.2. “14.2 for widespread use,” Musk wrote in his reply

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Mad Max mode makes headlines

One of the key features that was introduced with FSD’s current iteration is Mad Max mode, which allows for higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than the previous “Hurry” mode. Videos and social media posts from FSD testers have shown the system deftly handling complex traffic, merging seamlessly, and maintaining an assertive but safe driving behavior with Mad Max mode engaged.

Tesla AI head Ashok Elluswamy recently noted in a post on X that Mad Max mode was built to handle congested daytime traffic, making it extremely useful for drivers who tend to find themselves in heavy roads during their daily commutes. With Musk now hinting that FSD V14.2 will go on wide release, it might only be a matter of time before the larger Tesla fleet gets to experience the notable improvements of FSD’s V14 update.

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Multiple Tesla Cybercab units spotted at Giga Texas crash test facility

The vehicles were covered, but one could easily recognize the Cybercab’s sleek lines and compact size.

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Credit: @JoeTegtmeyer/X

It appears that Tesla is ramping up its activities surrounding the development and likely initial production of the Cybercab at Giga Texas. This was, at least, hinted at in a recent drone flyover of the massive electric vehicle production facility in Austin. 

Cybercab sightings fuel speculations

As observed by longtime Giga Texas drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer, Tesla had several covered Cybercab units outside the facility’s crash testing facility at the time of his recent flyover. The vehicles were covered, but one could easily recognize the Cybercab’s sleek lines and compact size. Tegtmeyer also observed during his flyover that production of the Model Y Standard seems to be hitting its pace.

The drone operator noted that the seven covered Cybercabs might be older prototypes being decommissioned or new units awaiting crash tests. Either scenario points to a ramp-up in Cybercab activity at Giga Texas, however. “In either case, this is another datapoint indicating production is getting closer to happening,” Tegtmeyer wrote on X, highlighting that the autonomous two-seaters were quite exciting to see.

Cybercab production targets

This latest sighting follows reports of renewed Cybercab appearances at both the Fremont Factory and Giga Texas. A test unit was recently spotted driving on Giga Texas’ South River Road. Another Cybercab, seen at Tesla’s Fremont Factory, appeared to be manually driven, suggesting that the vehicle’s current prototypes may still be produced with temporary steering controls.

The Tesla Cybercab is designed to be the company’s highest-volume vehicle, with CEO Elon Musk estimating that the autonomous two-seater should see an annual production rate of about 2 million units per year. To accomplish this, Tesla will be building the Cybercab using its “Unboxed” process, which should help the vehicle’s production line achieve outputs that are more akin to consumer electronics production lines.

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