Awesome article:
Can the Tesla Cybertruck Go Off-Roading? Limits and Liabilities for Tesla's Electric Pickup - Motor Trend
Some highlights:
Can the Tesla Cybertruck Go Off-Roading? Limits and Liabilities for Tesla's Electric Pickup - Motor Trend
Some highlights:
- Our first look at the truck spotted there are appropriately sized 35x12.50 all-terrain tires under the fenderwells—certainly a good first step toward solid off-road capability. That puts the new truck in the same ballpark as Ford Raptor, Ram Power Wagon, and Jeep Gladiator Rubicon—all good and credible rivals.
- Although we don't know all the details and capabilities of the four-corner air suspension, we do know it has massive amounts of tire travel (possibly as much as 14 inches from full droop to full compression), with up to 6 inches of air-ride adjustability—from kneel to full 4x4 extension. Depending on how well the engine and traction control software is tuned, this could be more impressive than anything we've seen in a long time. In many ways, we're reminded of the long-gone military-styled Hummer H1, with its impressive wide-body stance, heavy-duty construction, and form-over-function styling. (Still, we'd love to see the Cybertruck get a central tire inflation system.)
- From a powertrain point of view, off-road enthusiasts know that getting as much torque as possible as close to idle as possible is always a good thing, and since electric motors have essentially 100 percent of all available torque at 0 rpm, that bodes well, to say the least, for superior trail performance.
- In regard to its exterior look, we also like that designers included a functional wraparound rock rail, protecting the passenger doors and the exposed rear quarter panels. These rails also act as an access step for passengers, as well as those needing to get into the bed or wipe down the roof. Underneath, there's a completely flat belly (where the battery packs are kept) and a long-A-arm independent suspension at each corner; it would be quite easy to envision a dedicated setting to allow for a rock-crawl mode below a certain speed. Naturally, we'd also hope there's some kind of high-speed desert wash setting. No doubt there should also be a dedicated traction screen to allow the driver (and passengers) to monitor things like wheel angle, tire pressures, suspension compression/extension, and which tire has the most/best traction. Of course, we'd also want a big icon to keep track of how quickly we're losing battery power as we play in the desert heat.
- A key issue working against the Cybertruck in four-wheel-drive situations is its size and weight. We've been told designers worked hard to keep the overall length close to a crew cab long-bed half-ton pickup, which translates to a wheelbase of just under 150 inches. That's pretty long—this is a big truck.
- Track width, as well, is wider than any of the non-Raptor set; we wouldn't be surprised if federal regulations require rooftop running lights (like one-ton duallys have to have).
