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Oct 13, 2023

Scoop! Here's Your First Look At The Tesla Cybertruck's Interior!

Apart from the interior, we also got to see a prototype Cybertruck that's

Apart from the interior, we also got to see a prototype Cybertruck that's probably the closest to the production-spec model.

Tesla's dominance won't be forever unless a change happens within the company when it comes to developing or producing new cars. Case in point, the Tesla Cybertruck. First unveiled in 2019 as a prototype, the Cybertruck is still pretty much MIA in the electric pickup scene, with the Ford F-150 Lightning and even the Rivian R1T probably already selling units to Cybertruck customers who have lost their patience. If you're one of those customers who pre-ordered a Cybertruck and are waiting for any news that will finally make you see the light at the end of the tunnel, then this might be something that will cure your impatience. That's because we finally get to see what it's like inside the Tesla Cybertruck for the first time ever.

Related: 10 Solid Alternatives To The Tesla Cybertruck

The interior photos you're about to see here were posted at the Cybertruck Owners Club forums, in which the photo was taken at a recent Tesla shareholders' day at the Giga Texas facility. With the truck taking such a long time to be developed and delayed, we're surprised to see an interior with a strong case of déjà vu. If you've ever sat in a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y, then that's pretty much the interior that you're seeing here. The dash materials also feature what looks like soft, padded materials on the top black layer, and right below it are air vents that run across the length of the dash. Unlike the Model 3 and Model Y, wherein there would be a wood panel running across the dash, the interior of the Cybertruck looks simpler from an aesthetic perspective. But then again, this could be down to how this particular vehicle was configured.

Speaking of configuration, the overall layout of the controls and infotainment are mostly the same as in the Model 3 and Model Y. There's a large central touchscreen where everything is controlled, and unsurprisingly, the interior doesn't contain any form of physical controls except for the ones in the steering. The steering wheel is interesting to talk about because of two things--its shape and the functions it contains. The shape of the steering is as if Tesla couldn't decide on a yoke or traditional round steering, while the steering controls don't just contain two scroll wheels. Instead, there are buttons for the turn signals on the left spoke, while the right spoke contains functions for the infotainment and the windshield washer. Does that mean Tesla has decided to eliminate the light and wiper stalks of the Cybertruck, too?

Related: 10 Reasons Why The Tesla Cybertruck Will Never Beat the Ford F-150 Lightning

From that same Tesla shareholders' day event, This video comes courtesy of Greggertruck via YouTube, in which he was able to film the exterior of the very same prototype where the interior photos were shot. With its near-production-ready interior and what is perhaps the most refined exterior we've seen in a prototype Cybertruck to date, this is probably a prototype that is closest to the production-spec model. The design is largely the same as how it looked in 2019, but with a few refinements that somehow made its proportions look better. There's still a large single wiper blade at the windshield which Tesla calls the "gigawiper", and unlike the prototype that didn't have wing mirrors, this Cybertruck we see here has grown a pair of triangular-shaped ones.

The video also gives us a look at the Cybertruck's bed, and while we can't see fully what it contains, we can see the mechanism for the retractable tonneau cover. We can also see the chunky suspension of the Cybertruck, which as Tesla intended will have adaptive air suspension. Elsewhere, the Cybertruck still has that horizontal LED lights up front, though, for the vehicle we're seeing here, this Cybertruck doesn't have any door handles.

Related: Insider Exposes The Truth About The Tesla Cybertruck

As I've said in my recent articles, Tesla has a habit of overpromising and underdelivering. In this case, however, we may actually be seeing the light at the end of the Cybertruck tunnel. Elon Musk has said that Cybertruck production has been pushed to 2023 and from what we're seeing, this might finally be the last delay he'll announce for this electric pickup.

Part of the delay isn't just the complications of offering so much range and capability at a very competitive price. Pickups, after all, also have to be capable of towing large stuff and being able to haul heavy items. In order to meet such a balance in price and performance, Tesla's production has to be extremely smooth and cost-effective. Having an exoskeleton that's made out of cold-rolled stainless steel doesn't help matters either, because the complex production method that this material requires and to put it at such a large scale is very difficult to execute.

Related: Why The Tesla Cybertruck Doesn't Deserve All The Hate It Gets

Despite the production setbacks, the Tesla Cybertruck hype train is still pretty much in motion. The cartoonish looks is, believe or not, what people like about the truck, and more than just the aesthetics is the promised capability it will offer. Tesla claims a range of 500 miles, and that's despite having chunky off-road tires. For reference, the electric pickup with the highest range rated by the EPA so far is the Chevrolet Silverado EV Work Truck (WT), which can achieve 450 miles on a single charge--50 more than General Motors' claims.

But, what's still left to find out is how much towing and hauling cargo can affect range. As we've seen in the Ford F-150 Lightning, the drop in range when towing or hauling is quite severe. The Cybertruck won't be immune to such a drop in range, but if Tesla is able to meet the 500-mile range it claims, then it means with the range drop taken into account, the Cybertruck will probably still have more range allowance than the 320 miles that the F-150 Lightning can muster.

Remember the air suspension we mentioned? They've supposedly been tested to withstand the high-speed off-roading that pickups like the F-150 Raptor have been designed to do. In addition, the air suspension is also independent front-to-rear of each other, and this supposedly enables better wheel control as well as a self-leveling capability when the bed is loaded. Speaking of the bed, the Tesla Cybertruck is equipped with stuff such as an air compressor, power plugs, and of course, the power retractable tonneau cover.

Related: 10 Things You Should Know About The Tesla Cybertruck

Right now, there's a long queue for the Tesla Cybertruck - even if it's taking customers four years and counting before their electric truck arrives. But, based on what we're seeing right now, even if it's probably one of Tesla's most-delayed vehicles apart from the second-generation Roadster, then it's probably worth their wait. When the Cybertruck finally comes out and is able to meet Tesla's promised capabilities and range, it will surely blow the competition out of the water - even if Ford and GM already had a head start in terms of sales.

Isaac Atienza is a Filipino motoring journalist who joined TopSpeed.com in 2021. He also owns a Filpino motoring website called Go Flat Out PH and is also a contributor to a local newspaper called The Manila Times. Isaac Atienza is a car enthusiast who especially thinks that wagons are the best type of vehicle, though sports cars and anything with three pedals also tickles his fancy.