The Cybertruck review that took over a year to make...

[@FrankStephensondesign]

What influence do you think the Cybertruck will have on the future? What elements of design do you feel need to carry over into the next evolutionary stage of product design? Thanks so much for watching. I can't wait to read all of your comments. Also, we are selling limited edition prints for Christmas. They include high quality hand-sketched versions of cars I've designed and reimaginings of cars from the past. You can pick them up here www.frankstephenson.com/artwork/ Frank

[@SuperVistaprint]

Have you seen the KMW Fennek? the cyvertruck designers seem to have. tbh i am also not a fan of "electric" cars, with the damage done to harvest a lot of the needed materials they are more of a curse then a blessing. in my opinion hydrogen is the better solution to the transportation problems of the now.

[@FedericoTesta1]

It looks like it's designed by an architect, not a car designer, like the car designed by Gio' Ponti, the Linea Diamante

[@Petrospect]

I think the CyberTruck will have the same impact as the Aston Martin Bulldog (another design which was given more care than the CT ever got) or the Karin... I don't think it'll ever really be produced. This isn't a world where the 80s Lagonda could exist, which was coldness with emphasis on "cool" instead of "oh god we're living in the Half Life 2 world", so I don't think other automakers, especially the legacy and the new marques which are trying to break into the Tesla market are phased by the design of it at all. The G-Wagon exists. End of. Way better execution of a boxy look. To put simply, wonder. New cars have lost what I see in the 60s designs, for a time which we're going through that seems to have positive and negative change, the designs certainly don't capture like the 60s could. I sure hope that we stop focusing on the ridiculous SUV trend.

[@DanielValledor]

The exoskeleton structure of the cybertruck should be an element that more cars need, although not the first to implement it (Jaguar did already) it should become more common

[@JanMichaelFranklin]

Frank, I would love to get your opinion on the overall design language of the current Mazda lineup. I own a new Mazda 3 hatch, and I just didn't grasp how appealing and original the design looks until I saw it in person.

[@fabioasencio6189]

I wanna see him redesign the cybertruck in a way that’s fit for the future while still keeping its key features from Tesla. That would be sick.

[@pathfinder.george]

Vote this to the top so it can actually happen

[@huntermacdonald6431]

That's the thing; this has no tesla design cues other than its awful and underdesigned interior. Every other tesla is just a stretched out model 3 and this is just a broken sword. There's not consistency and when there is its boring and uninspired.

[@luchadorito]

Yes yes yes I want to see that

[@W0lfey]

That wont be possible. Tesla broke one of thier bending machines while experimenting with this 30x cold-rolled stainless-steel. Its not possible to bend that steel in a way it looks "beautiful". Tesla values practicality, security and performance more than design.

[@marihouan8206]

I was about to write that

[@jagejg7239]

The cyber truck looks like a prop from a low budget movie set in a dystopian future.

[@Jesse-um1pz]

The Cyber truck is supposed to look dystopian its a cyberpunk design. Furthermore, its suppossed to be used on Mars right? So it makes sense that it was designed to be isolated. Idk, I don't want to challenge an expert designer (because wtf do I know, right?) but I think the Karin is guady and dated. The Cybertruck is polarizing, sure. But I kind of feel like that was the point its supposed to disrupt the idea of what a truck is and has been for at least 50years (asthetically). It definitely is kind of a first iteration of a concept. I personally like it, and if it looks dated in 10 years, I wouldn't mind.

[@ilgwent8061]

@@Jesse-um1pz You don't have to wait 10 years to see it dated. Already is it. Obviously IMHO and with all due respect 👌

[@Jesse-um1pz]

@@ilgwent8061 I don't think it looks dated. There's nothing like it and it doesn't look like any cars made previously. The Karin looks like what people in the early 80s thought future cars would look like. The idea and concept is dated.

[@cpmanias]

@@Jesse-um1pz it already looks dated

[@Jesse-um1pz]

@@cpmanias I don't think so. It looks futuristic by modern standards.

[@jamesneedham6265]

I think the biggest question of the cybertruck is how the hell does it meet any design regulations especially regarding pedestrian impact.

[@THEDARKILLERS46]

forcefields lmao

[@marickjolivot]

I mean I agree with you about safety if it's as hard as they say, but I'm confused about why you're talking about pedestrian?

[@elkyubi4281]

Pedestrian impact?

[@HIDGEL05]

@@marickjolivot ​@el kyubi because of all the pointy edges

[@marickjolivot]

@@HIDGEL05 oh I see, didn't think about that

[@tehsma]

The Cybertruck looks like it was designed to have a railgun turret mounted on top.

[@Lord_ofcinder]

the year is 2077 and the usa is fighting wars in afghan countries with the next iteration of al qaeeda or isis. The usa brings in the cybertruck johnny silver hand edition with automated turrets and heat seeking missiles. the terrorist org feels like they about to loose when they hear the gas guzzling turret mounted beast appear from a distance. THE TOYOTA HILUX MOTHAFUCKAS

[@november2435]

Gauss Hog from Halo

[@GuacamoleTaco]

in Metal Gear4, right?

[@gilmacarico]

They wiil advertise it being "Mad Max Ready"

[@axelalex]

@@Lord_ofcinder I seriously believe that CDPR paid Elon to develop the car so that they could feature it with the cyberjunk 2077. I think this fail where the glass just broke was a warning 'bug' of what would be about to come along with the release of cyberpunk... I think this can't just be a coincidence 😅

[@haodo9449]

Tesla cybertruck: "why are you here? I am the future!" 1980 Citroen Karin :" let a wise old man teach you a lesson" "The future is not fated. It's created"

[@FrankStephensondesign]

😂

[@haenson8021]

I didn't know about the Citroen but expected the Lancia Stratos HF Zero to be mentioned instead. Which is an even older design unveiled in 1970.

[@lancia037rally]

@@haenson8021 I also expected the Stratos to be mentioned... Alongside with the Alfa Romeo Carabo ;)

[@paname514]

I spotted the Citroen Karin design rip-off from day one.

[@steveperreira5850]

Is this channel the suck up channel to Mr. Stevenson? I guess I’m the Lone Ranger here.

[@p.w.2893]

I'm an architect student and I developed 2 buildings for an exam that looked similar to the cyber truck and I just realised that when I saw all the memes and my only thought was "I hope my professor doesn't use Reddit"

[@williambrewer3150]

What was their verdict?

[@mustafamirza30]

I love the fact you took your time to make this review. Shows the level of responsibility and professionalism you have as a renowned designer.

[@BenefitOfTheDoubtInquiry]

His designs would add years and cost to the roll out of these trucks, and in doing so destroy more of the planet as we wait to reduce carbon emissions.

[@mustafamirza30]

​@@BenefitOfTheDoubtInquiry i think frank was only talking about design and aesthetics and how it can push forward a certain idea or vision, I personally think the cyber truck's design could potentially help make manufacturing processes much simpler, cost-effective and less wasteful. I think what Frank was talking about more was how in its design language, he believes, biomimicry would lead a better-looking car thus the vision of the future of transport would be in line with nature. This is true. the cyber truck doesn't look like a beacon of hope, it looks like something you use to drive away from the apocalypse. The whole point of the video was critiquing the design of the car and the vision it holds. Franks design language and philosophy is different from teslas. This video isn't a hit piece on the design, its a conversation and review from a designer with a different philosophy.

[@BenefitOfTheDoubtInquiry]

@@mustafamirza30 I'm saying, maybe the beauty of its function is more powerful than the beauty of its superficial design aesthetic, and in art it's more important to understand the concept than the first impression. It's a commentary on the stubbornness of the industry, that something so simple intends to be so profoundly impactful. Maybe we don't deserve to have biomimicry until we can get to bio symbiosis, and pretending that we are by doing so is like wearing a new fur coat. Just an exercise in how I'm processing the cybertruck. What do you think about this angle?

[@Voidroamer]

@@mustafamirza30 i think too many people conflate the words designer and engineer. A designer is nothing more than a glorified artist. That's probably why we hoped he'd actually have something valuable to say about function.

[@beamtalk657]

@@Voidroamer Exactly, this dude Frank Stephenson just gave a terrible comparison of a heavy duty truck to video game graphics and a citroen that has nearly no similarities.

[@soflobro2030]

"The very least we can do is make sure that the future is beautiful" --> Me who just bought a Multipla to preserve it :)

[@cin2110]

We just needed to save some polygons our graphics cards can't handle the simulation no more

[@claypunk7718]

"The future isn't fated, it's created". This is profound. A few things in my brain clicked into place when I heard you say it. There's no point in being a dreamer who waits for their imagined future to happen, when people are out there creating the future they want.

[@timmos184]

Hm, an account not even a year old singing high praises. I wonder who could be behind that?

[@markf37talon]

It's a great quote. But a future optimized is better than one that was designed.

[@claypunk7718]

@@markf37talon why not both? with pure optimization you can end up in an local optimum situation. sometimes what designers do - which is coming back to first principles and starting fresh, but bringing along all the past optimization - can bring real breakthroughs

[@enacherobert1068]

This quality of content is beyond youtube! Thank You, Sir!

[@joshmiller7777]

Phenomenal editing by Frank :)

[@mortezap7596]

in content and shape, this video is perfect.

[@FrankStephensondesign]

The magician here is @kanechattey 👍

[@markp8295]

I think you need to look at channels like mark Rober, smarter every day, Linus tech tips and other channels in the engineering and tech world to see how dated and inefficient this style is.

[@mortezap7596]

@@markp8295 I follow them for years. but NOOOOO, this is not.

[@alexsergunin479]

It is amazing how gentle, inutively yet relentlesly you pick this concept apart. Thanks for this video and all the others.

[@mutestingray]

Interesting note about the “insecurity” of the design; I’d argue it’s a pretty good reflection of our world today.

[@GrapplingIgnorance]

It seems pretty strange to criticize a safe and secure vehicle as an "insecure" design.

[@PhilfreezeCH]

Why would you want thick steel and bullet proof glas if you weren‘t feeling insecure about the future? You clearly think you might need these „safety“ feature and with that you basically admit you fear what is to come.

[@felito21]

@@GrapplingIgnorance he didn't meant that the car was unsafe, or insecure. He meant that it was design with insecurity in mind. As in they made it thinking on making it as safe as possible.

[@the80386]

this deep sense of insecurity is a reflection of the common state of mind in the USA. let's keep in mind that people's behaviour is a reflection of their environment. all the military intervention across the world not only does not give them a sense of safety, it actively takes it away by making enemies every step of the way. it's a losing strategy I'm afraid.

[@patreekotime4578]

@@PhilfreezeCH insecurity or practicality? Anyone who has had to pay for a new windscreen because of a tiny rock, or full body paint out of pocket can appreciate a vehicle that won't require either. Teslas armor glass was BTW designed for the Semi exactly to reduce glass replacement costs and downtime.

[@sirseppuku]

Can't help but think just how good P1 looks like everytime I see it

[@alaskaaa684]

Exactly. Like every time I see it, I just stop for a second and get like: wtf is this car even

[@recipoldinasty]

Wait wheres a p1 here?? I preffer the 918

[@SethFowler]

Really great analysis!

[@MCHLvisual]

Ay Seth! Love your videos man 💫

[@xxxsugoitacion]

simp

[@Atomictaru]

@@xxxsugoitacion you made the same joke about five times already I don’t think it’s funny any more

[@powerlesshero8306]

Hi seth

[@Fanaz10]

@@Atomictaru its not a joke, its truth

[@D0wNhiLL]

I feel like I am watching a Netflix documentary, the content is just so great I forget how fast time flies.

[@ItsBinhRepaired]

10 minutes is hardly time flying. Lol

[@TENDRKRISP]

@@ItsBinhRepaired no kidding; like what? 10 minute video with two adds that take up half the time of the video haha.

[@ItsBinhRepaired]

@@TENDRKRISP XD

[@beamtalk657]

Lol keep wasting your time watching videos while the rest of the world creates stuff. Stfu

[@angelzambrano3192]

This is hands down the best review of the Cybertruck out there. You blew me away with your comparative analysis of it versus the Citroen and Volvo concept cars. You are amazing, Frank! Thank you as always for sharing your brilliance with the world.

[@FrankStephensondesign]

Thank you Angel! 👍

[@Ltownjhawk4]

Missed the whole point of the cybertruck. It’s cheap to make. The Buick is gonna be 200k with half the specs and no fsd. This is a truck I can actually buy!

[@xxxxxtrxxx13]

@@Ltownjhawk4 wrong, you can still make a car simple to manufacture but not horrendous and unproportionate looking like this thing

[@kokili1g]

@@Ltownjhawk4 you missed the whole point, he was talking about the design not how much they will cost. Most pick up trucks cost less than the cybertrucks predicted base price, so it already isn't affordable compared to what we have now, but we will have to wait for ford, chevrolet etc to make electric pick ups for a true comparison. Also the buick concept looks like a crossover and I don't think that a crossover is gonna cost much more than the cybertruck anyway

[@hunternewberry5860]

@@Ltownjhawk4 can't believe an auto engineer can miss the entire purpose of the cybertruck design. Utterly embarising.

[@ramazkutateladze538]

Mr. Fank everytime I seat in my E53, my heart blesses you and the whole team who worked on this fabulous car. It`s an honor to tell you these words Sir.

[@FrankStephensondesign]

Thank you Ramaz and it is my pleasure to read your words. 👍

[@mr.merleb]

Also Buick sincerely needs to rework their logo... it's absolutely awful and makes anything with it look dated.

[@patreekotime4578]

Its pretty much just a Chinese marque now, and the Chinese seem to love it.

[@biggerchris20]

Looks better than that horrible gold bowtie, and ford soulless oval.

[@MostHighEmperorPalpatine]

All of American Manufactures have terrible logos... Buick and Cadilac stand out because long ago they were a statement of wealth or middle class, now you just think old folks.

[@ayang.4923]

ICA Tesla’s logo is great though

[@biggerchris20]

@@ayang.4923 You right, sterile designs but cool badge.

[@NickRamos]

Frank, you'll get big on KZbin. Being a renowned artist in the car design field with some iconic and timeless cars, you'll definitely get big here. Specially since you have great takes on subjects and a lot of stories to tell and lessons to teach us. Keep going, this will be a fun ride.

[@williamjamessidis5744]

Frank Stephenson and timeless car designs? Are you sure you didn't mix him up with someone else?

[@SierraAAM]

@@williamjamessidis5744 The mini cooper created a wave of compact cars with round front lights and every single new McLaren is basically a remake of the P1 with different touches from different designers. The Maserati MC12 redesigned the Ferrari Enzo, in a way that Maserati's initial goal of releasing 25 units was not enough and they ended up doubling that number. I can see that Frank's success hurts you because you're trying really hard to bring him down by overlooking his entire career but you've failed. Time speaks of his designs, while your sad targeted hatred will be forgotten just like you.

[@williamjamessidis5744]

@@SierraAAM I can see somebody having another opinion hurts you.

[@SierraAAM]

@@williamjamessidis5744 I can see being utterly braindead doesn't hurt you, in fact I can see that you even consider it a unique feature of yours so it was my bad to have even bothered looking at your comment.

[@cookedit]

@@williamjamessidis5744 Yet you had such a problem with his opinion that you felt the need to snidely respond that "you sure you didn't mix him up with someone else?" to reveal his different opinion to you're, may have possible hurt you.

[@rabidL3M0NS]

I just want more modern cars to have more diverse design aesthetics. The cybertruck has a brutalist/monolithic style.

[@jaideepchahal491]

Exactly I’ll never bash the cyber truck because even though I don’t like at-least its different. Too many cars look the same nowadays.

[@1035pm]

Exactly, personally I want more cars driving around like the Nautilus steam punk style.. along with everything else. It seems cars are starting to look too similar now.

[@mr.2minutes161]

i would love to see more cars that looks squarish and edgy like a modern MBT or space mothership or something

[@fridgemagnet9831]

Yeah, my only concern is all other car manufacturers start copying this, rounded cars were already going out of fashion for more pointed with straight lines, expect to see some ugly pointy cars

[@ThisNoName]

@@fridgemagnet9831 Cybertruck is meant to be cheap to manufacture, rugged and environmental friendly ... that may become the new fashion some day

[@mr.merleb]

I would argue that the Cybertruck is actually quite unique and genius in it's design because it breaks away from the norms and expectations of society and for all those who disapprove of it's design, it has become the catalyst for their desire to create more beauty in the world :)

[@brakesforsnakes757]

Oh it's definitely unique, I'll give you that.

[@alvinmodz]

Unique doesn't mean nice. A piece of shit can be unique, does that mean it's nice?? No. Unique < Nice

[@brakesforsnakes757]

@@alvinmodz Elon could sell bags of turds and The Musketeers would call them the tastiest turds they have ever tasted.

[@alvinmodz]

@@brakesforsnakes757 Right.. 😂

[@waltonsimons9082]

​@@alvinmodz 'Nice' is a highly subjective thing. While you might not like a certain design, doesn't mean it's objectively bad... Cybertruck shouldn't be seen as a normal car anyhow, it's more akin to a tool. Getting you from point A to B safely is its main priority, not 'design' that will look outdated in 10 years.

[@GrapplingIgnorance]

The production value and thought that went into this video is high and admirable. That being said, I can't get behind Frank's take on the cyber truck design. Granted, this all comes down to personal preferences, but I love the minimal "low polygon" look of the wedge design. I dig the function over form choices, and I don't need something that looks like the wind cut its shape. I'd prefer something less conventionally beautiful that's actually more aerodynamic. Not to mention that brown carpet in the "future" car he preferred and a shit ton of "buttons to explore" seems painfully dated to me. We now know that a touch screen panel looks simple, but offers unlimited button functions.

[@RB01138]

I call Bs. It's form over function. You can't access the bed without climbing in, fifthwheel's will hit the bed rails, making them more difficult to maneuver and as a result negating any advantages, and any accessories (campers, canopies, and racks) will need to be made specifically for this truck meaning less selection and higher cost. Also, while I do like dent resistance, in this case it comes at the expense of function during routine use. Also, you can't put a flat bed on it without compromising the structure of the vehicle. Existing truck design is extremely functional, that's why they all use the same basic shape. Musk wanted something that he thought looked cool, which is fine. I think it looks pretty neat from a 45 degree angle. But realistically this thing, like most trucks sold today, will be used as little more than a family sedan, commuter car. See every crew cab short bed half ton.

[@MAI2TON]

@@RB01138 I agree, Cybertruck is the Iphone of cars. Also why it's never going to be used as a workhorse beside nonexistent customization: near impossible DIY repairability.

[@delbroox]

Function over form as in you can grate your block of cheese on the side of the Cybertruck while with the Buick you can't right?

[@RB01138]

@@delbroox you raise a compelling point, though I think the Buick logo might make an effective cheese grater.

[@danieltatar7575]

I know it's a year old comment, but I find a certain irony in it. If something looks like the wind cut its shape, it has a low drag coefficient. The wind cuts that shape to form a low resistance object. That's the beauty of nature. If anything the Cybertruck is more of a fashion statement and form over function in this matter. As for the matter of touchscreens, as soon as the cars drive themselves, we can leave physical buttons in the past. But as long as I have to change stuff while driving, I dread the lack of physical buttons for basic functions for the simple reason that it's possible to feel them out.

[@cessnaballer]

More than anything, I feel the cybertruck represents an engineers vision of a vehicle. Everything is purpose built, and in the eyes of an engineer the eccentricities of automotive design is counter productive to performance. Its not surprising that a vehicle designer doesn’t like this car, however I will say coming from my point of view(as an engineer) It represents what can be achieved when only function is considered, and to me I think there is beauty in that.

[@kloseshot1154]

Efficiency > Visuals

[@jaex9617]

2024 says 😂😂😂😂😂

[@trevormeyer2820]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The Cybertruck is designed for function before form, which is important to not forget. True, it's not a traditional approach, but is it very refreshing especially for the folks that understand, and more importantly appreciate, the WHY behind the look. For those that find function more beautiful than form, the Cybertruck is extremely attractive.

[@Jimrlst]

The cyber truck belongs in a dystopian future, the electra in a utopian future

[@ProjectExMachina]

Difference between utopia and dystopia is that utopia is unachievable while dystopia is not. One would even could argue that we live in one.

[@sauer3587]

@@ProjectExMachina I didn't know it was still up for debate, thought we already settled on dystopia long time ago.

[@joaquincimas1707]

Sorry to enter in this conversation like this, but, dystopia cannot be the present. A new law or a technology could be dystopian cause that break something that we believe is our form of live or understand our live today. When that thing became a part of our daily life is no longer a dystopian thing. Hope you can understand me because im not a native english speaker :)))

[@ProjectExMachina]

@@joaquincimas1707 There is a difference between dystopia as a noun and dystopian as an adjective. There are several definitions of dystopia but in general it is a society in a complete cataclysmic decline and without hope where society as a whole only can see suffering in its foreseeable future. Imagine Mad Max or any real life region that is struck with tyrany, poverty, hunger, or war.

[@joaquincimas1707]

@@ProjectExMachina That's probably true. OFC for all of us, or almost any human being, that would be a hell of a world. But again, is that's the only world you have live on, that couldn't be a dystopian world. I have to said that although i said what i said, i agree with you.

[@RichardDurishin]

I was just about to write that the Cyber Truck is Brutalism in automotive design... and you characterized it as exactly that: brutal. Great video. Great insight!

[@rr_ferreira]

I Think that Brutalism as an art movement does not have anything to do with the awful design of the cyber truck. Just take a look on the classics brutalism buildings of great architects like Niemeyer and Paulo Mendes da Rocha

[@arthursaillard8525]

I will add that the word brutalism comes from the French "béton brut" (concrete) and has nothing to do with brutality...

[@RichardDurishin]

@@arthursaillard8525 only in the way both the architectural style and the truck look: brutally heavy handed.

[@jaex9617]

Yeah, as noted, that's not what brutalism means.

[@markjonz]

The Cybertruck’s design comes from the thick stainless steel panels that can’t be stamped into complex shapes. It’s functional and utilitarian which seems appropriate to a truck. Organic shapes representing nature is nice but it doesn’t help the environment. Stainless steel panels don’t need painting.

[@jeroenvermunt3372]

looking back on previous functional and utilitarian times I can say that I definitely don't want to go back to such an era

[@VernacularFang]

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" -- Leonardo da Vinci. Not sure he said that from the perspective of engineering or art. But as an engineer, it make sense to me.

[@mayuravirus6134]

You can take it both way

[@ADOENDRA]

Leonardo was a Artis and for sure not a engineer.

[@VernacularFang]

@@ADOENDRA lol "Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes." Another his quote for you.

[@ADOENDRA]

@@VernacularFang Don't get me wrong. I have ALL the respect for every creation. That's why I'm an industrial designer in the first place. But EGO's do not belong in the past or in the future. In the end, you get nowhere. There is no " i " in team.... a quote for you. Holding tight on things of the past will not bring you into the future. The cybertruck is what it is. Deal with it. You also do not love someone just because of her/his shapes .... it is the whole pack ;-) Happy holidays.

[@VinWeiLee27171]

@@ADOENDRA he’s an engineer, a scientist and also a mathematician. Not just an artist.

[@MazeFrame]

I remember in my childhood when cars were round. Then they got very sharp and now it is trending back to round. I say the Cybertruck is perfect in style for the time it lasts.

[@machomb]

Could you maybe react to some car designs from the new Cyberpunk 2077 game, I think it has some interesting looking cars, kind of retro with a futuristic spin.

[@Papanza295]

Absolutely.

[@kimlarsen3664]

Being a designer myself, I think your comments to some degree shines light on what's wrong with the current (or dare I say "previous") auto industry. While I do agree that the Cybertruck design cannot be called aesthetically pleasing nor elegant, you can't fault it for its utilitarian reasoning. The shape makes sense for what it tries to achieve. You seem to mix the business of the auto industry with design philosophy, and I've never really understood why car design seem to be so mixed up in branding. It deviates from what I consider unequivocally the universal design manifesto "10 principles for good design" by Dieter Rams in the 70's. Lingo like the "light signature" and "memorable" are simply mechanics of the fashion industry, created to make the aesthetics part of planned obsolescence. The navel gazing in the auto industry is ridiculous with its concept cars and nonsensical reasoning. I argue that our subjective opinion of the designed object is unimportant. And while we can certainly criticise it for not following no. 3 in Rams design manifesto (Good design is aesthetic) it checks every other. I think it'll go down in history as an iconic design that marks a turning point for personal transportation.

[@kimlarsen3664]

​@@gotthefeelin I'd recommend you watch "Rams" which is a documentary about Dieter Rams and his 10 principles. It's great, and highly relevant. Innovation - If the Cybertruck isn't innovative, tell me what is. It's built different, looks different and works differently than its predecessors. Aesthetics - Yes, a point I made as well (it's a highly polarizing though) Understandability - Well, you're essentially Steve Ballmer in that interview from 2007 saying "It's got no physical keyboard" commenting on the iphone. The reason a screen is better is that it can do whatever it needs to do the future (which means it can also improve usability over time). A button is static and will not change with the software improvements of the car. We're living through the deathrattles of the tactile interiors, like we did with every single competitor to the iphone after it was launched. Mark my words, all cars will have interiors more similar to Tesla's 3/Y in the future. It's painful rewatching this play out again. Unobtrusive - It's not. Which I'd argue goes hand in hand with aesthetics. Honesty - You misunderstand this one. It's about hiding or design something that looks like something it's not. There's nothing hidden here. It's way more honest than a 2020 model its competition, which makes changes to its exterior simply to make the previous model out of date, just like fashion. Long lasting - It might be one of those designs which becomes far more accepted over time. Especially if it's as good as promised. That's when aesthetics becomes blurred with its utility and gets accepted into your everyday, just like a hammer. Exposure = preference. And I don't think we'll be discussing durability, It's technically a fucking tank that doesn't scratch.

[@BodyDestruction]

​@@gotthefeelin I don't think you understand the construction of the Cybertruck: the shape is the manufacturing innovation. It's sheets of really tough stainless steel, scored, folded and welded into shape. (look up Sandy Munro if you'd like more details on that) It's ALL stainless steel, so doesn't require paint - this is a massive and unique innovation from a manufacturing, environmental and financial point of view. Not a single car in history has been made without paint. In contrast a DeLorean is just a regular steel (the paint-or-rust kind) car with a cladding of really thin stainless steel - thin enough to stamp but also dent (go look up close when you see one in person, they all have little dents). Besides, how is taking existing ideas and improving upon them not innovation?

[@BodyDestruction]

@@gotthefeelin Tesla's done everything they've promised in the past (maybe not on time lol), and have the safest vehicles on sale, so I'm sure they'll figure out any possible safety issues. There's talk the Cybertruck won't make it to Europe, at least not in its intended US market form. Any unibody design is difficult and expensive to alter. First off that doesn't matter much if you're building over half a million of each model, and at current rates there's probably going to be a factory for each model. Second, there's no stamping presses, but scoring and folding machines instead. I'd assume they are rather easily adjusted to build different models. I can see the point of strengthened glass very clearly through these two new windshields I've had to put on both my daily drivers this year ;) Also I couldn't find a can of "Gletscherblau", so I painted a part of my blue car silver, after rust repairs... How is a car that won't rust niche or pointless?

[@kimlarsen3664]

@@gotthefeelin I’m seeing the defence from someone who cannot see the forest for the trees, or the innovation for the aesthetics as in this case. As mentioned before, the way you have to look at this vehicle has less to do about its competitors and more to so with the promises it comes with. It cannot be judged simply on aesthetics because the aesthetics almost transcends into utility. Yes, the aesthetics are ridiculously nostalgic (especially the interior) , but with the important difference that you have well thought out reasons for most of the design choices made. That’s more than what can be said for most vehicle designs these days. I hope that they tune down some unnecessarily over-the-top interior but otherwise I really look forward to what this design can deliver.

[@boxer1129]

Let's be real here. The Cybertruck was actually designed for Mars.

[@nickmillo8367]

Not with the windows they use currently lol

[@boxer1129]

@@nickmillo8367 Haha. I see what you mean!

[@wile123456]

Would drive like shit on Mars, not enough terrain capabilities and not made for lower gravity.

[@boxer1129]

@@wile123456 Until they engage the ion thrusters, that is...

[@somyajitnath6303]

It doesn't have to be ugly to be used on Mars...The sense of aesthetics are within our minds, not in the planets, hence the Cybertruck will be ugly even at the center of the sun...

[@theBaes123]

Happy to finally hear your thoughts. Im a design student who aspires to design cars (@alwinart) While i agree with your points in the video, i think you somewhat oversee the point of the Cybertruck design: 1. This should be compared with other trucks. This is presented like Tesla dont already have a lineup of cars with the features youre describing. They already have a lineup of “beautiful” organically shaped cars. The Cybertruck was surely not designed to be beautiful, but thought and brutal. Exactly what truck buyers care about esthetically. The fact that its electric is not a buying point in itself with this car, as the target demographic dont care about such. They want “the toughest truck”. In order to convince people that the Cybertruck is this, a extraordinary approach like this is necessary, as truckbuyers are the most brandloyal customers out there. 2. The truck is designed around first principles thinking when it comes to the engineering, its a new way of building trucks. Therefore the esthetics largely follow the engineering and production methods, rather than the other way around. This is to accomplish new things around strength and price. Would like to end this with saying that youre a big inspiration to me. So exciting hearing about this design that im such a fan of, from someone whose worked in the industry for so long. Kind regards, Alwinart

[@ItsBinhRepaired]

Exactly! It wasn't designed to be a voluptuous curvy woman. It was designed to be a hard tough man. Lol In all seriousness though. When designing you want to design things to meet a purpose. If your design makes it look nicer, but you lose performance and efficiency then that needs to be thought about. Not everything is about how attractive it is. How many people would marry a crazy person and spend all their money on them just because they're hot? Especially if they don't get anything out of it if you know what I mean.

[@roberttaylor4668]

This guy gets it. It's sad to see such a design legend fall out of touch. On top of that he didn't really do his research, the flat panels bring the cost down and drop the price point which will allow the cybertruck to reach a wider base of consumers.

[@DM-rc4yu]

Yeah sure, it's the flat panels that will make this thing affordable lol. Just when you think you've read enough dumb shit for today.

[@theBaes123]

@@DM-rc4yu If you think thats so dumb then maybe youre just clueless. The IDEA with the exoskeleton is to make it possible to achieve body on frame strength with a unibody design. Unibody design being the far cheaper way to build cars. Plus you can use cheaper forming methods than stamping presses. If that dont make sense to you then go learn stuff instead of commenting worthless shit on the internet

[@borthwey]

Well put, and I really love the Electra. The Cybertruck is certainly intriguing, it's a brutalist approach versus the Electra's organic approach. We ought to shape our society and our products with a more organic approach. Of course there is also room for the Cybertruck's aesthetics, and that's a good thing.

[@py8115]

Thank you, Frank! You are designer world needs. Let’s prepare for good times full of exciting opportunities, comfort and joy, not dystopian, hostile and negative ones. Let this world a hope!

[@FrankStephensondesign]

Well said!

[@Real_MisterSir]

From a purely aesthetic point of view, I completely agree. However, what actually intrigues me about the Cybertruck is how it uses its appearance to integrate vital innovative features. The shape is what allows its body panels to be a part of the load-bearing structure, like an exoskeleton approach, which is never done on any car because it's such a different and unfamiliar approach. It's a new way of integrating design as a functioning mechanical component (beyond just aerodynamics which we are used to ever since wind tunnels became mainstream), and just for the sake of doing this, I believe the Cybertruck deserves all the praise it is receiving. Secondly, I appreciate it going back to the roots of form shaped by function, in a utility-minded vehicle. I'm quite frankly bored of seeing the same highway cruisers pretending to be SUVs and trucks. They all are full of compromises, so it's refreshing to see a vehicle designed to not fit into any mold, and go around all the typical compromises we are used to seeing. It's like a breath of fresh air, and the main reason I love the Cybertruck so much, is because I have the hope that their vision will trickle down into the rest of the car industry, and show them that it's okay to dare venturing into the unknown and break the existing formulas, in pursuit of something truly original. Tesla are the innovators, and potentially other car brands can use this catalyst in order to perfect what Tesla has started. A new path in vehicle design and engineering. Another noteworthy aspect derived from the design, is all the manufacturing processes that are being eliminated (such as stamping, machining, painting, and much more). No other car could get around all this stuff that we have come to take for granted, and Tesla are showing that perhaps we don't really need all of those things on every vehicle -for the sake of lowering costs and damage to the environment. The one part that's still letting me down, is the interior. While it does reflect the utilitarian purpose of the vehicle, I totally agree that this shouldn't have to mean that you sacrifice the sense of quality, craftsmanship, and the feeling that those who designed and made it actually cared deeply about it. I believe there should be something to investigate and find intriguing. It's a competely new type of vehicle, and I think the interior especially deserves a desire for you to explore it and get the sense that you are living in the future. I'm still torn on that part from my personal taste (being scandinavian origin doesn't help this either, as we value our interior design dearly), and then my other side who appreciates that they're doubling down on the utility aspect and have the balls to stand by their choices. Acquiring some balls is something I wish more companies would investigate :D Thank you for your insights.

[@johnpublicprofile6261]

You saved me a lot of typing 8-) Frank, I feel that a near 100% form analysis of the function driven Cybertruck design seems like criticising a drinks ice cube for being to colourless, slippery & cold 🥶

[@richyzig]

Exactly, with Cybertruck FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION! Elon Musk is completely disrupting automobile production with this car, no more stamping, machining, painting. The biggest challenge is regulatory approval.

[@lolmanlol990]

All this future talk is cool and all, but can we talk about how handsome past Frank is at 2:14?

[@TimSlee1]

Looks like he could've played James Bond.

[@Tom_Hadler]

Yes. George Clooney called, he wants his face back

[@MrAlesioK]

Lolmanlol990 you must be a gay man in the closet or you're just so stupid the only words coming from your comment are about somebody's appearance? We're here to discuss the car. Bro you need a life!

[@S.E.C-R]

Pierce Brosnan-ish

[@paarthurnaxshouldlive8962]

@@MrAlesioK Bruh

[@Nickrockin]

The playstation editing hit me with nostalgia hard, Great video, Frank!

[@tiagozadra4307]

I personally like the Cybertruck. I like the toughness of it, the angular shapes. I mean, it's a truck. It's supposed to be tough and perhaps menacing

[@benjacobs2560]

I agree. That Buick looks like another lame crossover. I’m curious to see what it looks like when they make the final tweeks to it‘s design.

[@flightjam]

@@benjacobs2560 yeah probably nothing like it's concept design which most cars never look as striking once built for production. The cybertruck looks like a concept car that never left the concept stage.

[@Lincoln257]

I feel like he completely missed the point of the exterior. The exterior IS the frame and it's made from cold rolled stainless steel. It cannot be curved and shaped, nor would you want it to be.

[@user-qy1ie4fp8l]

Exactly. In such, it’s the most environmentally friendly car ever made. It takes less energy and less materials to produce. So idiotic, it’s absurd.

[@roberttaylor4668]

Yea he really didn't do his research and doesn't understand "the why" of some of the design features.

[@kyle857]

Precisely. This is form following fiction at its best.

[@JohnSmith-dg8df]

@@user-qy1ie4fp8l bullshit its the most environmentally friendly car ever made haha. wonder how many tonnes of CO2 and what-not will be produced to make the batteries in the thing. also, its massive. 2/3 of the worlds power generation is from fossil fuels at root, really any small hatchback is more environmentally friendly than this monster. and less materials to produce? it weighs 2 and a half tonnes! Lol!

[@user-qy1ie4fp8l]

@@JohnSmith-dg8df you need to do your research.

[@abdullabahaa7008]

I don’t know anything about design but the moment I saw cybertruck and it’s features I was hooked it looked like a very powerful car. I honestly can’t disagree with frank because he has more experience, but maybe the designers of the cyber truck just wanted to make the car look as powerful as possible. It feels as if the truck itself is trying to clash with every other truck.

[@trued2010]

While it does look old/retro it definitely sets itself apart from the segment of pickup trucks. Likely because of the regulations to improve fuel economy all of the trucks have started to look very similar, just as what has happened to crossover vehicles. If Tesla can meet the regulations and have a vehicle that looks how they want it to look, and stand out from the segment more power to them. Trucks were originally cold and utilitarian. In the last 15 years they have become more of a luxury vehicle than a work vehicle, and the prices have gone up along with the luxury feature creep. Perhaps Tesla is taking the approach that they want the cybertruck to be more of a work truck than a luxury mall cruiser. The air ride, the un painted metal, the steel bed, the larger wheels/tires, even the "bulletproof" glass make sense for trucks to do truck things or be in places you would expect a truck to be. Aesthetically/functionally where could they improve? I feel like the wheel arches could be segmentet a little more to maximize wheel travel, it feels like they are trying to put an over-sized round peg into a square hole with the three sections. I also wonder about the headlights or rather the lack of them, I know the led bar is there but wonder if its got the longer distance performance as well as how it work affect visibility in either snow or fog.

[@alis4328]

I think the lights will be fine. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i53UaXRoi5xsgKM

[@efraim6960]

Let's not forget that the polygonal design of the cybertruck is not only an aesthetics choice but more because it's made of stainless steel which is significantly harder to cast than aluminum. As for the interior, the lifeless design is likely intentional. There is the Model 3 if you prefer comfort. Tbh this video feels severely lacking imo given that the title says it took a year. Thanks for the vid!

[@HuslWusl]

I love the review, especially without bluntly throwing primitive insults towards Tesla but rather giving an analytical opinion based on the past and well known design "rules". Though, I'm still 100% buying a Cybertruck. Not for the futuristic look, not for the safety but just for the almost counterintuitive approach on vehicle design and the fact that due to it being an ev, it's much quieter than most other trucks/cars.

[@catalinhera]

Much of the Cybertruck's design is due to the ultra hard steel it's being used. I'm not sure it would be possible, with today's machinery, to give it a more elaborated design.

[@stijnteun]

Yeah but that is actually part of the problem tho. The cybertruck looks cold, dystopian and sort of hostile because of the hard steel and the bulletproof glass.

[@hermanwooster8944]

@@stijnteun Some people see that as a good thing!

[@mikecsernyik7360]

With heat and force during forging process my friend.

[@derekwright113]

Thats the point. People keep on missing it

[@derekwright113]

Functionality>Looks

[@colinpape]

Great video, and much wisdom imparted without coming across as condescending. That said, I think you might be missing the point of the CyberTruck: Tesla already has a bunch of beautiful cars. There are no 'secure vehicles for an uncertain future' on the road. A 'designer', even one working with Elon Musk and Tesla, is not responsible for, or capable of 'creating the future'. If you can cost-effectively make the Buick bulletproof, then you have a point. If you can't, then please don't opine on what this vehicle should look like. This is a rare case where the look doesn't matter *at all*. It is purely about function. We are living in a world where the powers that be use violence to achieve their ends, and us poor commoners who do not travel to Davos regularly are being forced to live in a reality of their making. We too deserve some of the tools that they use to threaten our sovereignty; where is your take down of the B2 bomber, SWAT armored vehicles and other fear-inducing designs wielded by governments everywhere to assert their dominance over the average person? Elon sees - and feels - this discrepancy, and is leveraging his insight and his production capabilities to provide normal people with a tool they can use to increase their own capabilities and confidence in the face of monolithic government attacks on our freedom, and unprecedented restrictions on our fundamental right in the face of *another* manufactured enemy and an all-out assault on those with common sense. I don't care what a Cybertruck looks like - I want the most badass, and least fossil fuel dependent vehicle I can get my hands on to ensure I'm able to contribute to the security of my family and my community, no matter what the future holds. True beauty is in *actual nature*, cars are capable only of being imitations. Elon has recognized our true needs right now and is delivering in a courageous and visionary way that simply doesn't exist outside of this concept.

[@gotthefeelin]

Hilarious. The perfect truck for Alex Jones! 😂

[@pistachito101]

I'm Just now coming across this comment and I must say you are one enlightened individual.

[@jgbalves]

The phrase "the future is now old man!" explained in 10 minutes with beautiful examples. Thank you for the lecture Mr Stephenson

[@ibrahimabdalla9769]

Cybertruck - Drake turning away 1980 Citroen Karin - Drake approves

[@THESLlCK]

that's ugly as hell too lol

[@chronomatt6990]

I love when creators express design philosophies, and how it affects their work and the way life is viewed. There is wisdom to be learned from Frank and others. Knowing that Musk had an open canvas and could create anything he wanted, I have never been a fan of Cybertruck’s design. Frank put into words feelings I had a hard time grasping. I can now say the one word I would associate with the Cybertruck is “trendy”, and that is not good.

[@kevinmo8811]

I love the way you analyze designs, they make more sense when you give your thoughts about them. Thanks

[@N4SCARfaN]

"I want to live in the timeline where the Karin exists." Well do I have good news for you...

[@truthseeker8483]

Unfortunately Citroen has lost it's way..now making Hyundai lookalikes...

[@thrashefe3523]

@@truthseeker8483 it was still good when they produced citroen saxo vtr

[@ihavewaited90daystochangem51]

@@thrashefe3523 The citroen c5 also, a brilliantly boring reliable commuter.

[@mikf2500]

That Buick looks awesome.

[@williamlee0]

That design deserved a hammering! Stephenson gives it admirably. A 'lounge on wheels' is an essential description of all cars, and all good car designs are faithful to it.

[@DennisKapatos]

I'm no cybertuck apologist, but I was about to post a similar comment to those who are: "Love it or hate it it's meant to be purposeful and utilitarian - a mash hammer rather than a scalpel. It's function over form and specs over emotion." But every manmade thing has aesthetic considerations no matter how utilitarian. In the case of the cybertruck I think it's true that the limitations imposed by the use of stainless steel and the "exoskeleton" (read: boat hull) type structure likely severely restricted the design. However, that doesn't mean there was no design freedom at all. I think it's most likely that the design was chosen because it was the easiest way to meet their ambitious production goals and the result is, as you said, a PS1-era low polygon mess. They picked something they could achieve the goal of being first to market. I don't agree that being an EV necessarily means becoming more in tune with nature, because EV's aren't just about being greener. They're also about bring simpler and cleaner, not just in the environmental sense, but also mechanically and in everyday use. So in that sense a simple interior makes sense. But again I agree that simple doesn't have to mean cold and lifeless. Too often though, as in Telsa's case, it means low effort, easy to produce, and hard to criticize.

[@sigissigis3174]

This is not utilitarian design, it is in fact the oposite of that - it was made to stand out and some of the design choices are questionable for an EV. Straight lines and rectangular shapes have very poor aerodynamics which are pretty important in an electric car. Stainless steel is not the hardest metal to mold nor is it the most durable option. Using thicker steel will come at the detriment of weight (again an important factor in an EV) If they sacrificed aerodynamics to save time and money on molding metal, they could have at least used a lighter yet stronger metal like aluminium instead. The cybertruck seems to be designed with maximum profits margins in mind not utilitarianism.

[@harsimranbansal5355]

@@sigissigis3174 you clearly don’t know anything about the truck and engineering that goes in manufacturing that thing. It’s an exoskeleton, that saves weight. The body you see is the load bearing “underbody”

[@DennisKapatos]

@@sigissigis3174 Interesting points. Elon said himself that it was meant to be slap in the face to the traditional truck, which had stagnated. It's intentionally edgy in order to prove it's commitment to being utilitarian. Utility came first, the design came second, and the design is only meant to reinforce that hierarchy. Also, yes 300 series stainless is very formable... in the annealed condition. But Elon stated that it's cold rolled to a very high hardness which would greatly reduce the formability of the material. It's shaped the way it is because of the material that was chosen.

[@DennisKapatos]

@@harsimranbansal5355 I don't doubt that it saves weight - especially for an EV that needs room for batteries - but I watched the event and I get it. He calls it an exoskeleton because its sounds cooler than boat hull or tub. No one wants to drive a boat or a tub.

[@SmokinPaul]

@@DennisKapatos In the 50s and 60s car design was driven by aircraft looks. The Cybertruck uses and exoskeleton the same as an aircraft, except in this case its not for aesthetics, its purpose is functionality the same reason aircraft use exoskeleton design for greater strength, weight savings and reduced cost. The Cybertruck is about affordable function not a concept car that will never be produced, or production cars that are much more costly, barely look like the concept they spawned from and won't last more than a decade. I'll take the Cybertruck for its affordable specs/function. I'm careful where I park my model Y to prevent paint and body damage. Those considerations do not exist for the Cybertruck and the windshield won't crack like the windshield on my POS Ford after being nicked by a tiny piece of gravel. But if you want a pretty butterfly then have at it. LOL

[@ovankol26]

Frank, I'm curious to know your thoughts on what influence/limitations, Tesla's choice in material for the "exoskeleton" (cold rolled stainless steel) put on the Cybertruck's design. Do you think that this material dictated the design in any way?

[@robertnicholls9917]

It did. I wish he focused on the limitations of the material and how to make it look appealing. There are design tricks that could have been executed to give it a more softer, classic form without adding to the manufacturing process.

[@Multifireturtle]

Fair points, I personally love the idea of the cybertruck and its design, the striking difference to today's vehicles is fantastic.

[@huzzzer6083]

It definitely has character but it should be more refined and detailed

[@darylmorse]

I like your idea that the future is what we make it. It's quite incredible that the Citroen Karin looks better today, more than 40 years after the fact, than the Cybertruck, which is contemporary. This reminds me of "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." The Cybertruck is more of a caricature than a design. I think it looks terrible, as if it was designed to be in a computer game for children. I agree that it's sterile, especially compared to the Buick Electra, which is beautiful. I'm wondering if you declined to "correct" the Cybertruck because it's so far beyond redemption.

[@makedodiy48]

Designer vs engineer... square hammer is fine if it's efficient and effective...

[@artemikurski939]

I absolutely agree with you. Criticising a car's design and ignoring all the engineering behind it is a mistake.

[@bbk3078]

Concept Cars versus actual production.

[@hypervortex5930]

Yeah I totally agree. I think one of the main reasons for its design is the engineering behind it. Making it simple to produce, very strong and extremely effective at accomplishing it's goals

[@Moon___man]

@@artemikurski939 idunno man, if my 300zx wasnt so pretty, i wouldnt feel the same way about all the bullshit it puts me through lol

[@gotthefeelin]

@@hypervortex5930 But one that won’t be able to pass crash tests.

[@stephen1805]

3:51 that transition was interesting.

[@flowingflo5979]

This freaked me out

[@Ken2B]

Part of me admires the cybertruck for throwing away every single rule and convention that makes creates nice aesthetics. However this is the same admiration you'd have for someone picking a fight with an angry bull.

[@Tooradj]

How much would you admire that guy if he wins the fight with the bull? Reservations for CT is going through the roof. The range, the utility and price is all because of the design. Truck buyers have been driving ugly throughout the life of the class. If Tesla can deliver, you will be surprised how many people start developing a taste for it.

[@cadriver2570]

Not that Cybertruck makes any sense whatsoever, but that Buick design looks like every electric concept ever. (update: watched this again a year later and disagree with myself, haha)

[@SanJose408Alex]

Exactly. I can understand CT hate, but seriously the Buick is supposed to be better looking car? It’s so boring and dated already

[@GiffelBaby]

How does it not make sense? It looks the way it looks because they designed it around utility, performance and cost. The buyers of the Cybertruck don't care about how beautiful the truck is. They care about utility, performance and cost. If they made the truck look more like Frank would want it to look, its cost would probably double.

[@cadriver2570]

@@GiffelBaby pedestrian safety is questionable for one. Vehicles need to deform to protect vulnerable road users, but this is all stainless steel?

[@SuperHappyBiscuit]

@@cadriver2570 if they can figure out how to design a car that deforms without causing it to be a write off or needing wasteful replacement parts, then I would agree. Currently cars seem to be designed to create as much waste as possible, so they can sell more cars and insurers can make as much money as possible. If I'm spending £100,000 on a vehicle I want it to be able to go through a wall and not turn to shrapnel because I got rear ended personally.

[@cadriver2570]

@@SuperHappyBiscuit I understand, but I think human lives are more important than an object. In the US we have massive trucks that you wouldn't believe. F250-350 are seemingly more common than sedans. Giving these guys a 3 second to 60 steel body truck is a bit scary. Btw, I had a Tesla, it was an amazing vehicle.

[@TheHomeExpert5]

I think your design analysis is spot-on, the cybertruck looks like it was drawn by a six-year-old kid in 2 minutes.

[@charmander777]

yes from a design perspective it's not everyone's taste, but let's not forget that it's starting price is like what, 50K usd? and apparently the reason why it's so cheap relatively speaking to other EV trucks is that it's literally a few pieces of steel shaped using the gigapress and since it doesn't have any curves, it's much a much easier/cheaper process to manufacture.

[@TheHomeExpert5]

@@charmander777 I like the price, that is if they can deliver it at that price. I also like the performance of the battery. The Styling can best be described euphemistically as wacky.

[@shsbbsbabsbsbs8385]

I liked the idea of elon asking people what they wanted in twitter to make it.

[@39PSIOnTheDaily]

I respectfully disagree. I believe minimalist and efficient design are the key elements of “timeless” design. There are few vehicles as minimalist and uncluttered as the Cybertruck.

[@kakerake6018]

i like that you could park it anywhere and not worry about getting dents or some kid keying your car or a crazy ex smashing your windows(hopefully)

[@henryfong9533]

"Even if we are not able to make sure that the future is fair and even if we are not be able to make the future hospitable than the very least we can do is make sure that the future is beautiful" What a beautiful quote. Thank you!

[@desigbohn2595]

i am a mobility designer from Seoul, Korea. I was shocked when I first saw the truck. It was so weird. But when I found out why the car had such a design, I thought the design was really reasonable. Instead of simply looking at the design, you can investigate why they came to use the material and how the material affected the design. Steel plates "STS301" used in the body are the same material used in SpaceX's "Starship". STS301 is cheaper than Carbon fiber. However, it is more expensive than the outside of ordinary vehicles. They can make the material cheaper through mass production of trucks. and that material is difficult to make into curved surfaces. That's why it's got a angular shape. The truck was designed to save the human race. What do you say? Doesn't the truck look different after hearing what I think?

[@popinmo]

yes its so genius its insane using a hull design its a frame less vehicle that has so many advantages this vehicle from a design standpoint literally cant be beat

[@andersbjorkman8666]

Thank you Sir for your comment, very interesting :)

[@brent5310]

Interesting take, thank you for sharing your observations. A few points to consider though, in support of the design: It must first be noted that the Cybertruck is attempting to break into a multi-billion dollar vehicle segment that has more brand and vehicle loyalty than any others (pickup trucks). This requires something that stands out--and while I personally was not happy initially with the design when it was unveiled, I have learned to appreciate the bold move of proposing a vehicle that is unlike any other out there, that will bring more attention to Tesla's mission: Accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy. And that is part of the genius of the design: it is so well-known now because of its polarizing design, which generates free publicity for a company that doesn't spend money on ads (compared to other OEMs each spending tens of millions). Tesla designers wanted a vehicle that was, first and foremost, a utilitarian vehicle, not a prissy, chic-concept, supercar or daily driver sedan or CUV--it is made to take a beating, it features a 240v outlet for charging/running power tools, it is made from cold-rolled, stainless steel; that last point about the material is very important. The steel won't rust, so it doesn't need paint. Eliminating paint is an environmentally friendly move. Because of the metal, the manufacturing process must change. It breaks the stamping machines. So to use this material but not waste money and machines, they decided to merely laser-cut or water-jet, then crease and bend the metal to make the car. This saves money, materials, steps (no paint/clear coat), time, cost to consumers, etc, making it more sustainable and attainable than other vehicles. So a key part of your critique I disagree with is: you claim that it should look like a "sustainable" vehicle--which, if we kept going the route of the Prius and Leaf, electric vehicles would never reach mass market adoption. The thing is, because of its design with its unique car manufacturing process in mind, I'd argue it acts the part of being a sustainable vehicle better than the Buick or most any other "green/electric" car to date. The other part I disagree with is that the Cybertruck will age quickly/poorly and the Buick won't. To me, and I think many others, the Buick's design is a dime a dozen. The taillights are well designed and unique, yes--but the rest of it is forgettable. It basically blends in with what every economy car will look like in 5 years or less, and immediately after and because of that, the Buick will look blasé and dated quickly. The Cybertruck on the other hand will age well because it is unique. Look at the original Humvee: it is an ugly car, by many people's standards. But that is also the appeal. And to me, the original Humvee is better looking than most cars from the last 30 years. Anyway, hopefully this information brings an appreciation for the boldness of Tesla's Cybertruck design, even if by conventional wisdom, it is ugly. Despite its looks, the Cybertruck will be a key player in helping Tesla fulfill its mission of accelerating the world to sustainable energy.

[@christophervan6966]

Dude. Something is not ugly or beautiful by "conventional wisdom". It is ugly or beautiful by how it reflects "harmartia" (Aristotle's Greek word for "harmony"), and there is exactly nothing harmonious about this noble but misconstrued aesthetic attempt. It is instantaneously and eternally ugly.

[@tewrgh]

No disrespect to Frank but he's essentially a stylist who doesn't appear to have any grasp of the engineering/manufacturing rationale behind the Cybertruck. I like the Buick, but only a stylist could overlook those fake ducts.

[@aaronsantamariaa]

Dang i don’t know squat about car design but you really showed off just how much of an art form it is beyond the technical aspects

[@norwegiantechnolover]

3:52 What happened here? His head turns in slow motion??

[@FrankStephensondesign]

No man, I’m a robot.

[@shanroxalot5354]

It kinda looks like he was attempting to hide a jump cut via interpolation, but was executed poorly here.

[@beamtalk657]

@@FrankStephensondesign One who just gave an absolutely terrible review. Comparing a heavy duty truck to video game graphics and a Citroen that has almost no similarities

[@Mikino33]

@@beamtalk657 Seems like you should rewatch this "review" and listen to valid points he made.

[@Gogettor]

Heroin.

[@powderrida]

As a fellow industrial designer here is my opinion. It spits in the face of tradition. It breaks every rule. That's what it set out to do. It has no refinement, no surfacing, no thought of reflection, light volume, proportion; ,it doesn't speak our nuanced language. And that's why I love it. It will look dated quickly, but that's the difference between the escutcheon of car design/ the car industry and the tech world. Tesla is a tech company first, car company second.

[@jalpat2272]

cars are piece of technology with importances are second only to a house, also their worth and prestiges are always valued on their basic functions and features. but tesla and musk made them into 3 metric tons of fashion and political statements, thats what i dont like.

[@powderrida]

@@jalpat2272 Yes I speak only to the design itself. The rest of Tesla and the Elon Empire is topic for another discussion. The industry needs a shakeup from time to time, and the cybertruck serves that purpose. THAT is what I like. Not the design itself but what it means for design going forward.

[@jalpat2272]

@@powderrida frankly i agree with frank on how cold and hostile the design is with the cyberpunk vision that slowly becoming reality, i bet someone at buick/GM saw through it and "reverse engineered" the design.

[@mrdorf2784]

Looks like a futuristic design from the 80s/ early 90s. Reminds me of something from the 90s film Total Recall.

[@solidXxXtuna]

That's on purpose -- the Cybertruck is an homage to Syd Mead who designed all the vehicles in Total Recall, Blade Runner, Tron and many others. "Cybertruck" is basically a pun on "cyberpunk" which is a term that came into being sometime after William Gibson's first novel Neuromancer in 1984. The aesthetic arguably pulled from Syd Mead's designs as much as any other single source. And so does the Cybertruck. The Cybertruck is actually a retro design; Tesla def did not try to hide that fact but still very few professionals made a connection to the design's direct lineage. But you did, so in at least one way, you have a better eye for and knowledge of automotive design than Frank Stephenson!

[@mrdorf2784]

@@solidXxXtuna Thanks for the info. I had no clue that the design was on purpose. Really interesting to know.

[@BGraves]

An artist critiques a utilitarians creation. Some of us appreciate function before form.

[@sulaman_k4375]

as senior car designer, with all that knowledge of the whole process from concept to manufacture and the final product, disappointed that he didn't even mention the reason for its low poly chasis in relation to low cost manufacturing process... discussion atleast should be there

[@edi9892]

I wonder how much it has to do with the armor. I know that you can armor any car, but I guess such a shape is much easier. It reminds me of the polygonal tanks of the Wehrmacht compared to the cast turret designs by e.g. the Soviets. The latter is harder to get right, but is even more streamlined to bounce off incoming shells.

[@DumbledoreMcCracken]

@@edi9892 armor for WHAT??

[@edi9892]

@@DumbledoreMcCracken against rising violence and crime? Personally, I've never been threatened by a gun, but I survived attempted murder and been threatened multiple times by melee weapons and was at a place where rocks were thrown at windows while I was a guest inside... A neighbor got murdered with countless stabs, several other stabbings occurred, another neighbor was beaten into a cripple and several women in the quarter had been R-ed. My mother was nearly rammed in her car by another car, and narrowly escaped a carjacking (someone jumped in front of the car while others tried to break in as she stopped for that person in front of her). All this was in Europe BTW. We don't have easy access to weapons and armor and are even less able to use them legally, but at times, you'd really want to gear up, especially regarding how badly our police had been defunded!

[@DumbledoreMcCracken]

@@edi9892 I used to live in a bl k neighborhood that happened to be a central point in the City for retail (street) drug operations. If they want to hurt you, no amount of armor is going to stop a resourceful assailant. In fact, it makes you more of a target. In the real world, if mass unrest were to happen, a car that depends on a functioning electrical grid is going to be less than worthless. Better to own a horse, and some gold or silver coins.

[@edi9892]

@@DumbledoreMcCracken I agree with the electricity problem and the high profile. Still, a horse would be today much harder to keep... An armored car would protect you from random violence, but only make it harder for targeted violence.

[@SaschaPallenberg]

Just had to come back after the delivery event to watch this again. As always, Frank... this is such a great and thoughtful analysis

[@FrankStephensondesign]

Thanks Sascha!

[@markedwards4879]

Meh, cybertruck is all about functionality and strength. At first I didn’t like it much but after the initial shock I came around. I’m not a truck person but if I was to drive around Australia I’d love a cybertruck.

[@Driver6M]

I love how this video made me contemplete design as more than just visual. Great design needs to invoke our thoughts, our emotions, our hopes and dreams. I found the cybertruck interesting but I couldn't understand why I disliked it until now. A world in which people drive around in personal tanks is awful.

[@DerpMcDerp101]

From what i understood is that they were going for cost reduction while adding toughness and the Cyber truck is what emerged.

[@MuitoDaora]

I agree with you but what people fail to grasp is that it looks flat because is cheap to make. That's the point. Musk is just selling and hyping the design as always, and should because he wants to sell hundreds of thousands of these.

[@Real_MisterSir]

No it's flat because it allows them to use a space-grade thick stainless steel plating that also helps with the body's rigidity, and such hard steel plates wouldn't allow for traditional stamping procedures that normal cars use. You literally can't shape it any other way even if you wanted to. I'm not saying it doesn't allow them to remove a lot of manufacturing elements (like stamping, painting, bending, etc) - but the reasons behind the looks aren't due to cost. They could just as easily make the car cheaper while looking traditional.

[@filipbakic8871]

@@Real_MisterSir but getting that rigidity with classic materials would be more costly. And delorean was also stainless steel and it wasn't a triangle

[@Real_MisterSir]

@@filipbakic8871 Stainless steel is a category of steel alloy, it's not just a single material. There are millions of variations of Stainless Steel, and properties vary greatly depending on the type you use. My fridge is stainless steel and it aint that strong. The key here is that Tesla are using their own Stainless steel alloy developed for the SpaceX program, and they use it with a panel thickness much greater than anything you'd find on any other vehicle - unless you're looking specifically at armor plating. The reason the Delorean isn't as triangular (or rather, plain surfaced), is because its panel thichness is much more narrow than those used on the Cybertruck, and the specific steel alloy used is also vastly different - which combined allows for machines to bend and stamp the panels into more complex shapes, but at the cost of those panels not offering any rigidity to the body whatsoever. They're basically just acting as a shell that adds weight to the vehicle, whereas the Cybertruck can actually be kept light because the body panes that would normally just be dead weight, now operate as a part of the core structure, and allow for less material having to be used on the inner frame of the vehicle, so they cancel out and overall save weight compared to normal cars. The science and engineering behind the very simplistic appearance is much greater than most people realize, which is sad because I believe mainstream media are to blame for never caring about what lies beneath the shallow first impressions. They only care about what it is, not WHY it is the way it is.

[@MuitoDaora]

@@Real_MisterSir This do not invalidate my point.

[@Real_MisterSir]

@@MuitoDaora I'm not trying to invalidate it, I'm trying to put in the right order of priority for the reasons behind the design. You're making it out to be cost of manufacturing that's the driving factor, which is not true. If I am misunderstanding your point then let me know.

[@mcloln8313]

Cyber truck review that took over two years for me to see

[@dotmanmide]

That comment. "Future is not fated, it's created." So eye-opening, a lot of people say wow, I-robot is so accurate in terms of the vehicles and stuff, but the present isn't a fulfilled prophesy of the past. The future is guided by the present.

[@FrankStephensondesign]

Cheers M.

[@TheCloust]

I would disagree, Frank Honestly, I loved cybertruck for having the balls for doing something that the industry simply doesn't do anymore: taking risks, being bold. Something similar happened to the chris bangle era: its design was something that attracted so much attention that it left the automotive bubble to the world bubble, as everyone was talking about it, not mattering if it was good or bad, as long as the would talk about it. I feel the same for the cybertruck, for me it isn't what it actually is, but what it represents, taking risks, being bold and attracting attention within an industry that's just too generic and automatic right now. That's why it sold like hot cake (even though it's just a pre-sale). That would be my take on it

[@FrankStephensondesign]

👍 You’ll like my favourite song then André! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIPCaZqmf6iHaqs

[@TheCloust]

@@FrankStephensondesign 😂😂 that was legendary!! Thanks for the fun.. Love your videos, keep it up!!

[@Konrad_Racer]

The future is beautiful, because more episodes are waiting for us. Right?

[@JohnnyTiscali]

That Electra "commercial" was absolutely beautiful. Seriously.

[@rodster302]

After this review I'm definitely Getting The Cyber truck Thanks 👍

[@beamtalk657]

I will be jealous of you

[@rodster302]

Its ok I forgive you

[@LaSombraa]

It’s never going to release lmao.

[@beamtalk657]

@@LaSombraa Should I trust an established $612 Billion dollar company or some person named Symbolic Bass who will never amount to anything in the musical space. Keep wasting your time sharing your music, keep it to yourself it's not worth much to anyone else.

[@d.b.cooper2277]

@@beamtalk657 You're miserable

[@lucianapadua7007]

Your videos are getting every day better! Congrats to your editor but also to you for the content. Still waiting for Polestar review 😉

[@maduross]

I enjoy all 3 interpretations of our possible future for the different reasons you point out. While I may not prefer the brutalist design language of the cyber truck, I respect that that it is not merely a concept but will be a full fledged production vehicle. Eventually it will reassure the bean counters that you can make a truly bold design and still be profitable and thus help drag us kicking and screaming into the future.

[@peteelderman8606]

"Kicking and screaming" indeed

[@smallerthanlife7664]

You're right about everything you've said about the Cybertruck, and still I like the design of it. I must admit I've fallen for the gimmick. 😆

[@GrapplingIgnorance]

Really not fair to write it off as a gimmick before the thing is even released.

[@Tooradj]

I am with you. What people don’t realize is that we are not choosing between CT and lamborghini aventador (although we could because of its performance). Our options for a truck are Ram, Toyota, ford and Chevy. Now CT is starting to look mighty good.

[@xxxxxtrxxx13]

@@Tooradj Wrong, wrong and wrong. Styling is subjective, yes. No problem at all if you like this thing. Just do not feel like you're superior. Please stop with "although we could because of its performance" because I actually laughed. You're comparing a V12 Lamborghini Aventador with a boxy wheeled oven assembled in China. If the 0-60 time is the same or even less because the cybertrunk has a million electric motors and a million horsepower, nobody cares, the performance remains ridiculous. You're still driving a cheap boring utility truck (probably thinking it's a green car...) while if you drive a Lamborghini you're driving an exotic supercar built not just to go fast, but to feel your speed, engineered with style, drama and tradition. Quite the opposite of this thing My guess is that if a random indian company had built the cybertrunk, everybody would laugh at it. But because it's Tesla, and precisely Elony Musky, than it suddenly becames a masterpiece, engineering perfection, the best of the best, for some reason. Also it's not true that all other trucks are bad looking. Surely they aren't beauties but at least they try to have some styling features and proportions, unlike the cyberthing

[@Tooradj]

@@xxxxxtrxxx13 No one is saying CT is better looking than Lamborghini. And I would not drop $70 K on a car because I like the guy or his company. As I mentioned before no one on the planet will try to choose between these two cars but since you are pushing the issue, If I had to make a choice, even if price of one was not 7 times the other, I would still pick CT. Not because of it's look but the total package. I have owned sport bikes, sport cars and trucks. My truck is the one that get used the most. The reason people like CT so much is the ability to do 0-60 in 2.9 sec while you have a Drywall in the back at lower cost than most trucks or spots cars with similar abilities. People don't like CT because they like Elon. They like Elon because they like CT.

[@Hastix]

@@xxxxxtrxxx13 why are you so butthurt about a truck? 😂 Cybertruck will be built in Texas at the end of 2021 using the same alloy as the Starship Rocket from SpaceX.

[@asimo3089]

Gah, Might have to disagree with you on this video but that's totally fine. I don't think "attractive" is what you want when you're trying to enter the aggressive pickup market with vehicles called the Raptor and T-RX existing. You definitely are more qualified than I am though!

[@drfoxx4596]

Most people that are buying this probably won’t even use it as an actual pickup truck. I don’t see this competing with regular F-150s or Silverados.

[@sorengz]

I kind of agree. The whole segment, like SUVs deserve a share of criticism, for what they do to “win” in the market. It’s nice if you can electrify the segment, but - I imagine mr Stephenson saying - at the price of what values? And if we lose those values, will any environmental benefits really last, let alone matter?

[@mulldezee4034]

Mr Frank, I want to really thank you very much for designing the E53 BMW X5. That design change my life. Design that is like 20 years ago still looks like today! Never get old Thanks I really appreciate it.

[@kanaadpathak]

The cyber truck looks like something you’d try to draw after discovering the shape and line tool on MS Paint

[@deltas4764]

Even kids who use MS Paint can do better.

[@Tooradj]

Or something an AI draws after thousands of simulations to maximize the range while keeping the manufacturing cost down using a new material.

[@Grnbaracuda]

The point is not where you draw, it is how it felt.

[@SanJose408Alex]

You sound exactly like the idiots that go to art museums and say they could have done the same

[@ayushin82]

Talking about Cybertruck design without ever saying word "exoskeleton" is absolutely pointless. It looks this way because it is manufactured in a way no other car is manufactured.

[@mowogfpv7582]

Stephenson has spent his entire career helping a stagnant industry create the illusion of progress through design mumbo jumbo and marketing bullshit. It's no surprise that when a vehicle appears that is actually innovative from an engineering and production perspective, and where form follows function, then he is confused that the outcome does not speak the "design language" he is inculcated with. Instead it follows the needs of the materials and processes. He's left floundering and inferring motives and meanings that aren't there because he can't seem to understand that this vehicle wasn't styled by somebody like him. It is a pure piece of engineering. I don't even particularly like the cybertruck. But at least it's honest to what it is.

[@SuperKINGXON]

Cyber truck is the bald statement that the car market needs. Tesla is targeting it as a heavy duty electric truck that stands from the crowd and not a luxury sexy car. As minimalism becomes more and more trendy, I feel like the design will age better with time...

[@GR2eNs]

bald statement

[@thunderbug8640]

But it’s not even a very useful truck. Can you imagine having to wait every time you wanted to throw something in the bed or how you can’t access the bed from the side. I mean christ almighty it’s like they have never actually used a truck as a truck. Then on top of that when towing anything meaningful the range becomes pitiful. Then on top of that it looks like it was designed by me when I was 5 while doodling on my school books. Minimalist might be trendy but minimalist still requires design and I don’t think 5-year-old me was qualified or competent to be designing the look of the future.

[@SuperKINGXON]

@@thunderbug8640 it is a step in the right direction in so far as electric trucks technology is concerned. A lot of people don't know that the design and the exoskeleton actually serves a great purpose and is part of the whole technology of how the vehicle operates. Not only that but this design shaves a lot of weight and manufacturing expenses. Without it the truck would easily cost double, with inferior specs. Look it up. Say what you will about it, the cybertruck is a mist of fresh air in terms of design and approach since there is simply nothing like it announced or soon to make it in the market...

[@thunderbug8640]

@@SuperKINGXON yeah ok ok we get it "revolutionary" lol, but that still doesnt address the fact that its terrible as a truck. Great leaps forward are supposed to do things better not worse lol.

[@SuperKINGXON]

@@thunderbug8640 where did I say "revolutionary"? I SAID it's a mist of fresh air... NO. Normally new technology does not beat old technology because it is not mature enough out of the gate. This is the first electric truck ever and the fact it's comparable to an existing gas truck that's been in continuous competitive development for almost a 100 years is a huge feat. You can bet your money that the next generation of the Cybertruck will make the regular truck an extremely tough sell and potentially put truck manufacturers on the verge of bankruptcy... Don't believe me? See the latest figures on the pace at which Tesla is growing

[@bryanm498]

When I saw a picture of Cybertruck - without the context -, I quickly thought it was a combat vehicle concept. Those that will never be built and only serve to draw the attention to a project.

[@gergc4871]

What truck or car "feels fresh" 10 years later?

[@ConnorNolan]

I don't think anything feels fresh unless it's rejecting what's common, so by definition it's kind of impossible to have lasting "freshness" in a mass-produced car.

[@MWNVproductions]

Any 911, Bronco, E39 5 series, W30 MR2, Nissan GT-R. Basically any Aston Martin made after 2001. We experience old designs feeling "fresh" in basically every aspect of our lives (fashion, cinema, literature), cars are no different.

[@williamsmith9921]

@@MWNVproductions exactly, first car that comes to mind on that question is the 911.

[@tomislav5689]

Mazda RX-8 (2004)

[@aughtsdrive]

TVR Tuscan Mk1. Incredibly 2000s yet you wouldn't question it getting announced today

[@WaveManMike]

It’s definitely one of those vehicles that grow on you the more you see it. As I look at it now I wonder how I ever even thought it was ugly at first. I see a beautiful truck.

[@SKARA101]

Same goes for me, it sits so beautifully in the same future next to vehicles like Audi AI Trail.

[@nandoman4769]

*makes you sick and depressed the more you look at it.

[@baileyschmidt5349]

I personally love the design of the cyber truck. To me it evokes vintage sci-fi pulp art. It feels like it jumped off of the page of a campy 60’s sci-fi comics. Totally respect and understand your points. Love the videos.

[@marcalvarez4890]

Ditto. All these criticisms of his could be applied to the original 1976 Countach...and would have been inaccurate then too. Its a novel, crazy, polarizing design...Im glad it exists.

[@mathewwilkins1613]

@@marcalvarez4890 not really as the Countach wasn't designed as "the future of supercars" it became the basis of future design just by being excellent. The Cybertuck looks dated just a year later, especially by European car design, volkswagen with their ID range just looks more natural on the road and if you just want a utilitarian vehicle why not get a Volvo XC90? looks a hell of a lot cleaner or if your desperate for a an electric pickup wait for the new Hummer

[@marcalvarez4890]

@@mathewwilkins1613 The VW ID range is vanilla blah, and will age as well as a 1998 camry. Marcello Ghandini most definitely was trying to design the future of supercars. Have you seen the Stratos and Scarabo? You think he was just screwing around with the doors? That man was reaching past the 1960s into the 2060s. We can agree to disagree. Strongly.

[@akshitdas2012]

Thank you so much Mr. Stephenson... Your video just confirms the fact that it's not just me who thinks Cyber truck is repulsive, it is utterly "repulsive. By the way, can I use your ending line as your quote for my website? The one in which you said, "Even if we're not able to ensure that the future is fair and hospitable, then the very least we can do is make sure tat the future is beautiful." It simply resonates with me so much!

[@FrankStephensondesign]

Thanks and of course you can use it! 👍

[@akshitdas2012]

@@FrankStephensondesign Thank you so much!!!!

[@hariharan224]

No matter how right you are about something, if you cannot compose yourself and get your point across while also using a little bit of technical mumbo jumbo everyone will just dismiss you as a "hater". Sir you have my respect for doing just that.