Tesla has been working to expand Cybertruck production, and with the Foundation Series ending only a few short months ago in the United States, it's time to begin looking at the next phase. And that is making the Cybertruck more affordable by offering a Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) config.
The Cybertruck, as it stands, has quite the repertoire of features, from the relatively unique rear-wheel steering, the rigid power tonneau that slides away seamlessly, steer-by-wire, 48V low-voltage and 800V high-voltage architectures, and an air suspension. Of course, it's also the only Tesla with Powershare, enabling it to stand in as a home backup energy source. In addition, the 120V and 240V ports in the bed make it a fantastic truck for getting work done on the go.
Making the Truck More Affordable
In order to hit that more affordable target - something has got to give - and it won’t just be the motors and range. In the recent decompile of the Tesla app by Tesla App iOS, we saw some new flags that indicated which features Tesla may be looking to trim.
Manual Tonneau
The app hints at the removal of the automatic sliding tonneau cover, with the flag: hasAutomaticTonneau, meaning that not all trucks will be available with the feature. The Cybertruck’s vault cover can slide away neatly without taking up room on the bed like a traditional tonneau cover, making it even more useful.
If Tesla is looking to remove the powered tonneau cover from some truck configurations, the cheaper, RWD variant makes the most sense. That leaves some room for speculation - will the powered tonneau cover be an option, or would you need to upgrade to the AWD version to receive it? The cover provides a considerable range boost to the truck when it's closed, so we can only imagine that Tesla will keep a manual tonneau as a standard feature.
We expect Tesla to remove the pair of electric motors that drive the vault cover, as well as the electronics for the buttons. Perhaps they’ll add a strap or handle to the tonneau to make it easier to push and pull manually - but this just speculation for now.
AC Outlets
Another change caught in the decompile, it seems that the AC outlets in the RWD variant won’t be standard. It looks like they could be an optional upgrade, given the flag name: OPTIONAL_HAS_AC_OUTLETS_NOT_SET. It really seems like Tesla will remove one of the Cybertruck’s most useful features - and one of the things that makes it one of the best work trucks in the light-duty class - the 120V and 240V outlets.
We’re hoping that the outlets are, at the very least, optional on the RWD variant. They’ll serve a much-needed purpose for people who need to run tools or equipment off of their Cybertruck. If the outlets aren’t an option, it could impact the sales of the RWD Cybertruck - which many have been waiting for as a “work truck.”
Either way, we’re looking forward to finding out more details on the RWD Cybertruck, including an updated price, updated range specs, and an updated feature set. The RWD Cybertruck can become a fantastic electric work truck as long as Tesla keeps the key features that businesses and professionals are looking for.
It looks like Tesla is set to release the RWD Cybertruck this year according to a new document.
