A Tesla Cybertruck release candidate was found broken down on the side of the road as the automaker is testing the electric pickup truck ahead of the start of production.
Over the last few months, we have been reporting on Tesla’s evolving test program for the Cybertruck ahead of production, which is just a few weeks or months away.
For example, Tesla was spotted testing the Cybertruck’s suspension on its test track in California, and the automaker also sent a Cybertruck prototype to New Zealand for cold weather testing.
The electric pickup truck is going through final validation ahead of the start of deliveries, which CEO Elon Musk said should happen around the end of September.
Tesla is also testing several Cybertruck release candidates around California, and one of them was spotted on the side of the road, seemingly broken down:
Wayne spotted the Cybertruck on the side of the road next to the Interstate 280 El Monte exit in Los Altos Hills, and a Tesla employee was working under the hood of the vehicle.
By the time he turned around to go back to the electric truck, the employee had covered the Cybertruck and abandoned it. This indicates that it likely broke down, and Tesla needed to come pick it up.
Now, before Cybertruck haters say that the truck is doomed, it is quite normal for vehicles to break down during test programs. In fact, the more you manage to make them break down during the test program, the less they are likely to break down during production – if you can find the sources of the failures and fix them.
This particular Cybertruck appears to be a release candidate, as implied by the vehicle’s wrap.
I am puzzled as to why the Tesla employee would abandon the vehicle that is not in production? I would think it would be required to stay with and protect it until a tow vehicle arrived. Did he have no cell service at the site and went to climb to a higher vantage point to get a signal to call for help? I assume the employee could lock the the truck if it had no power for some reason.
We get a close look underneath the vehicle with the front protection plate and what looks like the structural battery pack:
In the left picture, we can also see what appears to be the opening for the external speaker, which is required for the pedestrian warning sound.
The images show a more refined vehicle in terms of the fitting of the parts, which is good news for a release candidate.
What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.
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