Tesla’s Cybertruck: Case Study

1.INTRODUCTION:

There is hardly anyone now who is unaware of the Tesla Cyber Truck’s launch. With a collective gasp and puzzled looks, the world was introduced to Tesla’s newest vehicle.

When it comes to autonomous vehicles, Tesla tops the charts and has become quite popular over the past decade. With its launch of Cybertruck, CEO Elon Musk made has once again made it clear that he doesn’t mind taking risks. And, just like his previous such whirlwind successes, this new futuristic pickup truck is been being talked about across the globe with zero ad campaign.

Elon Musk last month did what he does best when he released his new Tesla Cybertruck and it looked like it came straight out of Sci-fi movies when a market is already saturated with too much of the same thing, that market begins to crave something different — something fresh. “Trucks have been the same for a very long time,” Musk said during the unveiling at the company’s design center outside Los Angeles. “Like a hundred years, trucks have been basically the same. We want to try something different.” Tesla has provided this time and again with its electric vehicles and is taking on the energy sector as well. Also, Tesla isn’t traditional company out there just aiming to cash in and move on to the next version of the same old thing. Tesla does its own thing in a way that benefits the world, Tesla, and ultimately its customers. Ahead of the truck driving onto the stage, Musk poked fun at the lack of design changes of pickups over the last century — specifically singling out pickups from Chevrolet, Ford and Ram brands, which account for the vast majority of pickup sales. The Cybertruck is an angular, stainless steel, all-electric pickup truck that quickly became polarizing. the exterior design completely breaks with the hyper-streamlined styling of the other Tesla models. From a strictly aesthetic standpoint, the design of Tesla’s Cybertruck is bound to polarize. Wild, dramatic, otherworldly, Lego-like – these are only some of the epithets that have been assigned to the incredibly angular machine.

2.FASHION OR FUNCTION?

A hologram at the beginning of the unveiling called the truck “the greatest evolution in vehicular fashion and function,” however, some are questioning both those assertions.

“Polarizing” has been the most common term for the vehicle’s design,

“Elon Musk has been enthusiastic about his Blade Runner inspired design for months, but everyone was still surprised how futuristic he went with this one and believe it may shatter his dreams,” wrote Cowen analyst Jeffrey Osborne in a note to investors on Friday.

Tesla, according to Osborne, appears to have “rushed its launch of the Cybertruck,” as many features such as side mirrors and windshield wipers were missing. The lack of those features and build quality of the vehicle have led some to believe the vehicle is a concept and not an actual production model.

As expected, the performance specifications of the truck are impressive, including a 0-to-60 mph time of as low as 2.9 seconds, towing capacity of more than 14,000 pounds and a top speed of 130 miles per hour. Cybertruck EV range, depending on the model, is expected to vary from about 250 miles to 500 miles, according to Tesla.

“While the Cybertruck seems plenty capable, we don’t believe that Tesla is going after the heart of the market and the work/utility crowd here,” wrote RBC Capital Markets analyst Joseph Speak in a note to investors on Friday.

3.WHO IS TESLA’S MARKET?

Let’s look at Tesla’s market. Who is the target customer for Tesla? Think about it before you answer that question. Tesla isn’t just a car company, nor is it just a leader in the automotive industry. Tesla is also producing solar and battery products for your home. Tesla is in the market in order to change how we use energy.

That means the target is almost everyone, anyone. Let me be specific: People who drive and who own homes. when it comes to doing market research, you should first define your buyer persona. Anyone could be Tesla’s buyer persona. Elon Musk is targeting as broad a portion of the population as possible, because eventually everyone needs to switch to using more sustainable energy.

Anyone who interacts with Elon on Twitter about Tesla products is providing market research. Every time he answers someone’s request on Twitter about a Tesla product or says, “That’s a good idea, we’ll use it,” Elon is engaging with market research. This engagement does help to develop better products and improve existing ones. There really isn’t a need for the “market research” the above article rests its arguments on.

4.DESIGN:

i. Design of the body-

The body’s design was, heavily driven by two important factors: A dire need to be different and a dire need to be cost-efficient in manufacturing. These two constraints automatically lead to a simple solution — A radical design that can be manufactured cheaply.

The simple plate like design where the material can be stamped using machine is a great bonus in saving costs. Also, as confirmed by Elon Musk in one of his tweets, the ultra-hard 30x steel is extremely hard to press let alone bend. (Talk about unexpected advantages!) Even bending it requires a deep score, making the whole process arduous. But that also means, to ensure that the planar areas don’t buckle under compression, they have to be thicker, thus this will add to the overall weight.

The need to counter this weight is what has lead to that pointy top end of the car which seems to be freaking out everybody. In physics, while learning about structures and force distributions, one of the most common things we learn is that triangles are fantastic weight (load and tension) distributors across any system. This is the fundamental principle behind this design too.

The top pointy end is one corner of the triangle and one side of the triangle is the windshield segment, the other being the one that leads to the rear end, and the other side being the base of the truck itself.

The most common application of the triangular distribution of forces around us in the physical world in a large scale are truss bridges which are very common. Examples:

Here is a render, on Reddit shared by u/obeymyrules if the Cybertruck had been designed like the other pickups:

The design of a car, even when it’s so uniquely daring it brings a futuristic sci-fi film prop to mind, is more than its outer appearance, however. The Cybertruck is made of thick stainless steel, which is an interesting choice for a couple of reasons, besides the most obvious one which is that it makes the car look like Robocop’s vehicle of choice.

there are two striking features that give the car its completely out-worldly look.

ii. Headlights —

Simple single bar headlight that is quite like no other car on the market.

iii. Rear-

This crazy cover for the rear can roll itself over inside and pretend like it was never there.

Besides these calls, there were a bunch of fantastic design designs they’ve paid attention to which are just truly lovely,

few of them are mentioned below:

Taillights even when opened. Spaces and grooves for hooks and ropes. Not demonstrated in the picture, but even the addition of a charging port at the rear.

iv. More Space-

Even inside the rear.

Ramp for easily on-boarding Tesla ATVs or other items. It is also worthy to mention the adaptive air-suspension system at this point that can essentially convert the Cybertruck into an off-roading beast (with high ground clearance) from a highway cruiser (with low ground clearance).

5. AERODYNAMICS:

When we consider the side profile of the car. No curves, just straight lines. Vertical at the nose, inclined upward at the front half, gently inclined downward at the rear. There's clearly flow separation at the front, but that air is being pushed back onto the hood & front windshield shortly after. There is hardly any separation at the sharp angle at the rooftop! Much depends on the local rounds they will apply at these edges (which may not be reflected properly in this model).

That means that there is quite a good pressure recovery: air is pushed away at the front, creating drag. But it contracts nicely at the second half of the roof, pushing down on the rear window. This pushes the car forward like a wedge, counteracting some of that force acting on the front.

But 2D slices through the centre don't show the full story: not all the air goes nicely on top of the roof. Rather, part of it curves around the A-pillar (the edge between front and side windshield) and then curves back up around the roofline to join the centre flow. This creates vortices which in turn create drag on the car.

Other than that, those large open wheel arches & fenders aren't doing the car any aerodynamic favors. Although they could be helpful in making the air jump across the rotating wheels (which generally act like air mixers), they generate quite a lot of drag of their own as well.

6. WHY STEEL?

i. Strength and Innovation-

Elon Musk has confirmed high quality 300 series stainless steel as their engineering team’s material of choice for the Cybertruck.

It’s corrosion resistant, strong and affordable – that’s why the Tesla Cybertruck team chose a stainless steel alloy to create the Cybertruck exoskeleton.

Tesla describes the new vehicle as “built with an exterior shell made for ultimate durability and passenger protection. Starting with a nearly impenetrable exoskeleton, every component is designed for superior strength and endurance, from Ultra-Hard 30X Cold-Rolled stainless-steel structural skin to Tesla armor glass.”

The Cybertruck exoskeleton is made from Tesla’s own stainless steel alloy, referred to as the Ultra-hard 30X Cold-rolled Stainless Steel. While the blend is proprietary, Elon mentioned during the product launch that the exoskeleton material of the vehicle is the same as the SpaceX Starship shell.”

ii. Exterior Strength-

The material impacted both the design and the manufacturing process for the vehicle. “Besides the material used in the Cybertruck, Musk clarified that Tesla went with the planar design as a result of the cold-rolled 30X stainless steel’s capability to break a stamping press. Whether that statement is said in layman’s terms or the material is indeed too hard for pressing, the key implication is that Tesla would have to devise a new body manufacturing method that does not apply standard automotive manufacturing techniques.

“Musk has shared that the body panels will be laser cut and that standard stamping was not implemented in the Cybertruck prototype. Besides the impact on aesthetics, this new body manufacturing method will provide Tesla the flexibility to adjust, reduce cost, and improve manufacturing time with its simple flat panel design.”

iii. Cost Savings-

Another reason Tesla is using steel innovation is to save millions on its Cybertruck program.

“With the flat panels and straight lines, the automaker doesn’t need stamping dies to shape the body panels, or even blanking dies to form steel blanks. They can waterjet or laser-cut the panels to size and even cut out the window openings this way.

“Other standard tooling such as hemming dies won’t be necessary either. All Tesla will need is a simple break press to crease and fold the panels to the proper shape.

“The body is an exoskeleton, which is to say, the body panels are welded together to form the structure of the truck. This is not body-on-frame construction like a conventional pickup truck, nor a collection of panels bolted and welded into a unitized body shell like a typical car or

crossover. Instead, it’s a different way of constructing a vehicle, which no other major automaker has ever done.

But the main benefit of stainless steel is also its main downside – its unwavering toughness that is reminiscent of a rigid principle that cannot be bent. On the one hand, stainless steel is almost impervious to corrosion, but this resilience comes at the cost of repairing and painting options, which are very scarce and hard to pull off, if at all.

But the choice of material and all-around robotic design seem justified when you consider one of the Cybertruck’s main selling angles – impenetrability. Despite the gaffe which went viral – the supposedly bulletproof windows breaking when an iron ball was thrown at them – the vehicle is still meant to be able to withstand 9mm ammunition, which only adds to its Robocop aura.

In fact, the stainless steel alloy in its exoskeleton was initially developed for SpaceX’s Starship rocket, which is a testament to Musk’s attention to detail and devotion to the project.

As advocates for the use of steel in future mobility, we’re encouraged by visionaries like Elon Musk, who see new ways of using steel for strength, safety, innovation and cost savings.

As far as dimensions are concerned, with its 231.7 inches in length, 79.8 inches in width, and 75 inches in height, as well as its 6-passanger capacity, Tesla’s Cybertruck rivals many of the popular full-size trucks or pickups, the likes of F-150. And speaking of pickups, yes, the Cybertruck is one, even though its appearance couldn’t be any further from the associations this type of vehicles usually conjures up.

7. BED:

The bed is arguably the most central element of a pickup truck by default, since that’s where the things that are picked up are placed. And even though Tesla’s Cybertruck isn’t typical pickup, it’s a pickup nonetheless, and actually, it turns out it’s a very functional one at that.

Its bed is equipped with a sliding metal tonneau that can be locked, which makes it capable of safely carrying fragile loads that would be in serious danger of breaking in an open bed.

Furthermore, with its built-in ramp, several charging outlets for electric ATVs, and a 3,500-pound payload capacity, the Cybertruck gives F-150 a run for its money, and that says something.

8.THE INTERIOR:

You may imagine, the interior of Tesla’s Cybertruck is in line with its outer design – it’s boldly minimalistic, even more so than Tesla’s Model 3 which has come to epitomize this style. Minimalistic in that case also means roomy, which many people might consider a serious benefit. And in the same vein as Model 3, the Cybertruck’s interior central stage is taken by a large, prominent touchscreen.

9.SPECS:

The specs that have been revealed are impressive, as expected.

The single-motor version will reach 60mph in 6.5 seconds, the two-motor one will do so in 2 seconds less, and the three-motor one in only 2.9 seconds. They will tow up to 7,500, 10,000, and 14,000 pounds, cost $39,900, $49,000, and $69,900, and their range will be 250, 300, and 500 miles, respectively.

It’s also worth mentioning the option of a built-in solar charging would add another 15 to 40 miles of range.

10.OFF-ROAD PERFORMANCE:

Corners haven’t been cut with this aspect– with 16 inches of ground clearance and departure and approach angles of 28 and 35 degrees, respectively, the Cybertruck should be a well-rounded pickup you can trust in various off-road scenarios.

Overall, despite its divisive exterior and the need for certain engineering tweaks and refinement, Tesla’s Cybertruck capabilities can make one forget this is actually an electric vehicle, which is no easy feat and a reason to be hopeful for the future of green road travel.

11.WHY DID TESLA CYBER TRUCK’S WINDOW BREAK?

Because they were meant to break! The truck’s windows shattered when its lead designer smashed them with a metal ball, causing Tesla founder Elon Musk to curse under his breath.

Elon Musk is not only a techie. He’s a multidirectional genius.

He knows how to play the real game.

So, here is the Cyber Truck Strategy!

Tesla said that Cyber Truck has an armored glass which acts as bulletproof glass.

Technically speaking, the glass window didn’t shatter. It broke but didn’t shatter and this little difference is pretty important.

One of the major differences between normal glass and bulletproof glass is that a bulletproof glass will never shatter into small pieces.

However, when a bullet hits it, the glass absorbs all the force and bounces back the bullet.

The metal ball bounced back from the window glass even after damaging the glass.

how normal glass breaks?

A normal glass shatters into minute pieces which are highly dangerous as well as fatal for the insiders.

Also, the bullet or metal ball would penetrate the normal glass and hurt (kill?) the passengers.

Therefore, the Tesla Cyber Truck’s windows had to break.

Moreover, the consumers would sue Tesla if the window doesn’t break in emergency situations. It would have been a disaster.

12.WHY DIDN’T THE GLASS BREAK WHILE TESTING?

Because there is a difference between a sheet of material under even tension all the way around and a sheet of material held by just one edge.

How firefighters save the victims in a net when a person jumps from a building? The side windows are to roll up and down. That means they’re only supported on one edge. When you throw weight at a sheet that is only supported on one edge, the sheet will flex and over stress, leading to rupture. Also, continuous testing damages bulletproof glass as well. Meanwhile, the testing glass was well held by all the supports.

Deep down, Elon Musk and Tesla’s team knew about this fact. Why did Elon Musk call Cyber Truck’s Windows to be unbreakable?

Here comes the part of the marketing strategy.

i. What is Guerrilla Marketing?

Guerrilla marketing is an advertisement strategy designed for businesses to promote their products or services in an unconventional way with little budget to spend.

Surprise your audience to an extent that you become the hot buzzing topic of the bay!

Elon Musk has always been into controversies or into something that everyone starts discussing.

For instance, sending a car in the space!

Give the world something to talk about. The world engages.

So, just imagine how it would go if they merely launched a Pickup truck without any of these tactics.

People would have talked a bit, that too only a few geeks. That’s it.

But now, because of the so-called failure of Tesla, it is getting tremendous limelight.

it’s over the whole internet.

Why this pickup truck has such a unique and sharp design? That’s because it’s not regular pickup truck. It was made to stand alone amongst the competitors.

It has no curves in its design. It’s all about edges and angles.

Other Marketing Strategies by Tesla

Tesla didn’t stop with breaking glass at the live launch event. They even moved one step ahead.

They literally challenged the leading pickup truck Ford F150 and organized a tug of war between the two.

Earth- or glass-shattering?

Trucks are supposed to be tough, but Tesla appears to be taking it to another level.

During the unveiling, the truck’s “ultra-hard 30X cold-rolled stainless steel” body held up to what Musk described as a sledgehammer, and

he said it can withstand a 9 mm bullet from a handgun. But things got a little awkward when it came time to show off the durability of the company’s new “armored glass.”

To demonstrate the toughness of the glass, Tesla Chief Designer Franz Von Holzhausen threw a metal ball at two windows. They shattered, to Musk’s surprise, but the metal ball did not go through the glass.

Musk also said the truck features an exoskeleton design that will use a production process more similar to a traditional “unibody” car than to a production process known as “body-on-frame” that’s traditionally used for trucks.

13.WHY TESLA DOESN’T NEED MARKET RESEARCH?

Tesla’s market has been continuously growing as the Model 3 continues to sell worldwide and more and more people discover the car and its many benefits, which the Tesla team built in because they knew those things made the car useful, great, better. Elon Musk and crew worry less about soft signals from market research and spend more time thinking about what would make a vehicle awesome to them. Doing that has led to great success, because it turns out that things they think would be great many other people think are great as well.

Nokia spent millions of dollars doing market research and came to the conclusion that smartphones were a passing fad. Market research is great for businesses that are selling products that never change much, to help determine which minimal changes to implement for broader consumer appeal. Cars were once a part of that group, examples of products like ink pens and sketchbooks that don’t fundamentally change much from year to year. However, EVs change that — or, at least, provide the opportunity to change things. Elon Musk’s Tesla crew take the challenge head on and tackle it without fear of lacking consumer interest. They make what they think is useful, fun, and exciting. It turns out, other people tend to think the same about these improvements.

Tesla is a company that is here to change how the auto market does things. Elon Musk has been following the company’s Secret Master Plan and Master Plan, Part Deux, and that’s been working very well for Tesla. Why change strategy? Elon Musk’s hunch was that the truck market was craving something different — something fresh. He has given people this with the Cybertruck. It seems the market is happy with this.

14. SELL:

Ever since the launch, people’s opinions have been divided on whether the design is good or bad, or whether it will work great or not. Regardless of the negativity surrounding this release, the bookings have skyrocketed and this hints at the demand for something wild and authentic.

On the Cybertruck pre-orders, only 17% of people want the single motor Cybertruck, according to Electrek. That’s the cheaper $40,000 model. Most people want either the dual-motor or tri-motor versions, which run from $50,000 and up.

the pre-orders were impressive.

15.CONCLUSION:

The design is a clear example of form follows function. And that is a clearly big plus. A design refresh is very interesting. The day Elon Musk tweeted about Cybertruck, they had 200k pre-bookings.

Could it have been designed any other way? Sure. But the constraints explained above convinced well enough that this particular design is pretty cool and well-thought.

The futuristic design has been embraced fully right from the exterior to the interior and even in the communication of the product such as the red cyberpunky text even in the launch keynote which is a fantastic call. The Cybertruck is a classic example of a design disruptor and it has done that very well.