Tesla Pickup Unveil

FastEddieB said:
Past your bedtime?
Click to expand...

At my advanced age, definitely. :D

Besides, it'll be another one of those "Send me a deposit and we'll send you the Tesla. In a year or three." I don't to need to stay up, waiting breathlessly, for that. ;)
 
GRG55 said:
At my advanced age, definitely. :D

Besides, it'll be another one of those "Send me a deposit and we'll send you the Tesla. In a year or three." I don't to need to stay up, waiting breathlessly, for that. ;)
Click to expand...

And it will not tow much, it will haul very little weight, short range, be ugly, very few service centers, and not be good at 4x4'ing in deep mud and snow.
 
Wow! Still not sure it’s for real.

49103277432_3f4bbb5229_z.jpg
 
FastEddieB said:
I love the way Musk chose the date of the reveal!
Click to expand...

The month (Blade Runner), or the actual day???

Shuswap BC said:
And it will not tow much, it will haul very little weight, short range, be ugly, very few service centers, and not be good at 4x4'ing in deep mud and snow.
Click to expand...

Tows 14,000 (more than the F150), pulls "infinity", hauls 3,500 (also more than the F150), 500+ mile range...

OK, yeah, it's ugly as hell.

... who cares, with Tesla the service comes to you, and it's got an air suspension that will give it the highest ground clearance of any pickup.

But yeah, it's ugly.
 
Last edited:
The big surprises:

1) Range. 500+ mile range on the top model, 250+ on the base model.
2) Price. Musk had tweeted several months ago that it needed to start at less than $50K. Now, it comes out at under $40K!
3) Looks. Very angular. They showed some other angular things, like a stealth airplane... But it seems like that would increase drag. It's definitely not like anything else.
4) Construction. "Exoskeleton" instead of body-on-frame. They took a sledgehammer to it - Not a scratch. Impressive. (More so than the botched "transparent metal" glass demo, which I'm sure someone will post video of momentarily)
5) Ramp tailgate. Cool.
6) Electric ATV, which they didn't say much about.
7) Built-in air compressor - had it for the suspension, but you can tap off it for tools too.

Cool things that weren't surprises:
1) 120V and 240V outlets for using electric tools or whatever else - After they loaded the ATV into the pickup, Musk said it was plugged into the truck and charging. Cool.

Misses:
1) Looks. IMO, it's too different. Frankly, most people drive pickups to look cool, or even if they do need a truck they want to look cool. This is the kind of thing that'd get you beat up if you brought it to school. :rofl: And, unfortunately, the focus in the news, and the focus of the naysayers, will be the looks. That's unfortunate, because it's a highly capable truck, but many people won't be able to get past the looks. Maybe it'll look better in person... :dunno:

Screen Shot 2019-11-21 at 10.29.13 PM.png Screen Shot 2019-11-21 at 10.31.35 PM.png
 
flyingcheesehead said:
The month (Blade Runner), or the actual day???



Tows 14,000 (more than the F150), pulls "infinity", hauls 3,500 (also more than the F150), 500+ mile range...

OK, yeah, it's ugly as hell.

... who cares, with Tesla the service comes to you, and it's got an air suspension that will give it the highest ground clearance of any pickup.

But yeah, it's ugly.
Click to expand...

On paper those are the numbers maybe.
I want to see towing in the mountains here, how far it will really go towing my travel trailer. It will probably need to stop and be recharged so often that a normal one day drive would take a week. Or going to the ski hill in 2 feet of snow, lets see how it really does. I could build a truck and throw outrageous claims about how great it is...but in real world use is where it has to be proven. I drive a Ram with Hemi V8, and in the mountains when towing there are times I leave my right foot flat to the floor and don't lift even a little for 20 or more minutes. I bet that would eat those batteries up in a hurry. Its a 4x4 and I will chain up all 4 tires and head out in the snow and drive up a steep mountain road, to me that is why a pickup exists. Lets give the musk mobile a few years in the hands of people like me who use a pickup truck as an actual truck, see how it goes.
But call me a skeptic for now.
 
GRG55 said:
Hard to believe that came out of the same company that produced the beautiful original Model S.

I knew I should have gone to bed... :)
Click to expand...


If you were to park it in a dark garage, lock the door, and never ever again go in to see it, the nightmares should subside in 10 or 20 years after seeing it.
 
Shuswap BC said:
If you were to park it in a dark garage, lock the door, and never ever again go in to see it, the nightmares should subside in 10 or 20 years after seeing it.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but you'd still have a garage chock full of butt-ugly. It'd be like a big demented Jumanji board, waiting to screw with someone else some day.
 
Last edited:
Some random thoughts in no particular order.

1. You're not going to easily lose it in the Costco parking lot.
2. If you do, Tesla's "Come to Daddy" mode will probably work better than the Model 3...this thing will just drive over anything in the way.
3. With that "A-frame" shape it'll save having to brush the snow off the roof.
4. Comes in any color you want, as long as it's stainless.
5. Scare the dickens out of pre-schoolers..."Mommy, mommy, there's something in the garage eating my tricycle".
6. Is there a built-in Flamethrower option?
7. If you recharge the ATV enough times on a hunting trip do you have to ride it home because the truck is dead?
8. About time there was something for those drivers bored with their Hummer.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Misses:
1) Looks. IMO, it's too different. Frankly, most people drive pickups to look cool, or even if they do need a truck they want to look cool. This is the kind of thing that'd get you beat up if you brought it to school. :rofl: And, unfortunately, the focus in the news, and the focus of the naysayers, will be the looks. That's unfortunate, because it's a highly capable truck, but many people won't be able to get past the looks. Maybe it'll look better in person... :dunno:
Click to expand...

I spent quite some time wondering if Elon wasn’t pranking us with a prop from Blade Runner*, and would shortly reveal the real Tesla Pickup. But as GRG55 just mentioned, I think it will appeal to the sort of buyer that either bought or lusted after Hummers.

The demo of the strength of the glass deserves to be in the Failed Demo Hall of Fame. Like a lawyer should never ask a witness a question he doesn’t know the answer to, a CEO shouldn’t have metal balls hurled at his truck’s windows until he KNOWS the outcome. Especially if the prototype is destined to sit behind him for the balance of the demo event. SAD!

I was also disappointed in two things:

1) Production forecast for late 2022.

2) Looked more like a concept than a finished product, hence no interior or instrument panel shots. On the latter, I guess one can assume the instrument panel will be just like a current Model 3, just a floating iPad in the center of the panel.


*Yes, 11/21/2019 was the exact date shown in the title credits of Blade Runner.
 
Maybe Tesla should focus on improving its build consistency, service and part availability, and model 3 production numbers before embarking on its third yet-to-be-released project (the roadster and 18 wheeler truck remember)?
 
"Production forecast for late 2022"

What is that in Elon time? About 2030?
 
I like the numbers. It would probably work for me. I’m not sure I can handle the “look at me, I need attention, even if it’s negative” design though.
 
FastEddieB said:
2) Looked more like a concept than a finished product, hence no interior or instrument panel shots. On the latter, I guess one can assume the instrument panel will be just like a current Model 3, just a floating iPad in the center of the panel.
Click to expand...

You can see interior shots here:
 
That steering wheel is idiotic, although I doubt that makes it to production due to safety regulations. The height of the bed makes it unusable. I’m short, and I wouldn’t even be able to see into the bed. All for aesthetics. Bad aesthetics. What a shame.
 
My opinion (and I'm obviously a Tesla fan). Ok, ugly. But put a wrap on it.

The main thing for me personally is that it's not actually useful tow or haul vehicle:

a) You can't put a 5th wheel or gooseneck hitch on that bed.
b) 14000 lbs towing on a SRW with a short wheelbase is scary.
c) Can't put a camper over that bed. The haul capacity is also too small for most campers due to the SRW.
 
Salty said:
That steering wheel is idiotic. The height of the bed makes it unusable. I’m short, and I wouldn’t even be able to see into the bed. All for aesthetics. What a shame.
Click to expand...

I doubt it's aesthetics, I think it's aerodynamics. They do need to commit some heroics to get 500 miles of range on it. If the sides just folded in or down like the cover does, it would make a huge difference.
 
deonb said:
I doubt it's aesthetics, I think it's aerodynamics. They do need to commit some heroics to get 500 miles of range on it. If the sides just folded in or down like the cover does, it would make a huge difference.
Click to expand...
The steering wheel isn’t for aerodynamics. That 100% aesthetics. And unusable.
You don’t have to make the thing with straight lines to make it aerodynamic.
 
Salty said:
That steering wheel is idiotic, although I doubt that makes it to production due to safety regulations. The height of the bed makes it unusable. I’m short, and I wouldn’t even be able to see into the bed. All for aesthetics. Bad aesthetics. What a shame.
Click to expand...
What IS the height of the bed? I didn't see any dimensions, but I admit I didn't really search them out yet. This is part of my search. I bought my GMC Canyon because even though I have a fairly large 2-car garage, I have work benches, shelves and tool boxes all around the perimeter. With the Canyon and the BMW, I can still get out of either door on either vehicle inside the garage and walk all around either vehicle without sliding though sideways. I am wondering if I could do this with the Tesla Truck.

And although I was hoping for something distinctive, I am not sure I want something this di"stinck"tive. But it is so ugly it is almost kind of neat.
 
Way too unconventional for the traditional truck fan base, but I figure it will sell as a second vehicle to most Tesla owners (and maybe some other EV owners as well).
 
Salty said:
The steering wheel isn’t for aerodynamics. That 100% aesthetics. And unusable.
You don’t have to make the thing with straight lines to make it aerodynamic.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, steering wheel isn't aerodynamics. I was talking about the bed.

My suspicion is that the steering wheel probably fits in with Tesla's vision of making everything self driving, so in the "future" you would need steering wheels less and less. Except, the use case doesn't fit - this is a vehicle that's built to go offroad. You don't go offroading in a self driving vehicle within the next decade. If ever. Even if the technology is perfect.
 
I don’t mind the looks. I think it’s about time they finally start going away from a traditional car shape. We all know this is not marketed to the traditional truck buyer. This will be a lot of rich peoples second car or weekend car for cruising out to the Vegas dunes! I do which companies would stop revealing these things so far from the production date.
 
It looks like something that was designed in Minecraft. Blocky. Ugly.
 
deonb said:
My opinion (and I'm obviously a Tesla fan). Ok, ugly. But put a wrap on it.

The main thing for me personally is that it's not actually useful tow or haul vehicle:

a) You can't put a 5th wheel or gooseneck hitch on that bed.
b) 14000 lbs towing on a SRW with a short wheelbase is scary.
c) Can't put a camper over that bed. The haul capacity is also too small for most campers due to the SRW.
Click to expand...
But as it sits now, it will cover the needs of 90% of the people that own pickup trucks. It won't replace an F-350 PowerStroke, no.
 
Shuswap BC said:
On paper those are the numbers maybe.
I want to see towing in the mountains here, how far it will really go towing my travel trailer. It will probably need to stop and be recharged so often that a normal one day drive would take a week. Or going to the ski hill in 2 feet of snow, lets see how it really does. I could build a truck and throw outrageous claims about how great it is...but in real world use is where it has to be proven. I drive a Ram with Hemi V8, and in the mountains when towing there are times I leave my right foot flat to the floor and don't lift even a little for 20 or more minutes. I bet that would eat those batteries up in a hurry. Its a 4x4 and I will chain up all 4 tires and head out in the snow and drive up a steep mountain road, to me that is why a pickup exists. Lets give the musk mobile a few years in the hands of people like me who use a pickup truck as an actual truck, see how it goes.
But call me a skeptic for now.
Click to expand...
I'd guess about 1% of pickup truck owners have requirements like those.

I still need to see physical dimensions before I place an order.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
But as it sits now, it will cover the needs of 90% of the people that own pickup trucks. It won't replace an F-350 PowerStroke, no.
Click to expand...

Lets hear some range numbers while it's actually towing... Or did I miss that?
 
Doesn't look like I can put a 4x8 plywood sheet in the bed. And with the angled size of the bed, not as easy to set on top - as bad as the Avalanche or Honda in terms of using it for real work. For me, the 250 mile range on the less expensive model would be insufficient. And ugly as sin.

It remains to be seen how it will do in the snow or on an unpacked road ("trail").
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top