Elon Musk loves to think out loud via twitter and throw out ideas that might or might not ever come to fruition. However it looks like the idea of a small Cybertruck to follow up the bigger brother is an idea that has been reaffirmed by Musk, giving it some stronger credibility.
While the polarizing design of the Cybertruck is here to stay, the size of the Cybertruck itself has been flexible while Tesla waits for the Cybertruck’s production line to be completed. Musk stated that he and Franz toyed around with proportions of the Cybertruck and were making its 3% smaller overall.
Reduced size by ~3%, center line is more level & lower window sill height
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 16, 2020
This design change however was short-lived as Musk later clarified that after reviewing the design once more, the 3% decrease in size was “too small”, but that they would “probably do a smaller, tight world truck at some point.”
Reviewed design with Franz last night. Even 3% smaller is too small. Will be pretty much this size. We’ll probably do a smaller, tight world truck at some point.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 23, 2020
You wouldn’t be wrong in not giving too much weight to the statement as we already know how much Musk likes to throw out possible ideas via twitter. However, when he was recently asked about the possibility of the smaller Cybertruck, the answer was that it was “highly likely down the road”.
Highly likely down the road
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 4, 2020
So at this point, the future of a small Cybertruck has become a safer assumption. However, everything is still very vague. ‘Down the road’ can be a very long time and it could be the middle of the decade before we see a smaller version of the truck. It’s also possible that the smaller truck isn’t necessarily a small Cybertruck, but perhaps a new design. While the Cybertruck looks to be incredibly popular, it’s no secret that the design was one of its biggest criticisms at this point and might have left Tesla wondering if it could have been even more popular with a different design.
It is of course all pure speculation, but you can add “small truck” right next to “compact car” in the list of upcoming potential Tesla vehicle announcements. Both of which I hope will be able to make their way to the US and not be restricted to Europe and China respectively.
What do you guys think of a smaller Cybertruck? Do you think it will retain the Cybertruck design or will have a more conventional look? Let us know down in the comments below.
2 comments
As much as I would like an electric truck from Tesla, I would never buy any version of the Cybertruck as long as it looks like a stainless steel door wedge. While looks aren’t as important as functionality, looks do count for something, and I’ll continue to buy traditional trucks that fit in my garage.
I realize my opinion as a single point of reference will not be important to Elon Musk or his design team, but the shape of the Cybertruck appears to appeal to Tesla fans who would likely never put a bag of mulch in the bed, much less dump a front-end loader bucket of gravel in it. The size of the proposed Cybertruck would never fit in any of my garages, so that is a show-stopper. Making a smaller version, along the lines of the Ford Ranger, would be a good start, even if the smaller size results in reduced range.
I hope the bullet proof glass in the Cybertruck is optional. I’m sure many will prefer their vehicle with an exit strategy should they end up in an accident with door electronics not functional anymore. If they or a passenger are locked and incapacitated in the truck, it would be nice if someone could break the glass and rescue.
Bulletproof option only makes sense if need to drive through dangerous areas where the likelihood of bullets entering the vehicle or break-ins through window are greater than getting in a serious accident or other more likely scenarios where people need to be rescued from cars. Choosing the option just because it’s ‘bad ass’ is very un-smart given potential consequences.