Cybertruck is said to be leaky, loud and difficult to control

Around 23,400 files were in the 100 gigabyte data package that is said to have been leaked to the Handelsblatt at the end of May. According to these so-called Tesla files, the e-car group is said to have, among other things, massive technical problems with the autopilot functions.

A more detailed evaluation of the documents relating to the Cybertruck now shows that Tesla is also struggling with major problems with its pick-up truck. Or rather, at least fought. Because the corresponding presentation dates from January 2022.

Numerous measured values ​​and test results are listed in an analysis on the topic of “Cybertruck driving dynamics & NVH”, the latter standing for noise, vibration and roughness. These do not paint a good picture of the vehicle.

The analysis certifies that the Cybertruck has poor braking behavior, considerable noise in the driver’s cab and insufficient stability during braking maneuvers and high speeds. There are also problems with the body. Several of the deficiencies listed could only be remedied with considerable effort, as the Handelsblatt writes.

The design of the cybertruck, of all things, worries the engineers. According to the Tesla files, there are problems with the resistance of the body to twisting around the longitudinal axis, the so-called “torsional rigidity”.

These could be solved by installing additional struts, as a former chief engineer of a leading car manufacturer told the Handelsblatt. However, this would increase the costs as well as the vehicle weight. This in turn would reduce the range.

The purely electric steering, which is to be installed in the Cybertruck, also appears to be immature. This is said to have struck in January 2022 with a delay of 50 milliseconds. A good value is five milliseconds of latency.

The slow response to steering movements could increase the risk of an accident. In addition, drivers have the feeling that they cannot control the vehicle properly. Customers would also be “very dissatisfied” with the quality of the brakes, as the internal analysis states.

Other shortcomings according to the apparently not exactly short list: leaks, noise leaks, rapid tire wear, jerky and unsteady driving and insufficient damping. It is not known whether Tesla has been able to solve the problems in the past year and a half.

Tesla boss Elon Musk announced in September 2022 that the cybertruck should be able to float. Recently, however, Musk has been more cautious. “The Cybertruck is a difficult car to build,” he is quoted as saying by the Handelsblatt. This is due to the “radically new design”.

Before the cybertruck can go into mass production, cost efficiency must also be improved. Otherwise it would be difficult to keep the pick-up truck affordable. After all, the first vehicles should be delivered in 2023.

Meanwhile, the competition from Rivian to General Motors and Ford is already in high demand. Ford’s F-150 Lightning is currently the best-selling electric pickup in the world.

This vehicle class is particularly popular in the USA. The US market has a volume of 76 billion US dollars (as of 2022). It’s $100 billion worldwide.