BY Edward A. Sanchez — Dec. 7, 2023

It’s hard to avoid the shock factor of the Tesla Cybertruck’s styling. The angular, ’80s dystopian sci-fi look is like no other production vehicle on the road. The decision to go in this stylistic direction may have been initially a capricious one in the mind of Tesla boss Elon Musk, but the commitment to it made for some unprecedented engineering breakthroughs.

Many of the other breakthroughs could have been applied regardless of styling or body material selection. Maybe the chiseled angles of the Cybertruck were deliberately chosen to highlight the “differentness” of it. Here are the biggest breakthroughs on the Cybertruck (aside from its stainless-steel body):

48V Electrical Architecture
The Cybertruck isn’t the first production vehicle to employ a 48V system, but it is the first to go all-in on it. There are a number of 48V mild-hybrid systems in Europe, and selective application of 48V in vehicle subsystems. But this is the first time (I’m aware of) that a vehicle is 48V from bumper-to-bumper. This enables much greater energy efficiency, as well as smaller-gauge wiring, which reduces weight. The Cybertruck may be the first to fully adopt 48V, but it certainly won’t be the last, as this is something the automotive industry has been talking about for decades, but mostly on a hypothetical, “someday” basis.

Steer-by-Wire
Whether the Cybertruck is truly the “first” in this area is debatable, with the Lexus RZ 450e showing and demonstrating the feature first. Steer-by-wire RZs may have been delivered in Japan already, but to my knowledge, no steer-by-wire RZs have been delivered in North America as of this writing. This gets back to my previous assertion that the only context in which yoke steering wheels make sense is steer-by-wire, which is why the initial application of a yoke steering wheel in the 2021 Tesla Model S was such an egregious misapplication of the concept. While I initially had some concerns that the U.S. FMVSS regulations might prohibit a purely electronic steering system, built-in redundancies seem to have placated regulators’ concerns.

The Cybertruck’s steer-by-wire system will offer drivers a unique experience with exciting possibilities.

Challenges for the Aftermarket
As with any other major technological change, many of the design decisions on the Cybertruck will have a knock-on effect to aftermarket accessory manufacturers. Obviously, any electrical accessories will need to be completely redesigned to work with the 48V electrical system, meaning initial accessories will likely be expensive, and with a relatively small pool of suppliers.

The Cybertruck’s trapezoidal/triangular shape, especially in the bed area, will require a rethink from companies that make truck caps. This is not totally unprecedented, because the aftermarket stepped up and offered caps for the unconventionally shaped first-generation Honda Ridgeline and Chevrolet Avalanche. But with its power retractable tonneau that goes from the vehicle’s roof to the edge of the tailgate, would there be many customers for a traditional cap?

Opportunities for the Aftermarket
Probably the biggest opportunity for the aftermarket with the Cybertruck is vehicle wraps. Tesla will offer a limited number of colors as factory options, but for those who really want to stand out, the Cybertruck offers a prime opportunity for customization. I expect to see a lot of these with digital camo wraps, pink, purple, iridescent, or other treatments. I also expect to possibly see some with a mirror polish, or possibly deliberately discolored from heat treatments.

Although the 48V electrical system presents a challenge on one level, the built-in 14-50 outlet in the bed offers plenty of opportunity for plug-in accessories for the Cybertruck, whether recreational or vocational/professional. I wouldn’t be surprised to see DeWalt, Milwaukee or other tool companies offer power hubs, air compressors, or other accessories specifically designed to work with the Cybertruck.

The Cyberlandr pop-up camper concept, initially dismissed by many as vaporware, looks like it could become a reality. Other recreational and off-road oriented lifestyle accessories are sure to follow.

Tent-based camping accessories are only the beginning for the Cybertruck.

Unknowns
Will the Cybertruck be a mass-market high-volume challenger to the Ford F-Series? Not likely. The F-Series is kind of the everything to every user, ranging from the fleet-queen regular cab long-bed vinyl seat trucks all the way up to $100,000+ F-350 Limited and King Ranch models, as well as the F-150 Lightning. I predict Tesla will be production-constrained on the Cybertruck for at least 12-18 months as it works through its backlog fulfilling the orders of reservation holders. Even if the estimated two million pre-orders only result in 200,000 to 500,000 actual purchase commitments, that’s at least a year’s worth of full-scale production.

Three to five years out, there could be dozens of Cybertrucks lined up at delivery centers for immediately delivery, possibly at discounted prices (which Tesla is notorious to do capriciously and unexpectedly).

As Phil Royle and I have discussed many times, trucks are fundamentally about functionality, and enablement of utility and recreation. If the Cybertruck excels at these tasks in real-world applications, many potential buyers put off or ambivalent about its unusual styling could come around and buy it for practical reasons.

As noted in Episode 148 of The Watt Car Podcast, so-called automotive “experts” are proclaiming the Cybertruck a failure, noting that it was beat to market by the F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T, and that it had “missed its moment” by virtue of production delays. I believe there’s just as much curiosity about it as there was four years ago. The question now is whether that curiosity can sustain it in the context of an increasingly crowded EV truck marketplace.

(Images courtesy Tesla)