To state that the Tesla Cybetruck’s wiper blades have inspired their own fair set of headlines would be an understatement. Since the vehicle’s unveiling and the subsequent sightings of its updated prototypes began, the Cybertruck’s windshield wipers have been a point of focus among electric vehicle fans.
Tesla did not equip its first Cybertruck prototype with a wiper during the vehicle’s unveiling back in November 2019. Back then, speculations were abounding that Tesla would be using an innovative wiper system for the vehicle’s production version. Patents from Tesla suggested wild options, including a folding, single-blade wiper, and a system that uses lasers to get water off the windshield.
Eventually, updated alpha prototypes of the steel all-electric pickup showed that Tesla was exploring a far simpler option — an extremely large, physical windshield wiper.
The single, large wiper on the updated Cybertruck prototypes incited quite a bit of criticism among electric vehicle enthusiasts on social media, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk later admitted that the updated wiper setup actually “troubles” him the most about the vehicle. Musk further noted that a deployable wiper system that could stow in the frunk would be a great option, but such a system would be very complex. Considering that the Cybertruck is a utility vehicle, the presence of overly-complicated systems might be detrimental.
As per images of the Cybetruck’s current prototypes in Gigafactory Texas, however, it appears that Tesla is already exploring something extremely practical for its all-electric pickup truck. As revealed in a closeup photo of the Cybertruck taken during the Cyber Rodeo celebrations last Thursday, the all-electric pickup truck’s single, giant wiper is actually comprised of two smaller, regular-sized blades.
Such a solution actually received some positive remarks from the electric vehicle community online. The setup, after all, should make it extremely easy to replace the Cybertruck’s wipers when needed. Its placement on one side of the vehicle also suggests that owners would not need to jump on the tire and lean forward just to gain access to the pickup’s wiper.
While undoubtedly practical, however, it is undeniable that the Cybetruck’s massive single wiper still looks very utilitarian and traditional compared to the rest of the all-electric pickup truck. Overall, Tesla is still working on the Cybertruck, though Elon Musk seems to be intent on making the vehicle Tesla’s ultimate creation to date. Thus, features such as its wiper system could still change as the Cybertruck nears production.