Gary Zhou 
Key Points
- 🚚 Tesla Cybertruck is generating excitement, and teardown experts estimate key details about the upcoming vehicle.
- ⚖️ The Cybertruck’s weight is a topic of speculation, and it could be lighter than some competitors due to innovative design and structural battery packs.
- 🔋 The availability of 4680 battery cells may be a limiting factor for the Cybertruck’s production, but Tesla has a backup plan to use 2170 cells if needed.
As the Tesla Cybertruck approaches its anticipated production date this year, the excitement surrounding the all-electric pickup truck has reached significant levels. Even automotive veterans and teardown experts are eagerly speculating on some key details of the upcoming vehicle.
One of the closely guarded details is the weight of the Cybertruck, which has undergone some changes since its initial unveiling in late 2019, including a slightly smaller size compared to the first prototype.
The vehicle’s weight has been a topic of discussion in a Munro Live episode, where teardown experts Sandy Munro and Cory Steuben, with their extensive experience in analyzing Tesla’s vehicles, shared their speculations. Despite being a large steel truck, the Cybertruck is expected to be relatively lighter than its competitors, such as the Rivian R1T and the GMC Hummer EV.
Steuben estimated that the Cybertruck’s weight would likely land around 6,800 pounds, pointing out that the Rivian R1T exceeds 7,000 pounds, and the Hummer EV goes as heavy as 9,000 pounds. The Cybertruck’s potential advantage lies in its innovative design, including the use of structural battery packs and megacasts, resulting in increased efficiency and fewer components than traditional body-on-frame vehicles.
Steuben highlighted that the Cybertruck’s design, with giga castings in the front and side rear, eliminates the need for a separate frame and numerous mating interfaces, further contributing to its expected lighter weight.
However, one potential limiting factor for the Cybertruck’s production might be Tesla’s capability to supply the vehicle with 4680 battery cells. Elon Musk had previously acknowledged this issue and mentioned that the Cybertruck would not be solely reliant on the 4680 battery cells. In case of any setbacks, Tesla could opt for its tried and tested 2170 cells, which are used in the Model 3 and Model Y.
As the excitement and anticipation for the Cybertruck grow, teardown experts and enthusiasts eagerly await its official release to see how close their weight estimates align with the final product.
