Update: New leaked images seem to show off the latest Cybertruck prototype, including a better look at this enormous windshield wiper. The interesting part? It actually appears to be extendable.
When it comes to the Cybertruck, Tesla hasn’t held much back. Not only was the truck on show when it was announced, it feels like CEO Elon Musk can’t not talk about the bizarre-looking vehicle.
But things always change and the Cybertruck is no exception. In fact, a redesigned version has recently been spotted on a test track at Tesla’s Fremont factory. While the overall design is pretty much the same as what we were promised, there are still some obvious changes.
There’s a video of the electric pickup in action, thanks to a drone flyover from Chile Al100. Apologies for the music, we obviously didn’t choose it.
As usual, Musk has been tweeting about those changes in response to people’s comments. And it appears that lots of people have opinions about the alterations, particularly the giant solo windshield wiper.
Pretty much all cars feature a dual wiper system, but in typical Tesla style it seems the automaker has opted to do its own thing — it instead has a single enormous wiper, which is comically fitting for a car that’s set to be built in Texas.
Fortunately, Elon Musk claims this is not the production windshield wiper, and that it's the part that “troubles” him the most about the current design.
That is not the production wiperDecember 11, 2021
Manufacturers have to ship cars with side mirrors by law, but owners are allowed to modify their cars.The wiper is what troubles me most. No easy solution. Deployable wiper that stows in front trunk would be ideal, but complex.December 10, 2021
Tesla has filed a patent for some sort of electromagnetic wiper system, though the one on show in the video is your traditional swivel-based system. Elon also seems willing to entertain demands for a laser wiper system, as impractical as that might be.
This new prototype also gives us a clear look at the Cybertruck’s side mirrors, which we already knew were coming. Elon Musk has reportedly been on a crusade against side mirrors for some time, preferring a camera-based system that doesn’t stick out of the side of a car.
Unfortunately for Musk, manufacturers are legally required to ship vehicles with side mirrors in the U.S., although different states have different laws regarding them.
Idaho, for instance, allows you to drive without side mirrors, provided the rear-view mirror inside the car isn’t blocked. Meanwhile, the likes of Iowa and California require you to have a driver-side mirror, and at least one other — be it a rearview mirror or a passenger-side mirror. Either way, Musk has insisted the Cybertruck’s side mirrors will be easy to remove.
As for the Cybertruck's color schemes, despite some rumors that it may be available in black, Elon Musk has channelled his inner-Henry Ford to confirm this will not be the case.
Cybertruck can have any color you want, so long as it’s nothingDecember 10, 2021
If you want a different finish from the standard polished steel, Musk says you’ll have to opt for a third-party wrap.
But wipers and side mirrors aside, it seems that the Cybertruck is as flat and blocky as ever. So those of you hoping to drive an asset from a ‘90s Cyberpunk video game will be able to do just that.
Or at least you will once the truck actually arrives; the first models were set to roll off the production lane at the end of this year, ready for a wider rollout in 2022. However, it has now been delayed until late 2022, thanks to the various challenges in bringing the vehicle to market.
These challenges include producing the pickup’s steel exoskeleton frame — no easy take, we imagine. The global supply chain issues around the shortage of chips and other electronic components may also have played a part in the delay.
On the plus side, the delay has given Tesla time to ready the new quad-motor variant that will now be arriving first. Previously, the flagship Cybertruck was only due to have three motors, with that model also offering the best range and acceleration.
Unfortunately it’s still not clear what sort of specs the quad-motor model will have to offer — but we'd imagine they'd be better still. We'll let you know when we hear anything concrete either way.
