Even in handheld video, the truck looks a little unreal. | Image: Cybertruck Owners Club
We got the closest look yet at an alleged prototype of the Tesla Cybertruck, thanks to a walkaround video posted to the Cybertruck Owners Club forum (via Electrek). We get to see a good deal of the vehicle, including its giant windshield and wiper. You can watch the whole thing below.
We saw the wiper last month when a drone video captured a Cybertruck doing laps on the company’s test track in Fremont, California. Tesla CEO Elon Musk commented on the wiper at the time, saying that it troubled him and that a wiper you could stow away in the front trunk would be “ideal, but complex.” (Is getting out in the rain, sleet, or snow to put on your windshield wiper really ideal, though?)
Image: CybertruckOwnersClub.com
The person in the video seems to express doubt that it can clean the entire windshield but is assured it can.
The video shows the rest of the truck as the person walks around it, giving us a look at the wheels, tailgate, and bed. It’s been said before, but the Cybertruck still looks a little unreal to me with its stainless steel finish and trapezoidal shape.
Unlike the version shown off during Tesla’s 2019 announcement event, this version of the truck doesn’t have any door handles. How to open the doors was a topic of discussion while the video was being filmed, according to the subtitles. (The actual audio isn’t included, so it’s not clear if that’s actually what’s being said.) It seems to be explained that you can tap your phone or a keycard on a specific sensor, and the door will open.
Image: CybertruckOwnersClub.com
The rear quarter-panel shot. Earlier in the video, you can see that this particular truck has a hitch.
The subtitles also indicate that the truck is a “concept,” so the version that actually ends up going out to consumers may be different. The subtitles also capture a funny comment from someone present: “Man, tell Elon he doing too much,” going on to compare the truck to a stainless steel fridge that you’d “put your produce” in.
The Cybertruck was supposed to start shipping this year but has reportedly been delayed until early 2023 — those reports are backed up by the fact that Tesla removed references to 2022 from the Cybertruck’s webpage. In theory, an official timeline should be coming soon as Elon Musk has promised to share a “product roadmap update” on Wednesday’s earnings call.