The Tesla product line can be simplified into the single acronym, SEXYCARS, where each letter represents a distinctive model of the company, and Musk has finally talked about the production plan for “A” (ATV) that lacks the most degree of discussion and hype.
Tesla announced its electric pickup Cybertruck at the end of 2019, where the design, price, performance, and the piece of rock that shattered the car window, had left the world in awe. The electric bike ATV that made its debut alongside the Cybertruck also once generated a significant level of buzz, though even someone as loudmouthed as Musk has yet to disclose any information on this mysterious vehicle.
A rider appeared from the edge of the stage while riding on this outer space-like ATV (all-terrain vehicle) at the presentation of the Cybertruck, and then parked the vehicle on top of the Cybertruck’s bed, which impressed a lot of people, and completed the blueprint of Tesla’s product lines.
ATV stands for all-terrain vehicle, and as the name suggests, it is able to overcome all difficult terrains. The official name for this ATV has not been decided until the end of last month, when Tesla registered a new trademark: Cyberquad.
▲Tesla officially registered the Cyberquad trademark at the end of September. (Source: USPTO)
The “cyber” part insinuates relevance with Cybertruck, while “quad” refers to the vehicle having four wheels, which is only emphasized since the vehicle is a bike.
“We will be producing Cybertruck at Giga Texas, where we might also produce the ATV”, commented Musk during the shareholders’ meeting on October 8, who then added, “this is a challenging product since ATVs are usually dangerous, and we aim to create the least dangerous ATV.”
Musk revealed that the company may inhibit the vehicle’s center of gravity as low as possible by installing the batteries at the chassis of the vehicle, which creates a car body that is prone to overturning and facilitates a safer ATV driving experience.
This incidentally proves that the Cyberquad is still at a very early R&D phase, where even a prototype is not yet ready. So what was it that drove to the presentation stage in 2019?
▲The Cyberquad showcased by Tesla was actually a re-design of the Yamaha Raptor ATV. (Source: Tesla Raj)
As indicated by the sources of foreign media, the ATV that drove on the presentation stage was actually formed with the chassis of Yamaha Raptor ATV, paired with the power components of Zero Motorcycle, as well as the metal shield designed by Tesla, which yielded a completely different result to Musk’s desired car body that has a low center of gravity.
Cybertruck may be postponed to the second half of 2022, and it could be a while before the ATV redefine electric bikes.
(Cover photo: Tesla)