Unlike say the Aztec, this truck is “radically functional” design. No paint and simple geometry make it easier to manufacture and more durable.
I don’t think the mandate was “make this look strange” as much as it was “make this thing rugged and fast and powerful and we’re perfectly fine with it looking strange”.
We’ll see if they were successful, but I like the ambition. I’ll be curious, too, to see if some of this more radical thinking comes over to the Tesla Semi.
What aspects make you think it’s not useful as a work truck? I’ve done construction and see quite a bit of appeal. Fits 6 people, lockable bed cover, good towing capabilities, rugged body construction, no paint job to ruin, onboard power and compressed air...
Unibody construction means it’ll be a write off if the bed is damaged. Compare this with other trucks where the bed is bolted on, allowing for functional modifications to the truck: flat beds, boxes, or even just towing certain types of trailers. And if you damage the bed on those types of trucks, you can replace it for a relatively low cost.
Sure, if you’re just throwing a tool box in the back then you’re fine. Then again you didn’t need a truck to begin with.
First of all, a unibody construction doesn't mean that the complete bed is part of the body, there could be parts on top of a foundation which can be easily removed. Also, steel means, it better repairable than any other car material. You can reasonably easy cut out parts and weld in new sheets. That most of the surfaces of the truck are flat makes this even easier.
You must have missed the part about how the steel is stainless. And also welding is extremely labor intensive, and time consuming. The flat body panels actually make this harder, because you can't warp the panels or else it will be extremely obvious. And if there's no paint, there's no filling in dents with body filler, it requires absolute precision, and metalworking skills which haven't been around for years in the auto body collision industry. I can't tell if it actually has paint or not, but you should look up how a small dent is fixed in a Delorean.
1. How many work trucks have you seen with a toolbox in the bed - almost all of them? How would you access one in this thing without literally climbing into the box?
2. How do you carry a ladder, roof rack, or box on this thing?
3. Where do I tie down the countless odd-shaped items that a work truck carries?
4. How do I mount a deck for bigger equipment on this truck?
5. Is 250 top range enough for a work truck that does field service and likely hauls significant weight?
This thing is less truck than the original Honda Ridgeline and that's saying something. You'll see one at the mall before you see one in the field.
I don’t think the mandate was “make this look strange” as much as it was “make this thing rugged and fast and powerful and we’re perfectly fine with it looking strange”.
We’ll see if they were successful, but I like the ambition. I’ll be curious, too, to see if some of this more radical thinking comes over to the Tesla Semi.