Elon Musk has been talking about an electric pickup truck for awhile now, but recently solidified the idea further by taking to Twitter to talk about it — and ask for ideas
As reported by Electrek, this is what Musk had to say about a Tesla pickup back in 2013:
“I am quite keen on building a truck and I think there’s a lot one can do with truck technology.
One of the things that I think should be present in trucks is something like an air suspension that dynamically adjusts the load and sorta keeps the angle of the truck correct and the ride height even and adjust the dampening in real-time. Because the challenge you have with any vehicle where there’s a big potential difference between the minimum and maximum load is that the suspension is always wrong and usually wrong by a lot.
I was driving an F-250 down the 405 one day and honestly that thing… it was resonating on 405 on the little ridges. I thought my teeth were going to rattle out of my head. If you put load on it it’s fine, but if you’re empty it’s not. It would be good to do that and obviously to make it light and really handle well. That’s where having a battery pack low can improve the center of gravity. I think it’s possible to produce a really well handling truck that feels good at any load point. That would be really great.”
What would you love to see in a Tesla pickup truck? I have a few things in mind, but what do you think are small, but important nuances & what would be seriously next level?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 26, 2018
That’s right, a casual 26K responses are attached to the original tweet, and while Musk didn’t answer them all — he did reveal that the pickup would be huge, have a bigger battery pack than the Model S and X, have a substantial towing capacity, contain a 240-volt connection for hardcore tools, have the ability to parallel park automatically with a 360 degree cameras and sonar, and include an all-wheel drive powertrain with dynamic suspension.
While none of this is set in stone (and weren’t the only things he talks about in the tweet session), it’s exciting stuff. There were even reference to Tesla’s technically being able to float.
Here were some of his answers to people:
Sir, this will not be some a dainty little buttercup of a truck! Driver’s seat will be big enough to fit André the giant (love that guy).
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 27, 2018
400 to 500 mile option definitely. Higher, maybe.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 27, 2018
Should be easy to add as a feature like calendar
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 27, 2018
That will be standard
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 27, 2018
That goes without saying https://t.co/h5WDKpfZi0
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 27, 2018
300,000 lb towing capacity
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 27, 2018
Wow, great idea! Since it will already have a Tesla pneumatics system, it totally makes sense to add a utility port.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 26, 2018
The Tesla Truck will have dual motor all-wheel drive w crazy torque & a suspension that dynamically adjusts for load. Those will be standard.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 26, 2018
Pickup truck will have power outlets allowing use of heavy duty 240V, high power tools in field all day. No generator needed.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 26, 2018
It will parallel park automatically & have 360 degree cameras & sonar
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 26, 2018
This isn’t Tesla’s first foray into the world of trucks. Tesla is currently planning a line of Tesla Semis, however the company has run into some legal issues with Nikola Motor Company, a zero-emissions truck startup that claims that the design is infringing on its own patents.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2018/05/nikola-is-suing-tesla/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/tesla-semi-410×231.jpg” title=”Nikola Is Suing Tesla” excerpt=”In November last year Tesla revealed the Tesla Semi – a fully electric truck that will have a range up to 800km and be able to haul a forty tonne trailer. It looks and sounds quite impressive, but the Nikola Motor Company (a zero-emissions truck startup) wasn’t so enthusiastic.
In fact, the company believes that the Tesla Semi is infringing upon several of its design patents. So it’s suing for $US2 billion.
Yeah, we are amused by the company names too.”]