Over the weekend, a few new photos of the Tesla Cybertruck leaked online, giving a closer look at design tweaks that had been observed from afar recently. The photographs were shared on the Cybertruck Owners’ Club forum and have gotten a lot of attention.
The original prototype’s unusual appearance is preserved, with enormous flat body panels, sharp angles, and a massive windshield. However, there have been a few noticeable alterations since the initial debut. The first prototype lacked a windshield wiper and side mirrors, as is typical of concept cars that aren’t meant to be driven on public roads.
For years, car designers have imagined a future in which side mirrors are replaced by cameras, allowing for a cleaner design and improved aerodynamics, but this vision has collided with safety authorities who aren’t quite ready yet. Tesla wants to ship the Cybertruck without side mirrors, and they’ve been engineered to be “simple to remove” if regulations change to allow cameras instead of mirrors.
The gigantic front windshield necessitates an equally massive windshield wiper, which we can see in these leaked photographs — one massive blade on the driver’s side of the glass that appears to sweep across the entire windshield in one large sweep. Tesla is reported to be working on its own electromagnetic wiper system, which will be included in the Cybertruck.
The rims, on the other hand, are something we haven’t seen before. The wheels looked different than these photographs today in recent drone footage of the Cybertruck going through Tesla’s test track in Fremont. This was in contrast to the initial prototype, which included a big plastic wheel cover that improved vehicle aerodynamics while also contributing to the car’s blocky and aggressive appearance.
These new rims resemble the Model 3 stock wheels, but without the aero covers. When you look at the new shot closely, you can see that the tires are the same design as the Cybertruck prototype, with seven spokes matching the seven ridges on the original prototype wheel covers. As a result, it’s assumed that these rims have always been hidden beneath the wheel covers and that the Cybertruck, like the Model 3 and Model Y, will feature removable wheel covers.
The door handles are also gone from this updated prototype. The Cybertruck had flat but visible door handles in prior prototypes, similar to the original Model S, but Tesla has subsequently stated that the production version will have no door handles at all. Instead, the automobile will recognize you as you approach and open the door for you. Tesla appears to be sticking to that plan, as there isn’t even a sign of a door handle in these photographs.
The front end was more angular in the prototype, and the front edge above the headlights jutted out a bit, even beyond the bumper. Many people instantly pointed out that this was a big no-no because safety standards require vehicles to be designed to reduce pedestrian injury in the event of a crash, which a high sharp bumper would most likely not do.
The top edge of the headlights appears to have been pushed back significantly in these new photos, while the plastic bumper underneath has been enlarged (with a larger air inlet) and jutted out a little more. It could just be a matter of perspective, but if there was a change, it was most likely made to comply with pedestrian safety rules.
With the installation of mirrors and a windshield wiper, as well as what appears to be some adjustments to the bumper, this vehicle is moving closer to being “genuine.” Many people will appreciate the ability to remove the aerodynamic wheel covers, as they believe the Model 3 wheels look better without them. However, Cybertruck’s essential design remains the same.
