Musk confirms Tesla Roadster delayed to 2023, Cybertruck to 2022

RDale said:

Welcome to the forum @D.E.Mitchel! The Silverado EV might be something for us to keep an eye out depending on when Chevy and GM release it. I'd say the Ram EV too but that's not coming until 2024.

How would you spec the Lightning?

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OK challenge accepted.
My use case is I am retired, now a slow motion home remodeller/flipper. So I don't want something that attracts attention to the vehicle. I want function. If they made an electric 3 window 1948 Chevy one ton, or an electric Dodge power wagon with steel headlight guards I would be all in.

1). 300 mile battery. That means the most. It's a big vehicle and will swallow the kilowatts to get down the road. Daily use range I would keep it between 50 to 200 miles on the battery, recharge slowly at night. On longer trips with a 250 to 350 kWh charger, you will get 200 miles into the big battery the fastest. That puts you back out on the highway quicker, or gives you the option to charge to 95% for the long 275 mile stretch ahead with no charger showing on the map.

2). Freeway driver assist, under whatever name. 360 or Autopilot. I definitely want lane assist, variable speed control and blind side awareness. Virtual surround camera based vision is a huge bonus.

Everything below is secondary to a big battery and driver assist

3). Weather and casual thief cover on the bed. Aftermarket is better.
4). Powered seat adjustment and seat warmer, driver and passenger.
5). 18 inch wheels with taller, narrower tires = quieter running, better tire life and better miles per kWh. In winter 18 inch rims let you put on chains or snow tires that actually work.
6). Decent step rail that doesn't let your feet slip in icy conditions.
7). Towing package, better cooling system means fewer problems in hot weather even if not towing.
8). Fold back mirrors.
9). Status of vehicle displayable on my phone.
10). A replacement vehicle when truck is in the shop.

11). Cost. Lowest cost when two vehicles from different companies have the same/comparable feature sets. ( This assumes that there will be two or three companies with trucks being offered in the US market.)

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Stuff the F150 already has--great aluminum body with experienced body shops who know how to work on aluminum, so insurance companies know what they face on repair costs. Lower weight, excellent corrosion resistance.
A huge aftermarket for accessories.
A dealer network that knows trucks.
Integration with phones. Tesla treats Apple and Android as if they did not exist.
Controls you can identify by touch without taking you eye off the road. My Tesla Model 3 is very distracting to find the adjustment for fan or temperature.

The one thing we can't get yet from the Lightning.
6.5 or 8 foot bed.
Rear axle steering. All wheel steering works really well for tight dirt roads with potholes and also works well in crowded parking lots.