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Watching Tesla Cybertruck’s ‘vault’ bed cover in action is hypnotizing

(Credit: M@ttLond.re/Twitter)

Published

7 years ago

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The Tesla Cybertruck’s design is so bold and unapologetically sci-fi that a lot of its clever features ended up being swept under the rug following the vehicle’s unveiling. Yet beyond its origami-style design and its Syd Mead-inspired looks, the Cybertruck is chock-full of innovative features. Take its Vault’s motorized tonneau bed cover, for example, which is downright hypnotizing to watch. 

It’s pretty amusing to note that following the Cybertruck’s unveiling, critics of the vehicle online argued that the truck was not a real truck at all since it does not have a bed. This is a false assumption of course, since the Cybertruck actually has a 6.5-foot-long bed. It just so happened to be covered by a motorized tonneau cover that, according to the electric car maker, is sturdy enough to stand on. Tesla describes the feature in the vehicle’s page on its official website. 

“With up to 3,500 pounds of payload capacity and adjustable air suspension, Cybertruck is the most powerful tool we have ever built, engineered with 100 cubic feet of exterior, lockable storage — including a magic tonneau cover that is strong enough to stand on,” Tesla wrote. 

Fortunately, Tesla community member M@ttLond.re was able to capture footage of the Cybertruck’s tonneau cover in action from the unveiling event. Based on his video, it could be seen that the cover actually rolls past the rear window and gets stowed away underneath. The entire contraption is activated through a rather discrete button on the rear end of the Cybertruck. Such a system is a rather elegant Tesla-esque solution for such a utility-focused feature. 

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The Tesla Cybetruck’s motorized tonneau cover gives several advantages to the vehicle, the most notable of which is aerodynamics. Musk has also hinted at the cover being laid with solar panels, which could give the Cybertruck around 15 miles of range per day. These, together with the cover’s clever stow-away system, shows that a notable amount of thought went into designing the Cybertruck and its functions.

With the motorized tonneau cover engaged, drivers inside the vehicle would not be able to get a clear view of the Cybertruck’s rear using a traditional rearview mirror. To solve this, Tesla has gone ahead and utilized a rear camera in place of a traditional rearview mirror. It’s a very simple solution, and it taps into an already existing system that Tesla has used with its vehicles since the first-generation Model S came out seven years ago. 

The Tesla Cybertruck is not for everyone. That much is sure. Elon Musk has given the internet ample warning in the months leading up to its release, stating several times that the Tesla Pickup Truck will be polarizing. Following the vehicle’s unveiling, Musks’ words have rung true. Yet, even in its polygonal, meme-worthy form, the Cybertruck appears to be gaining a notable number of supporters, even among those outside the Tesla community. 

This could be seen in Elon Musk’s announcement that Tesla has already received 146k orders for the Cybertruck as of Saturday. That’s following an unveiling event that could have gone better, no advertising, overwhelmingly negative and sarcastic coverage from mainstream media, and absolutely no paid advertising. Musk also noted that so far, 42% of the Cybertuck’s reservation holders have opted for the dual-motor variant, 41% have selected the tri-motor setup, and 17% have ordered the vehicle’s $39,990 base version. 

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That’s not too bad for such a polarizing vehicle. 

https://youtu.be/KwEeaLVTUqs
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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving v14.3.5 Early Impressions: new features and early performance

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1 hour ago

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July 14, 2026

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Credit: TESLARATI

Tesla rolled out Full Self-Driving (Supervised) v14.3.5 yesterday, and about fifty miles of driving on the new version has given me enough time to highlight what seems to be strong about the release and what is not.

Additionally, Tesla has added a few new features with this specific update, which we’ll highlight as well.

Tesla Full Self-Driving v14.3.5 Performance

The new update is business as usual. Things seem to be running completely normal and necessary, but there are a few things that we’ve seemed to pick up on based on our own experience with v14.3.5, as well as what other users are seeing.

Initially, it seems to be more aware of its surroundings, making moves that are incredibly courteous to other drives and operating just a tad more reserved than what the suite might have done previously.

We had two instances where it showed this, the first being FSD needing to pass a Flagger Force vehicle that was placing down signage for the day. Their work truck was right at the front corner of a right-hand turn; typically where most cars travel when they take that turn.

FSD v14.3.5 recognized this, slowed down, and took the turn wide with no issues:

Additionally, v14.3.5 backed up for a semi truck that was making a wide turn onto a road my car was on. This is not new, but it seemed to be backing up for courtesy; it didn’t seem completely necessary, but it might have put some peace of mind in the truck driver’s head:

X user Mike P, also a Pennsylvania native like myself, shared three clips of his Tesla running v14.3.5 performing similar maneuvers. He said:

“FSD turns right into a small alley that only fits one car at a time, sees oncoming car, reverses out of alley to make space, realizes oncoming car is actually parking, re-enters alley.”
Check it out here:

It seems like Speed Profiles are still in need of some tweaking; I am adjusting what Speed Profile I’m in frequently, constantly changing it to get it to travel at the correct speed. This was an issue for me on v14.3.4. It seems like they’re just a little inconsistent.

Terrible Parking

Parking attempts on v14.3.5 were not good. There are quite a few people who have said this:

David Moss, the Tesla owner who has taken multiple coast-to-coast drives without any interventions, also has had some issues with parking early on with v14.3.5:

New Features

Tesla has added the ability to open Camera Preview at any time. Previously, it was only available in Park. Here’s what that feature looks like in action:

Check back later this week for a longer review of what we’ve noticed on Full Self-Driving v14.3.5.

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Lifestyle

Tesla makes the cut on California’s newest EV Rebate program

California just signed a $270 million EV rebate into law and it starts this summer.

Published

7 hours ago

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July 13, 2026

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tesla fremont

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 168 into law on Monday, July 13, 2026, creating a $270 million EV rebate program that delivers money directly at the dealership rather than as a tax credit applied months later. The program, called MyFirstEV, is funded equally by California’s state budget and participating automakers, with each contributing $135.5 million to make the math work.

The timing is directly tied to the loss of federal support when the $7,500 federal EV tax credit ended, removing the most significant consumer incentive that had driven EV adoption in the U.S. California, which accounts for roughly one-third of all EVs sold nationally, moved to fill that gap with a state-level replacement.

The rebate structure is straightforward. First-time EV buyers can receive $3,500 off any new battery-electric vehicle with an MSRP up to $50,000. Used EVs priced at $25,000 or below qualify for a $1,750 rebate. The credit is applied at the point of sale, which removes the friction of the old federal system where buyers had to wait for tax season to see the benefit. The program goes live later this summer, with the California Air Resources Board expected to release full participation details next month.

California hits Tesla Cybercab and Robotaxi driverless cars with new law

For Tesla buyers, the implications are mixed. The Tesla Model 3 RWD at $42,490 and the Model 3 Long Range at $47,490 both fall under the $50,000 cap and would qualify for the full $3,500 rebate for first-time buyers. The Model Y, which starts at $44,990 after Tesla’s recent price adjustment, also qualifies. The Model X, Model S, and Cybertruck all exceed the cap and receive no benefit. As Teslarati has reported, the program also includes a carve-out exempting California-based automakers like Rivian and Lucid from the price cap entirely, a provision that puts Tesla at a disadvantage since it relocated its headquarters to Texas in 2021.

Other qualifying vehicles include the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Volkswagen ID.4.

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Tesla Semi enters new Pilot Program with interesting challenge

Published

18 hours ago

on

July 13, 2026

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Credit: PTI

The Tesla Semi is entering a new Pilot Program with Paper Transport, LLC (PTI), a Wisconsin-based transportation provider. The company will test the Semi’s Long Range configuration through “dedicated operations within the Chicago market.”

Chicago presents an interesting challenge for the Semi, as it will be a colder-weather climate that will test the Semi’s ability to operate in lower temperatures and in potentially large accumulations of snow. This is something Tesla has been testing with the Semi in Alaska and even in Northern California during the colder months, but Chicago will present a truly tough midwestern winter.

Tesla Semi spotted on journey home after winter performance testing

PTI says it is using the Semi to evaluate its strategy of reducing transportation emissions while maintaining performance, reliability, and cost efficiency. These are major arguments for the Semi being introduced into new fleets.

CEO of PTI Tyler Ellison said:

“PTI has been a leader in sustainable transportation solutions for over 15 years. We take a consultative approach to helping customers identify and implement the right transportation solution for their network. Our partnership with Tesla expands our portfolio alongside renewable natural gas and intermodal, giving customers more ways to reduce Scope 3 emissions without compromising service or economics.”

PTI is far from the first company to adopt the Semi within a fleet, as Tesla entered strategic agreements with PepsiCo. and its subsidiary Frito-Lay for a Pilot Program that extended throughout the California region.

Tesla has let companies like those utilize the Semi to determine whether it would be suitable for their operations. Additionally, Tesla gets valuable information regarding the Semi’s performance, knowing what to improve and what is ideal for companies that will utilize the all-electric truck for regional and nationwide logistics.

PTI plans to utilize the Long Range configuration, which is priced at $290,000 and features a range of approximately 500 miles, a three-motor powertrain, up to 800 kW of drive power, and consumption of just 1.7 kWh per mile.

Tesla Semi pricing revealed after company uncovers trim levels

VP of Maintenance at PTI, Bryan Ellen, added:

“We are excited to partner with Tesla, leveraging their ever-evolving technology. We are bullish in our estimation of the parallels available between our dedicated model and the efficiency of their fully electric Class 8 tractor. We anticipate a growing synergy between our businesses as we work to facilitate this sustainable solution for our customers.”

PTI has logged more than 87 million miles using sources like compressed and renewable gas, but now is looking to take it a step further with fully electric operations.

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