? Cybertruck spied with new side mirrors, rear wheel steering, turning radius!

[koersontap]

koersontap

Thanks for the video and the education! All I had seen to date (with my limited interest in the Hummer) was that characteristic "Crab Walk". It seems to be featured everywhere.

It makes perfect sense that they would *also* give it four-wheel steering, but it still makes me wonder about the true utility of the Crab Walk. If you can steer tightly around something, swinging the back end out to circle the obstacle, what's the use of going sideways, other than a party trick? And yes, for the Tesla fans out there, I'm not sure I'll ever need or utilize the Tank-Turn feature once it shows up, but I still see the utility of a u-turn. I don't for the Crab Walk.

Thanks again for enlightening me!

Yeah, I'm not sure about the actual utility of it either. Best I can figure is someone realized they *could*, and the team just asked "Why not?". Yeah, it might have a few use cases, but I see it as a neat, questionably functional feature, that servers no harm by including it. In fact, proper to them for doing so.

My bigger question is why they feature it so highly in their marketing. ??

Sponsored

 

[DuckTruck]

Yeah, I'm not sure about the actual utility of it either. Best I can figure is someone realized they *could*, and the team just asked "Why not?". Yeah, it might have a few use cases, but I see it as a neat, questionably functional feature, that servers no harm by including it. In fact, proper to them for doing so.

My bigger question is why they feature it so highly in their marketing. ??

Why? Because it looks cool! ?

Not sure of any other reason. Truthfully, if it serves someone in some way that I can't imagine, all the better. Many folks in and out of the Rivian universe question the Tank Turn the same way. I still look forward to it becoming a reality.

As they say, "To each, their own."

 

[Electric Rivilution]

More pics posted at the Cybertruck forum. Looks like the front got chopped. And staggered tires/wheels now.

Link:

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

More pics posted at the Cybertruck forum. Looks like the front got chopped. And staggered tires/wheels now.

Link:

Yep. Still hideous.

 

[EVSport7]

 

[Scott]

The cyber truck looks like what the lazy kid made for his pinewood derby car in cub scouts.

 

[Autolycus]

The cyber truck looks like what the lazy kid made for his pinewood derby car in cub scouts.

@ me next time, Scott!

 

[1shadowsabre]

If it's true four-wheel steering that allows a tighter turning radius, that makes sense to me. This is especially true when compared to the Hummer's "crab walk". Every time I see the demonstration of the Hummer moving sideways, I can never quite figure out why that's an advantage over what we appear to see here with the Tesla.

Four-wheel steering seems like a wonderfully useful feature. The crab walk seems like an outstanding party trick, but nothing more. Am I missing something?

If you have ever driven a Rough Terrain Forklift you will know why crab steer is so useful. The bad thing is it tears surfaces up. I would assume there is a built in speed limit on the use.

 

[DuckTruck]

If you have ever driven a Rough Terrain Forklift you will know why crab steer is so useful. The bad thing is it tears surfaces up. I would assume there is a built in speed limit on the use.

Steve,

I can see how this feature might be helpful for an RTF, but this isn't an RTF. A loaded RTF may have goods sticking out well ahead of the front axle, swinging in a wide arc ahead of the nose during turns. To the contrary, the front (and back) overhang of the Hummer looks much like a standard SUV, if not shorter. Very little protrudes from either end.

If there is an obstacle in the way of the Hummer in tight confines, four-wheel steering would seem to provide the best way around it. Moving diagonally would appear to require a wider area or path in which to move around something. In short, I'm pretty certain four-wheel steering will navigate a narrower, circuitous path better than the diagonal movement of crab-walking. CW is cool, I just don't think the utility matches that of FWS.

Regarding tearing up surfaces, I don't see how the "lateral" movement would be any more harmful than moving straight ahead, once the wheels have been turned. Whether utilizing a crab-walk or a four-wheel steering maneuver, any tearing would seem to be greatest during the turning process, not once the wheels are rolling "forward".

As to any speed limitations, I would assume both features would be restricted to low-speed events. At some speed, both would get twitchy and/or unstable.

Just my two cents.... O.K., as long-winded as I am, that was more like a nickel's worth. ?‍

 

[Zybane]

I am one of the lowest number pre-order holders for a CT, and even though I only pre-ordered an R1S early this summer, I think I may get the R1S sooner!

Things I love about the Cybertruck:

1. Stainless steel that is extremely hard to dent.
2. No paint to take care of with washing and waxing.
3. No bush/tree pin-striping whilst off roading like you get with a regular paint/clear coated vehicle that gets damaged.
4. Bullet proof body and windows covering most handgun calibers.
5. FSD option the Rivian won't have.
6. Higher range than even Rivian Max pack.
7. Tesla Supercharger network (yes I know Rivians may be able to use them soon).
8. Going to be noticeably cheaper than a max pack R1S.

Things that I like about the R1S over the CT:

1. It's an SUV which fits my lifestyle much better than a pickup. (more interior space for dogs/stuff/camping in climate control)
2. Higher class/more traditional interior.
3. A motor for each wheel / better off-roading.
4. Smaller size for better parking/off-roading.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

I am one of the lowest number pre-order holders for a CT, and even though I only pre-ordered an R1S early this summer, I think I may get the R1S sooner!

Things I love about the Cybertruck:

1. Stainless steel that is extremely hard to dent.
2. No paint to take care of with washing and waxing.
3. No bush/tree pin-striping whilst off roading like you get with a regular paint/clear coated vehicle that gets damaged.
4. Bullet proof body and windows covering most handgun calibers.
5. FSD option the Rivian won't have.
6. Higher range than even Rivian Max pack.
7. Tesla Supercharger network (yes I know Rivians may be able to use them soon).
8. Going to be noticeably cheaper than a max pack R1S.

Things that I like about the R1S over the CT:

1. It's an SUV which fits my lifestyle much better than a pickup. (more interior space for dogs/stuff/camping in climate control)
2. Higher class/more traditional interior.
3. A motor for each wheel / better off-roading.
4. Smaller size for better parking/off-roading.

I question whether the "bulletproof but not ball bearing proof" windows are actually a plus. Autoglass used for car windows is designed to shatter into pebbles with a specific amount of impact by design. If you are trapped in a vehicle that has rolled over or is on fire and the door won't open, the ability to break the window without severely injuring yourself could be the difference between life and death.

So it begs the question, are you more likely to be in a vehicle fire/rollover situation, or to be shot at in your car? I'm sure the people at Tesla thought about this but it really seems like an idea that someone who's name rhymes with "Tusk" thought was REALLY COOL but is actually very unsafe and bad.

 

[Zybane]

Last report I read, electric vehicles are around 1/10th as likely to catch on fire as an ICE vehicle. With the way the world is going, I'd take the vehicle protection versus the tiny chance I couldn't get out of the vehicle AND it's on fire.

 

[Scott]

I am one of the lowest number pre-order holders for a CT, and even though I only pre-ordered an R1S early this summer, I think I may get the R1S sooner!

Things I love about the Cybertruck:

1. Stainless steel that is extremely hard to dent.
2. No paint to take care of with washing and waxing.
3. No bush/tree pin-striping whilst off roading like you get with a regular paint/clear coated vehicle that gets damaged.
4. Bullet proof body and windows covering most handgun calibers.
5. FSD option the Rivian won't have.
6. Higher range than even Rivian Max pack.
7. Tesla Supercharger network (yes I know Rivians may be able to use them soon).
8. Going to be noticeably cheaper than a max pack R1S.

Things that I like about the R1S over the CT:

1. It's an SUV which fits my lifestyle much better than a pickup. (more interior space for dogs/stuff/camping in climate control)
2. Higher class/more traditional interior.
3. A motor for each wheel / better off-roading.
4. Smaller size for better parking/off-roading.

1 & 2: personal preference, but reasonable advantages
3 also true but the truck is so big that it won’t fit on some trails at all.
4. Seems like a gimmic. How many people do you know who have a window shattered at all in their car. Personally I view this as useless
5. 100% valid. Rivian won’t catch up to teslas ai soon. Personally I don’t think the Tesla FSD is worth 10k at all, but their autopilot is also better
6. I will believe it when I see it, but possibly
7. Agreed
8. Again I will believe it when I see it. I think prices if/when it is ever be released will be higher than initially advertised.

On the pro’s for the R1s you forgot “it doesn’t look terrible like the CT”

 

[Monkey]

If you have ever driven a Rough Terrain Forklift you will know why crab steer is so useful. The bad thing is it tears surfaces up. I would assume there is a built in speed limit on the use.

The Hummer has dynamic or adaptive 4-wheel steering for tighter turning and better maneuvering. The Crab Walk is a special mode that they can enable due to the 4-wheel steering to do exactly what you’re referencing. I suspect it’s going to be more useful than many realize in various circumstances due to the larger size (mostly width) of the Hummer.

There are indeed speed limits to the crab walk and 4-wheel steering. Some of the media reviews and GM teasers do mention even what speeds, but I don’t recall off the top of my head.

 

[Zoidz]

Things I love about the Cybertruck:

1. Stainless steel that is extremely hard to dent.
2. No paint to take care of with washing and waxing.
3. No bush/tree pin-striping whilst off roading like you get with a regular paint/clear coated vehicle that gets damaged.
4. Bullet proof body and windows covering most handgun calibers.
5. FSD option the Rivian won't have.
6. Higher range than even Rivian Max pack.
7. Tesla Supercharger network (yes I know Rivians may be able to use them soon).
8. Going to be noticeably cheaper than a max pack R1S.

4. Bullet proof - Useless feature. IMO this will never make it into production vehicles.
6. Higher Range - maybe, remains to be seen.

The only thing that is certain about the CT is ..... nothing is certain.

Sponsored