Tesla Unveils Electric Truck at Baron Conference NYC
After carefully studying several spy videos and close-up images of Tesla Cybertruck models and release candidates, it was noticeable that the construction standard was appalling.
The late-stage trial models of the Cybertruck featured far from perfect panel gaps, woefully appointed fender flares and a range of misadjusted components. Nevertheless, Tesla unveiled a seemingly production-ready prototype of the Cybertruck at the Annual Barron Conference held in New York City on November 10th, 2023 and its overall look was much better compared to the previous iteration.
The electric Cybertruck unexpectedly appeared at the Lincoln Center, located in Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Reports suggest that billionaire investor Ron Baron owns a substantial amount of Tesla stock worth an estimated $4.8 billion (as of September 2023). Thus, it is no surprise that the sleek EV was emblazoned outside the site of his event.
Nevertheless, the high caliber of the featured model appeared to have stunned spectators as well as devotees, if one basing of responses on Twitter.
Last week, we drew attention to several issues present on an advanced matte-black trial model found in southern California. Noteworthy faults included easily distinguishable gaps in side panels where a finger could fit through, the prominent overlap between A-pillars and hood, asymmetrical fender flares, and portions of the back light bar that were misaligned. It was quite a list of discrepancies. Fortunately, many of these errors did not appear on the display exhibited in New York City.
Upon examination of the latest photos, you can recognize a divide where the facade beneath the DRL connects to the flank. Nevertheless, it’s more of a slight flaw, and presumably not as big an issue as what we witnessed earlier.
Following his ride in an early production model of the Cybertruck with some irregularities in the panel gaps, CEO Elon Musk distributed an email to staff, outlining quality standards that need to be maintained. “Seeing as the Cybertruck is constructed of luminous metal and chiefly straight edges, any deviation from perfect dimensions becomes obvious,” he informed his workforce, according to the leaked email. “Every single component on this vehicle, either produced by us or by suppliers, requires a precision of less than 10 microns,” he firmly stated.
Is the recent sighting a sign that we are getting close to achieving sub-10-micron accuracy? Well, chances are it isn’t, and it’s quite tough to guess. Nevertheless, it points out that Tesla has the aptitude to upgrade the standard to nearly perfection and handle the issues arising from constructing an EV with stainless steel body panels and intricate production strategies.
One wonders, will the proliferation of Cybertrucks that Tesla plans to manufacture appear as polished as the unit revealed in New York City? That is something only time will have the answer for.
