The Cybertruck prototype was recently spotted near Tesla’s Fremont factory with different rims and various wires attached to the body.
April 11, 2023 at 10:01 a.m. ET
As first revealed by the online forum Cybertruck Owners Club, a Tesla Cybertruck prototype was spotted near the company’s original factory in Fremont, California. As you can see, the electric truck has some previously unrevealed steel wheels, and there are also wires attached to the body.
According to user rickster902 a Cybertruck Owners Club forum website, the Tesla Cybertruck prototype was seen on April 6, 2023 at the Fremont factory. He posted a question after seeing the photo of the “weird rims” and asked people to comment on what’s up with all the wires stuck to the truck.
The post was later updated to share that there is Wheel force transducers attached to the steel wheels. The post explains that wheel force transducers are a “multi-axis precision measurement system that captures three forces and moments on a rotating wheel.”
A lot of Cybertrucks have been spotted in the wild lately as Tesla prepares the electric pickup truck for its first deliveries later this year. It seems like almost every time a new Cybertruck “spy shot” comes out, there’s something new to talk about.
For a while it was the potentially changing size of the truck, the massive windshield wiper and removable side mirrors. Now, these are strange wheels and equipment that most people probably aren’t familiar with.
Electrek notes that the precision measuring devices are likely just another part of Cybertruck’s testing process before production begins. Device manufacturer Kistler explains:
“Wheel force transducers are designed for the development and testing of complete chassis and chassis components of different vehicles, such as passenger cars, SUVs, commercial vehicles, racing cars and industrial vehicles. During measurement, a force transducer of wheels replaces a standard wheel and measures the forces and moments acting on the tire’s contact patch.”
The Tesla Cybertruck is late to market compared to some rivals, including the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T and GMC Hummer EV. The official launch of the Tesla electric truck has been delayed at least a few times since the automaker first unveiled the unique EV. However, Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have confirmed that it will hit the market this year, perhaps as early as this summer. Still, Musk said it will be 2024 before the Cybertruck goes into volume production.
Head to the comments section and let us know what you see in the recent Cybertruck prototype spy shots.
