Could Tesla's CyberTruck really have 1 million orders?

 From CleanTechnica

It has been over a year since the Cybertruck was formally unveiled, and it still remains one of the most controversial production vehicles ever to hit the market. Its sci-fi, futuristic (albeit apocalyptic) looks have drawn questions whether the design might be far too radical to be successful.

Those fears were soon quelled when Musk tweeted out that Tesla had received about a quarter-million reservations for the Cybertruck within about 48 hours of opening pre-orders. Since then, the Tesla community has been using crowdsourced data to get an estimate regarding how many reservation holders there are for Tesla’s all-electric pickup truck.

One of the datasets that we’ve been watching since the reveal now estimates that there are over one million reservations for the Cybertruck. The tracker has over 18,000 entries and extrapolates the total reservations based on the reservation numbers given to reservation holders. This assumes serial numbering for the Cybertruck — Tesla has done it with their reservations in the past, so there is some precedence that it can work again.

Of course, we have to keep in mind that a reservation for a Cybertruck only requires a refundable $100 deposit, so a reservation does not necessarily mean an order will go through. Still, it doesn’t look like Tesla will have many demand problems regarding the Cybertruck.

A beast: the Ford F-150 electric pick-up

 Ford has produced an apparently 'ordinary' pickup, which won't embarrass your friends like a Tesla Cybertruck might.  It looks just like a conventional petrol/diesel pick-up truck.  But it isn't.  What Ford has done is to make an electric pick-up which looks normal but is actually normal plus.  It looks as if it has a front 'engine compartment'.  Only that's actually a lockable 'frunk', with 400 litres of storage space and power outlets and even USB sockets.  There are also power plugs on the tray, too.  Ford reckons that the maximum draw from the ute's battery, 9.6 kilowatts, is more than enough to power a tailgate party with a projector, PA system, portable hot tub, lights, portable AC, refrigerator, and two blenders. And just in case you were worried that that would empty the battery and leave you stranded in the back of beyond, the truck will also alert owners when the battery charge dips too low.

But wait, there's more.  The truck can also power your home during a power outage, for three days (in the USA, where average household daily electricity usage in 30 kWh) and for 4 to 5 days in Australia (where average electricity usage is 20 kWh/day)

The base model petrol Ford F-150 costs just over US$30K, the base model electric just under US$40K, but the extra features of the base model electric are numerous.  It's a much more capable beast, not just more powerful than its ICE brother, but more spacious and useful too.  

Just a few years ago, Ford stubbornly maintained that EVs weren't a thing.  Then the board sacked the CEO.  Now Ford is leading the revolution.  I predict this will be a winner, and in fact, it has already gained 50,000 reservations in just 48 hours.

Here are some of the articles on the F-150 from around the web:

Ford's F-150 Lightning has a massive frunk and can power your house - these are its 6 coolest features

Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck can power your home in an outage

2022 Ford F-150 Lightning officially unveiled

And here are some pics.  Nice.

Cybertruck on Mars

Musk said at the Cybertruck unveiling that a pressurised version of the Cybertruck would work on Mars, and that it will be made from the same steel used for Starship.   Here, though, is the polished, tarted-up version, where the weld seams are invisible.  This is what test versions of Starship will look like—smooth and shiny.

 Here are two beaut renders of the Cybertruck on Mars, from HumanMars.

SpaceX's Starman resting at his Tesla Cybertruck on Mars by Indian space artist Eashan Misra. More of his art here.

Reddit user u/redditbsbsbs has made this image

Tesla cybertruck

Well, it's certainly confronting!  (And people had been complaining that all Teslas look alike ......)

But consider the value, as this Electrek article points out. It comfortably seats 6 as well as having a large tray, has stainless steel construction, has extraordinary torque and 250 mile range/100kWh battery for just $39,900.  Right now, the only Tesla with a 100 kWh battery is the Model S Long Range, which costs $80,000.  As Electrek points out:

Based on my estimation, the base version of the Cybertruck has a battery pack with roughly 100 kWh of energy capacity.

Right now, the cheapest vehicle that Tesla is selling with a 100 kWh battery pack is the Model S Long Range, which costs $80,000.

The Cybertruck starts at half that price.

To me, it indicates some massive cost improvements both on the battery front and manufacturing front.

At $100 per kWh at the battery pack level, it would represent 25% of the cost of the Cybertruck and leave only $30,000 for everything else.

That’s not a lot to build a vehicle of that size and also get away with some profits.

This leads me to think that Tesla figured out some significant cost improvements in both battery costs and manufacturing a vehicle with this new exoskeleton structure.

MotorTrend has some interesting ideas about how the dual (and later triple) engines will power the vehicle off road.

Will it sell?  Who knows.  People are innately small-c conservative.  We shall see.  In the meantime, if I had the money I'd buy one in a flash instead of a Model 3 because it offers so much.

Source: InsideEvs