I must confess at the outset that I am not a fan of 'big bad' pickup trucks. For me the bulk of a pickup truck signifies nothing more than wanton waste of precious resources, be it fuel, road space or parking space. Not to mention the high probability that the driver in that truck would be more of an asshole than a nice man or woman. May be it's just the stereotype of a pickup truck driver, but I really cannot fathom the logic behind the sizing of some of the dodge rams and ford f150s trucks on the road that they look as massive as proper load hauling trucks used to transport stones etc. The size of a pickup truck is manifest if those trucks were converted to an SUV using the same platform of manufacturing (as both ford and GM have done), the SUV itself is so huge it almost looks like a nicer version of a 17 seater commercial van minus the ridiculous design.
So when I was made aware of the release of an electric SUV by Tesla motors, I really couldn't think of any expectation of what the product could look like nor would I say I sat waiting for the start of video stream with any amusement. There are few givens in the release of any new Tesla automotive product, insane battery technology, great performance and stunningly simple but beautiful design language, and the simplicity of the interior. So I logged in to the Tesla website with my name and email (are they collecting information of potential customers here, by asking to register to watch a live event?). And voila after a crazy light beam show and some playful banter by Elon Musk, the truck was unveiled in a single swoop as this strangely low slung looking, all metal, ultra modern industrial design of all lines and geometry, large metal panels and minimal design flourishes, of a huge truck came into view in the stage. I must say I was stunned into disbelief first, for how can such an unconventional looking truck is not going to elicit negative responses from potential customers. But as the event went on, I slowly become accustomed to the boldness of the endeavor and how such a sledgehammer of a design backed up by insane capability is something that Tesla needed to try upend most entrenched automobile market segment with its fervency of fandoms and brand loyalty.
The truck rides like a cheetah, albeit built as sturdy and massive as a bison. It is spacious on the inside and the specs promise a range topping electric range of 800 KM. That's an insane amount of range, which I am quite sure will trump the gasoline range of a large pickup truck of the same towing capacity and size. I have a good feeling about the product now, and that it will be a good success in the market. One, the design is highly distinctive and slowly grows onto you. And such pickup truck owners often have the biggest baddest egos and how best to massage their ego by giving this futuristic looking all metal and glass behemoth that looks not out of place in a Terminator movie and runs as fast as a Porsche and able to tow a mountain. Secondly, the pricing is quite well done as per me. They have really benchmarked the price against the most popular variant of Ford F150s of the market. Third and most important, the truck, specially the range topping variant can kick the ass of any good performance car let alone performance truck, out there in the market.
If I have a chance, I am quite sure to put a deposit to buy a Tesla pickup truck,the so called 'Cybertruck'. I realized that my ego needs to have me riding triumphantly and lording over the road in a truck. But my conscience was not allowing me to waste resources. So having a Tesla cybertruck is like having the best of both worlds. After watching a few of Elon Musk interviews, I got the impression that elon Musk has a clear product vision that is articulated by designing products that he would love to own and drive. He spoke about his product eliciting 'customer love' than satisfaction, which would help word of mouth publicity and much better brand loyalty in the long run. These are two fundamentally important things in Elon Musk world, design products that are in his word 'insanely great', and that make customer fall in love with it. I hope Tesla Truck will fit the bill and will be a roaring success.
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