Electric Surf Vehicles in 2020

[PonoBill]

It's really interesting to me that the average pickup truck in commercial use actually averages less than 15,000 miles per year, or 60 miles per day for 250 working days, but the reliability rates for the trucks is really poor (less than 60 days per unscheduled repair). In general, that's thought to be mostly because of how often the trucks are started and stopped. I think those truck owners would be well served with a short range, high reliability, high torque, high towing capacity truck that they can charge overnight in the shop. I assume most of them can use a four-function calculator. I fail to see why they wouldn't be the target. I think the Autoweek folks think they're yahoos that are wedded to an F150. I'm sure lots of them are, but I'm also sure most of them are business people who understand how expensive their work trucks really are.

The 450-500 mile range of the super long-range version should be of little interest. What will probably be of great interest is a 10KW (or more) inverter built into the thing that can power your Jobsite or even your shop, for a day or a week depending on your battery size with no gas, no noise, no exhaust. I do hate portable generators with a passion though I own several.

[PonoBill]

As much as I want a Tesla Pickup, I do realize that the US car market doesn't really matter. The number of cars and trucks sold per year in the USA has been flat or declining for many years--about 50 years in fact, peaking around 1973 at somewhere around 11.4 million cars. In 2018 passenger car sales hit a new low--about 5.3 million cars, but 17 million cars and light trucks total, so yeah, a Tesla truck and probably a truck-based SUV, will be a big deal.

But the model 3 and Y in China is infinitely more important. 28 million cars were sold in China last year, up from 6 million in 2000--their new car sales is growing three times faster than any other country in the world. Tesla is the only car company in China allowed to operate without surrendering it's IP, the only car company allowed to operate without the Chinese subsidiary 51 percent owned by an existing Chinese company--Tesla owns 100 percent of its Chinese subsidiary. They are in a free-trade zone of Shanghai, so there is a chance China might insist on the 25 percent Tariff (or some lower number) for the cars manufactured there, but my guess is that if there is any tariff, it will be much reduced. China intends to own the electric car industry, and Tesla is how they plan to do it.  Tesla will be able to sell every car it can crank out in China, and every car and truck it can make in the USA. For years.

You might wonder why the Y will be Y. S3XY. Really. Geeks are not known for mature puns.

[Admin]

It would be awesome if something like this made it to market.  https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/neuron-evs-t-one-torque-trucks-tesla-2880535/

I am hoping that the Tesla is similar and has some full sized bed options.  0-60 in 3 seconds?  OK, but fully assembled foil boards.  Oh, yeah.

[Dusk Patrol]

Maybe...

[Admin]

I wanted to love it but, yuck.  Kind of like a Delorean and an El Camino had an ugly kid.  If you have a few years (end of 2021?) and want one you can order now https://www.tesla.com/cybertruck.

[eastbound]

why shatter-proof glass?

tempered laminated safety glass seems sufficient

[Bean]

If nothing else, it certainly makes the model x look highly functional by comparison...
On a positive note, it could be just the thing for trophy truck racing.

[exiled]

Its like they rendered it on my old Nintendo 64.

[FRP]

It is sort of frugly but clearly not designed by a surfer. Where exactly are our boards suppose to go?

Bob

[Dusk Patrol]

I’m curious how the view out is. High belt lines tend to give me a claustrophobic feel... possibly cured here by some version of the sky roof glass.
I wonder if a covered version SUV will follow. Much as I like a good truck, rainy Seattle just means half your vehicle is unusable much of the time.

[PonoBill]

I put my order in. I want the three motor version, so I'm not likely to see anything until 2022. Fuck. Oh well. Cold rolled stainless exoskeleton? Perfect.

[PonoBill]

After reading a few comments on the truck on Facebook I'm convinced that people just want to cling to the familiar. There is no reason that an electric truck should look like an internal combustion-engined truck. I'm kind of disappointed that it looks as conventional as it does. Why is the nose blunt? That has to be some reach back to conventional styling. There's no engine or radiator in there. No need for a grill. Why is the bed so high? What's under there? There's no driveshaft, no transfer case and transmission. I was hoping for a bed you could walk onto, that could be raised for ground clearance when you want, but down low for loading.

As it is, I think it will be a revolutionary truck, with remarkable capabilities. With it's big battery pack and a 110/220V inverter (more than 10KW from what I've heard) it can literally power a house. The standard Tesla battery is 300V, powering an inverter from the drive battery is highly effective. The trend for whole-home inverters is split phase 220V output with 300+ VDC input. Much smaller conductors, lighter weight and even greater efficiency.

I don't want to wait two years though. I guess I'll still have to build the rat rod model S. If you think the truck is fugly, stay tuned.

[eastbound]

LOL

can it please not look like the f18?

[Tom]

I too put a $100.00 refundable deposit on the   Dual Motor one .

Hey Pono, do you really think your build will be complete in less than 2 years?

[FRP]

With a bit of makeup and mood lighting it is almost attractive and worth a test drive.

Bob