Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla's Chief Designer, stated during a talk at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles that the unconventional Cybertruck is going to help the company's brand.
Despite the Tesla Cybertruck's divisive design, von Holzhausen emphasized the Cybertruck's effectiveness as a conversation starter, sparking discussions about the Tesla brand. Priced at $60,990, exceeding Elon Musk's 2019 estimate, the delayed pickup is attracting interest from individuals new to truck ownership.
Addressing concerns about the Cybertruck's potential success, von Holzhausen asserted that its distinctive design doesn't hinder its potential as a high-volume vehicle, capable of competing favorably with traditional truck models.
Newly manufactured Tesla Cybertrucks are parked outside the company's Giga Texas factory on December 13, 2023, in Austin, Texas. Tesla began customer deliveries of the Cybertruck on November 30, 2023, bringing to fruition an Elon Musk passion project that the billionaire boasts is stronger than bullets and faster than a Porsche.
Design Inspired by James Bond
He emphasized the distinctive angular design, which drew inspiration from well-known vehicles like the Lamborghini Countach and Lockheed's F-117 Stealth Fighter while acknowledging the associated engineering challenges.
"It looks like it shouldn't do what it does, yet intelligent engineers figured it out," Franz von Holzhausen noted of the F-117, as quoted by Reuters.
Moreover, the car-turned-submarine in "The Spy Who Loved Me," which Musk acquired, inspired Tesla's design studio.
Despite past incidents, such as a window-shattering demonstration in 2019 and a recent viral video featuring the Cybertruck facing challenges with a Christmas tree, von Holzhausen remains optimistic. He defended the vehicle by citing his children's enthusiasm and instances where he was mistaken for Elon Musk while driving it.
In recent developments, Elon Musk confirmed Tesla's plan to offer a "mod package" for the Cybertruck, enabling it to serve as a temporary boat for up to 100 meters, as reported by Electrek.
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Elon Musk reiterated earlier claims about Tesla vehicles' ability to float, particularly emphasizing the off-road capabilities of the Cybertruck. Despite skepticism due to Tesla's warranty warnings, Musk insisted the Cybertruck would be "waterproof enough" for brief water crossings, including rivers, lakes, and calm seas.
The ultimate goal is for the Cybertruck to navigate the 360-meter stretch between SpaceX's Starbase and South Padre Island in Texas. The recently introduced "Wade Mode" in the Cybertruck's Off-Road Mode enhances waterproofing by pressurizing the battery pack.
Cybertruck Facing Battery Woes
Meanwhile, Tesla seems struggling to realize its Cybertruck goals per reports. Despite revolutionary technology, scaling up 4680 battery manufacturing presents a great difficulty. Tesla's Cybertruck manufacturing is limited to 24,000 units per year due to quality validation and scaling issues with dry-coating, especially near the battery cathode.
According to a Slash Gear report, Elon Musk's ambition of producing 200,000 cybertrucks per year and 250,000 by 2025 faces a tough challenge with Tesla's sluggish 4680 battery prototype-to-mass-scale manufacturing, which has delayed Cybertruck's launch.
While the EV manufacturer aims for four production lines for the batteries by the end of 2024, fundamental challenges in the dry-coating method for cathodes persist, potentially impacting Tesla's broader production goals and plans for a more affordable electric vehicle below the Model 3.
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