Tesla Cybertruck: Elon, Embrace the Aftermarket
[June 26, 2020]
Now that everyone has gotten over their collective shock of the styling of the Tesla Cybertruck, the industry is starting to come to terms with it in one form or another. If some reports are to be believed, pre-orders are up to 650,000. To keep things in perspective, pre-orders on the Cybertruck are only $100, not the $1,000 that has been typical of Tesla reservations up until now. That’s more than the $0 required to reserve a Nikola truck, but the reservations are refundable, and may or may not be an accurate representation of interest or demand for the truck. But assuming it is, for Tesla to keep the enthusiast embers glowing for its post-apocalyptic sci-fi hauler, it should get out front and bring aftermarket accessory companies into the conversation right now.
There is a small and limited Tesla aftermarket now, mostly for cosmetic and functional items like trunk liners, floor mats, and center console organizers. There are some styling and suspension upgrades now available for the Model S, X, and 3, but like a lot of Tesla accessories, are priced on the high side.
Up to this point, Tesla has taken an arms-length approach to the aftermarket, and has typically tried to prevent tuners from delving too deep into its software and hardware black magic. That hasn’t stopped some enterprising tinkerers like Rich Benoit of “Rich Rebuilds” fame and others from salvaging and rebuilding Teslas, and the aftermarket from using motors from salvaged Model Ss to create EV restomods.
Fair enough. If Tesla CEO Elon Musk still doesn’t trust letting hot rodders drill down into the base code of the powertrain management system of the Cybertruck, that doesn’t mean the company necessarily needs to strictly prohibit accessories and customization. The fact that the Cybertruck will by necessity be only offered in an unfinished stainless steel body is an invitation, as well as a huge opportunity for vinyl wrap shops. Inevitably, some of those same owners will also want to do lift kits, bigger wheels and tires, power steps, and LED light bars.
To encourage this, Tesla should build in auxiliary wiring harnesses behind the front bumper, make some level of the system architecture available to accessory lighting companies, and offer CAD schematics of the suspension geometry available to lift kit companies. Also, allow owners and accessory shops to set wheel and tire size in the vehicle’s software to optimize performance, or make the system smart enough to recognize and automatically adapt to aftermarket tire sizes and diameters.
Tesla has shown an interest in aftermarket accessories for the Cybertruck through some of its illustrations. But the company needs to go further.
Yes, when you’re used to locking down your vehicles’ systems tightly, it’s a little scary to throw things open to the aftermarket. But rather than make it harder for them, and inadvertently invite them to hack and kludge to make custom modifications work, give them a playbook and authorized guide to create easy-to-install, reliable upgrades to suit owners’ individual tastes.
If it hasn’t already, I would suggest Tesla reach out to SEMA to coordinate and schedule a measuring session on the Cybertruck when a production model becomes available, as well as preemptively create an official, authorized accessory guide including dimensions, CAD schematics, approved parameters in terms of wheel and tire size, maximum weight capacities, approved attachment points, wiring harness specifications, and electrical system specifications.
If there’s one thing truck guys love to do, it’s to personalize their rides. Especially for such a new and radical entry into the truck market, it’s in Tesla’s interest to engage the accessory manufacturing community, and generate some advanced interest and excitement in their new truck. Whether Tesla likes it or not, the Cybertruck will be customized and accessorized. The question is whether it will be on Tesla’s terms, or not.
(Images courtesy Tesla)
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