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Tesla Cybertruck frunk size hinted in latest sighting

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

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The Tesla Cybertruck has drawn wide speculation ahead of its initial deliveries, expected to begin in the coming months. One feature that many onlookers have been curious about is the size of the futuristic truck’s frunk, with new photos showing a person seated in the storage area in a seeming indication of its size.

The Cybertruck’s frunk has been discussed a lot lately, with multiple sightings of the electric pickup seeming to show how large the storage area is. Some have reported from photographs and videos that the vehicle’s front trunk appears small, while other angles have seemed to make the space look larger.

In a new Cybertruck sighting from this week, courtesy of The Autopian, the vehicle’s frunk is seen with a person sitting in it, seemingly emphasizing its width and overall size. The person can be seen sitting in the frunk with a beverage in their hand, while several of the photographs also show a number of angles from the truck’s rear.

It’s not entirely clear from the angle how deep the Cybertruck frunk is, though the recent sighting appears to include the same wrapped units spotted in recent testing in the Northwestern Mexican state of Baja California. Additionally, one of the Cybertrucks appeared to include a mini Starlink dish.

You can also see the backside of a Cybertruck wheel cover in the photos, among a number of other interesting details. Check out the rest of the Cybertruck photos below.

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Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Credit: Mario | The Autopian

Tesla Cybertruck charging outside Gigafactory Texas shows interesting frunk detail

Tesla’s Cybertrucks have been spotted a number of times on public roads in recent months, indicating that the automaker may finally be nearing initial deliveries of the highly anticipated vehicle. While it isn’t entirely clear when Tesla will begin Cybertruck deliveries, the automaker had previously announced hopes to schedule a delivery event in Q3, though that deadline has come and gone.

One analyst recently predicted that the Cybertruck would reach 100,000 to 120,000 deliveries in 2024 after the automaker is able to ramp up the vehicle’s production. In recent weeks, a huge number of Cybertruck rear castings were spotted outside Tesla’s Gigafactory in Texas, suggesting that the company may be nearing initial deliveries.

You can see Tesla’s many Cybertruck rear castings below in a video from Giga Texas observer and drone pilot Joe Tegtmeyer.

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What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.

Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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SpaceX’s Starship program is already bouncing back from Booster 18 fiasco

Just over a week since Booster 18 met its untimely end, SpaceX is now busy stacking Booster 19, and at a very rapid pace, too. 

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Credit: SpaceX/X

SpaceX is already bouncing back from the fiasco that it experienced during Starship Booster 18’s initial tests earlier this month.

Just over a week since Booster 18 met its untimely end, SpaceX is now busy stacking Booster 19, and at a very rapid pace, too. 

Starship V3 Booster 19 is rising 

As per Starbase watchers on X, SpaceX rolled out the fourth aft section of Booster 19 to Starbase’s MegaBay this weekend, stacking it to reach 15 rings tall with just a few sections remaining. This marks the fastest booster assembly to date at four sections in five days. This is quite impressive, and it bodes well for SpaceX’s Starship V3 program, which is expected to be a notable step up from the V2 program, which was retired after a flawless Flight 11. 

Starship watcher TankWatchers noted the tempo on X, stating, “During the night the A4 section of Booster 19 rolled out to the MegaBay. With 4 sections in just 5 days, this is shaping up to be the fastest booster stack ever.” Fellow Starbase watcher TestFlight echoed the same sentiments. “Booster 19 is now 15 rings tall, with 3 aft sections remaining!” the space enthusiast wrote. 

Aggressive targets despite Booster 18 fiasco

SpaceX’s V3 program encountered a speed bump earlier this month when Booster 18, just one day after rolling out into the factory, experienced a major anomaly during gas system pressure testing at SpaceX’s Massey facility in Starbase, Texas. While no propellant was loaded, no engines were installed, and no one was injured in the incident, the unexpected end of Booster 18 sparked speculation that the Starship V3 program could face delays.

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Despite the Booster 18 fiasco, however, SpaceX announced that “Starship’s twelfth flight test remains targeted for the first quarter of 2026.” Elon Musk shared a similar timeline on X earlier this year, with the CEO stating that “ V3 is a massive upgrade from the current V2 and should be through production and testing by end of year, with heavy flight activity next year.”

Considering that Booster 19 seems to be moving through its production phases quickly, perhaps SpaceX’s Q1 2026 target for Flight 12 might indeed be more than feasible.

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Elon Musk makes a key Tesla Optimus detail official

“Since we are naming the singular, we will also name the plural, so Optimi it is,” Musk wrote on X.

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Credit: Tesla/YouTube

Tesla CEO Elon Musk just made a key detail about Optimus official. In a post on X, the CEO clarified some key wording about Optimus, which should help the media and the public become more familiar with the humanoid robot. 

Elon Musk makes Optimus’ plural term official

Elon Musk posted a number of Optimus-related posts on X this weekend. On Saturday, he stated that Optimus would be the Von Neumann probe, a machine that could eventually be capable of replicating itself. This capability, it seems, would be the key to Tesla achieving Elon Musk’s ambitious Optimus production targets. 

Amidst the conversations about Optimus on X, a user of the social media platform asked the CEO what the plural term for the humanoid robot will be. As per Musk, Tesla will be setting the plural term for Optimus since the company also decided on the robot’s singular term. “Since we are naming the singular, we will also name the plural, so Optimi it is,” Musk wrote in his reply on X. 

This makes it official. For media outlets such as Teslarati, numerous Optimus bots are now called Optimi. It rolls off the tongue pretty well, too. 

Optimi will be a common sight worldwide

While Musk’s comment may seem pretty mundane to some, it is actually very important. Optimus is intended to be Tesla’s highest volume product, with the CEO estimating that the humanoid robot could eventually see annual production rates in the hundreds of millions, perhaps even more. Since Optimi will be a very common sight worldwide, it is good that people can now get used to terms describing the humanoid robot. 

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During the Tesla 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Musk stated that the humanoid robot will see “the fastest production ramp of any product of any large complex manufactured product ever,” starting with a one-million-Optimi-per-year production line at the Fremont Factory. Giga Texas would get an even bigger Optimus production line, which should be capable of producing tens of millions of Optimi per year. 

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Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees

With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.

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Credit: Jürgen Stegemann/LinkedIn

Tesla will expand its factory shuttle service in Germany beginning January 4, adding direct rail trips from Berlin Ostbahnhof to Giga Berlin-Brandenburg in Grünheide.

With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.

New shuttle route

As noted in a report from rbb24, the updated service, which will start January 4, will run between the Berlin Ostbahnhof East Station and the Erkner Station at the Gigafactory Berlin complex. Tesla stated that the timetable mirrors shift changes for the facility’s employees, and similar to before, the service will be completely free. The train will offer six direct trips per day as well.

“The service includes six daily trips, which also cover our shift times. The trains will run between Berlin Ostbahnhof (with a stop at Ostkreuz) and Erkner station to the Gigafactory,” Tesla Germany stated.

Even with construction continuing at Fangschleuse and Köpenick stations, the company said the route has been optimized to maintain a predictable 35-minute travel time. The update follows earlier phases of Tesla’s “Giga Train” program, which initially connected Erkner to the factory grounds before expanding to Berlin-Lichtenberg.

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Tesla pushes for majority rail commuting

Tesla began production at Grünheide in March 2022, and the factory’s workforce has since grown to around 11,500 employees, with an estimated 60% commuting from Berlin. The facility produces the Model Y, Tesla’s best-selling vehicle, for both Germany and other territories.

The company has repeatedly emphasized its goal of having more than half its staff use public transportation rather than cars, positioning the shuttle as a key part of that initiative. In keeping with the factory’s sustainability focus, Tesla continues to allow even non-employees to ride the shuttle free of charge, making it a broader mobility option for the area.

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