Some Tesla engineers secretly started designing a Cybertruck alternative because they ‘hated’ it::“They were like, ‘You can’t be serious.’ They didn’t want to have anything to do with it,” Franz von Holzhausen said, according to Walter Isaacson.

182 points

Cyber truck looks absolutely shit. The only thing it had going for itself was that it would have been the very first fully electric pick up truck - when it was first announced.

After more than 5 years Tesla is nowhere close to mass producing the ugly while Ford stole the thunder with announcing and launching the F150 Lightning. If I was in market for an EV pick up, I’d no longer consider Tesla cyber truck, let alone the Fascist ElMo’s shenanigans.

permalink
report
reply
22 points

Good luck getting a base model F150 at a decent price. I tried earlier this year and only 3 dealers East of the Mississippi had the base model and they all wanted $30,000 OVER MSRP. Ford can lick my butt for not making enough base models and trying to push their XLT and platinums starting at $75k. I need a truck to work in not have it open and close the lift gate for me.

At this point I’ll take a shit looking truck at a decent price over whatever the duck Ford and their dealers thought was a good idea with producing so little of the base model, not to mention base model with extended range batteries were ONLY available to fleet purchasers.

permalink
report
parent
reply
14 points

Two years ago I was going to but my first ford, my first truck, AND my first electric because it was the same car. On paper the F150 Lightning seems like the most practical family car ever made. Dealer markup and low volume completely killed it. Ford should eliminate dealerships and sell direct with fixed pricing.

permalink
report
parent
reply
7 points

It would be great if they just made more base models. They’re “sold out” for this year already, but you still can order the luxury trims for trucks that haven’t been made yet. I’m not convinced that Ford actually wants to sell any base models.

I walked away and bought a Bolt EUV instead.

permalink
report
parent
reply
4 points

You are actually allowed to buy directly from the manufacturer. Contact the Ford plant. They’ll sell it to you at MSRP

permalink
report
parent
reply
4 points

Not the pro model (base model). You can order direct for all other trims though

permalink
report
parent
reply
-9 points
*

It’s almost like lithium supply chains are absolutely fucked, and EVs would get zero traction without government subsidies.

Feels good though. Saving the world. (/S)

permalink
report
parent
reply
13 points
*

We actually just discovered the largest deposit of lithium on earth in Nevada, so those should get unfucked in the next couple years.

Kansas has declared all their children available for the mines.

permalink
report
parent
reply
8 points

The “micron precision” memo that leaked tells me they’re nowhere close to mass production. At my old job, tolerances were pretty much set when we finished a design for a large chemical unit operation – which was typically built within two years. I would expect mass production of something like a car to not to take too much longer.

permalink
report
parent
reply
5 points

I see what you did there, stealing thunder with the Lightning.

And yes, Ford’s approach is smart, cheaper, and more utilitarian. Besides, it doesn’t stand out like a smashed thumb in a splint.

permalink
report
parent
reply
4 points

Rivian also has some decent designs. I know that Ford has a stake in the company, but it’s only holding 12%, so I don’t know that they have much say in what goes on over there.

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

I could’ve sworn Ford sold out in April. Also I love the idea of a Rivian, looks so good, but one of my customers has had one on order for so long it might as well be the cybertruck to him at this point.

permalink
report
parent
reply
-16 points

It hasn’t even been 4 years

permalink
report
parent
reply
33 points

Gotta cut everyone some slack when estimating time since the pandemic. 3 years was 10 years ago.

permalink
report
parent
reply
13 points

I’m 46. As far as I’m concerned, the 90s was last week.

permalink
report
parent
reply
11 points

You’re right on that one, the struggle is real. Comes up in conversation pretty often.

permalink
report
parent
reply
164 points

Any day now, the cyber truck will come whizzing down the hyperloop with its sub 10 micron build tolerance and tornado proof glass, fully autonomously driving of course. Any day now.

permalink
report
reply
46 points

With its flat body panels flapping in the wind.

permalink
report
parent
reply
14 points

Sexy

permalink
report
parent
reply
7 points

S3XY.

permalink
report
parent
reply
37 points

Amphibiously (briefly)

permalink
report
parent
reply
34 points

That was pretty painful. Not even a rumor that he said it, he tweeted it lol

Literally any vehicle can be briefly amphibious.

permalink
report
parent
reply
4 points

$10 says he’ll sue to call the vehicle amphibious, autonomous, airborne, and explosion-proof, just because it can briefly be those things.

permalink
report
parent
reply
5 points

Any car is amphibious (briefly) 😉

permalink
report
parent
reply
1 point

It’s a finisher car!!!

permalink
report
parent
reply
12 points
*

I really want to see one after it’s hit by a heavy hail storm.

permalink
report
parent
reply
10 points

hit by a heavy hail storm.

…or even a champagne bottle!

permalink
report
parent
reply
5 points

Obviously, it will have front-mounted flamethrowers.

permalink
report
parent
reply
5 points

Just after the Tesla semi!

permalink
report
parent
reply
101 points

You just know Elon had a personal hand in designing it, because there’s no other reason a car company would go ahead and build the equivalent of “The Homer”.

permalink
report
reply
25 points

He didn’t have a personal hand in designing anything, because he doesn’t have an engineering degree. And that’s why everything he does is stupid.

“Musk doesn’t have an engineering degree - and kind of has a science degree. He began the first in physics at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, after he moved to Canada from his native South Africa. He completed it at the University of Pennsylvania, where he transferred after two years to earn his second bachelor’s degree, in economics, at the Wharton School. He completed it the following year. Musk then headed for Stanford to start a Ph.D. in applied physics, which he dropped out of.”

https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/elon-musk-has-a-problem-with-rocket-scientists-thinks-engineers-deserve-all-the-credit-3136538.html

permalink
report
parent
reply
46 points

Oh, I know that. Neither did Homer.

He likely doodled it (or got some lackey to be his remote controlled pencil), and then it was some other poor fucker’s job to turn that sketch and a handful of vague notes into an actual car.

permalink
report
parent
reply
20 points

I don’t like Musk, and I’m not a fan of Tesla in general, but I kind of dig the design. Completely understand why it’s controversial and how others could perceive it as ugly, but I like it.

Then again, I liked the PT Cruiser when it came out (compared to all the other cars of the era), but within a year it became the car that was falling apart and owners hated it, and within 5 years it looked really dated.

I still like the Chevy HHR and Plymouth Prowler designs. They are truly “bold” designs in that they make decisions that a large percentage of people disliked. Not the marketing “bold design” which means “we slightly exaggerated a popular design feature that’s in style right now so no one will object to it”.

permalink
report
parent
reply
19 points

You’d probably like the Fiat Multipla, the Renault Avantime or the Lotus Europa as well.

permalink
report
parent
reply
17 points

I actually really like all those designs. They’re bold, playful, distinctive. Much more interesting than the dreary crossovers of today that all look identical - bloated hatchbacks with unnecessarily high ride-height, angry anime eyes, and oversized grilles. Full-width tail light bar like a dollar-store Porsche completes the look.

permalink
report
parent
reply
3 points
*

I’m not really into cars and I agree Multipla is horrible. Lotus Europa is wonky, but I don’t hate it. Genuinely curious to know what people have against that Renault when it comes to looks

permalink
report
parent
reply
15 points

Liking the design and deciding as an executive that this is what your company are to spend money and resources at are different things.

permalink
report
parent
reply
13 points

Let’s see how much you like the design after being hit by one.

permalink
report
parent
reply
9 points

The triangular unibody frame was a very clever functional idea that didn’t seem to work for whatever reason. That happens all the time but it’s insane to keep the same form when the function doesn’t benefit.

permalink
report
parent
reply
5 points

I’d agree, if it was designed by somebody I respected. Than the lack of design could be perceived as a choice. As it is I think Elons a skillless dipshit and this is the only shape he could make on CAD software or some shit.

permalink
report
parent
reply
78 points

It looks like a shitty futuristic movie prop

permalink
report
reply
18 points

From the 80s

permalink
report
parent
reply
1 point

Needs a vaporwave background. With a palm tree.

permalink
report
parent
reply
11 points

Not just shitty, but extremely cheap.

permalink
report
parent
reply
55 points

It’s looks like a little kid was drawing a house and halfway said, fuck it, it’s a car and put wheels on it.

permalink
report
reply
50 points

Homer Simpson designed a better car than Elon.

permalink
report
parent
reply
13 points

I think a sequel to that episode is due.

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

where elon musk sees the car homer designed and makes a truck version

permalink
report
parent
reply

Technology

!technology@lemmy.world

Create post

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.


Our Rules


  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related content.
  3. Be excellent to each another!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots


Community stats

  • 18K

    Monthly active users

  • 12K

    Posts

  • 553K

    Comments