Earlier this week we saw some leaked images of a Tesla Cybertruck prototype, giving us a clear look at the latest iteration of the all-electric truck. Now an even bigger leak has happened, with walkaround video showcasing the truck from almost every angle. The video looks to be in the same location as the leaked images, likely the Texas Gigafactory near Austin, where Tesla is planning on building the Cybertruck. It’s not clear who the people filming this video are, but they certainly seem to have a lot of opinions about the Cybertruck. Unfortunately the video has no sound, so we have to take the included subtitles at face value. If accurate, it has what I assume are either Tesla employees or contractors critiquing various aspects of the Cybertruck. Aspects like the lack of door handles, and the giant windshield wiper that has been subject to so much scorn already. However, the earlier leak had some people speculating that the wiper could be extendable, to help cover the entire windshield. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has also said that the gargantuan wiper is not the final design. This is, after all, still a prototype car that won’t be heading into production for another year, according to rumors. It seems the two stars of the video can’t figure out how to open the door, though, because there’s no visible way to get inside. But one of the two does mention the fact that Cybertruck can use its array of external cameras to detect when people are approaching — something that visibly causes the headlights to switch on by themselves. Those cameras will also be used for Autopilot, assuming the system works the same way as the Tesla Model 3. They appear to be in the same place, which hints at their dual purpose. Musk previously claimed (opens in new tab) he wanted the doors to open automatically when the driver approaches — much like the very first Model X. This doesn’t seem to happen in the video, with the cameraman’s companion mentioning a sensor that responds to the Tesla app or the black key card each modern Tesla comes with. Presumably because the two stars of the video didn’t have a key, they wouldn’t be able to get inside no matter what they did. Also on display is the Cybertruck’s rear bed. The cameraman’s companion mentions a feature that allows the car to lower its rear suspension and allow users to use that bed as a ramp for a “four wheeler.” That’s something Tesla has teased in the past in relation to the still-unreleased Cyberquad ATV. Though official images show an actual retracting ramp rather than suspension trickery. It’s hard to gauge scale in this video, so it’s unclear how the size of this Cybertruck compares to the one on stage when the truck was announced. In the past it’s been suggested that the production model could shrink by 3%, but more recently Musk announced (opens in new tab) that the truck wouldn’t be shrinking for production. Apparently even shrinking the truck by just 3% smaller would make it “too small.” There’s still been no word on the rumored smaller Cybertruck, and this video does nothing to confirm or deny its existence. This is still a prototype truck, and that means things can (and likely will) change between now and when Cybertruck production begins— whenever that may be. We’re just going to have to wait and see what they might be.
