We’re still getting little bits and pieces of news coming in from Tesla’s Giga Berlin County Fair. Reportedly, the CEO explained why the Tesla Cybertruck will require such a massive Giga Press.
According to our friends at Teslarati, Musk said the Cybertruck will be constructed with a huge rear casting in order to support its heavy 6.5-foot bed – otherwise known as the “Vault” – as well its fascinating automatic, retractable tonneau cover.
Musk shared:
“Cybertruck will actually have an even bigger casting because of the truck bed. It’s going to have probably an 8,000-ton press or something like that. It’s pretty wild.”
This comes as no surprise since the Cybertruck is massive and heavy. We were already aware Tesla had ordered much more powerful Giga Press machines, likely for manufacturing Cybertruck castings.
For those unaware, the Tesla Model Y uses a 6,000-ton Giga press, and the electric crossover is now reportedly being built with two large castings, which has never been done before. Musk also mentioned the 8,000-pound Giga Press during Tesla’s Q4 2020 earnings call. He said, via Teslarati:
“We’re actually going to be using even bigger casting machines for the rear body of the Cybertruck because it’s a bigger vehicle, and you’ve got a long truck bed that’s going to support a lot of load. So we’ll be using an 8,000-ton casting press for the rear body casting as opposed to the 6,000-ton for the Model Y.”
For pickup truck owners considering making the switch to an electric truck, the strength and durability of the vehicle are paramount, especially for those shopping for a truck that’s capable of strenuous work. The Cybertruck’s large, heavy bed should work to make the truck very rigid, considering that it will be mounted into the massive rear casting.
About a year ago, a few videos surfaced showing the Cybertruck’s automatic tonneau cover, which retracts into an area behind the rear seats. People were fascinated with the unique cover’s operation, and asked Tesla employees to “do it again.” As you can see in the older video above, it seems there’s a hidden touch-sensitive button that activates the feature.
Do you expect the Cybertruck to remain delayed, or even get pushed back further? Could Musk be sandbagging as he did with the Model Y? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
