Tesla Cybertruck, Cyberbeast in Italy and why a 48 V revolution

Tesla Cybertruck arrives in Italy with Cyberbeast. The three-electric motor model, an all-wheel drive pick-up, is on tour in our country to test the waters in view of a possible launch in the Old Continent.

48 VOLT REVOLUTION

In 1955 the automotive industry, due to greater demands on on-board devices, has moved on from 6 volts to 12 volts. So, except for those who drove more than 70 years ago, we have always been used to talking about 12 volts in the world of cars, so much so that when referring to car batteries it is not uncommon to hear in colloquial language “12 volts are dead”.

Tesla has instead decided to redefine the rules of the low voltage system, bringing it to a minimum standard which is much higher: 48 volts. To be clear, 48v systems are used today from micro hybrid cars for the propulsion part (the engine and the electric generator), while here we are talking about quadrupling the base voltage of the basic electrical system.

On a Model 3 the electrical system works at 12 volts like all cars, and the traction system in the order of 400 V like most electric cars. On Cybertruck the electrical system is 48 volts, the traction system is 800 V

What are the benefits? It’s not just a question of power, but also of general optimization of the entire system and consumption given that heat dissipation is better.

The power in watts is given by the current (A) multiplied by the voltage (V). Since it is the current that determines the sizing of the cables, for the same current with a higher voltage, greater power can be obtained with a lower section (and weight) for the cables. And it is enough to take a trip to any supply store to realize both the savings in terms of mass for cables of different sections, and the savings in purely economic terms.

The Tesla Model Y and Cybertruck have the same electric windshield wiper motor, but the pickup’s 48-volt system allows it to easily handle the “effort” of a larger blade.

The electrical system configured in this way supports high loads more easily because its efficiency is better, and this also has repercussions on the highway of cables that today runs (invisible but certainly not light) under the bodywork of modern cars.

In short, the best efficiency in energy supply allows the system to handle higher loads with smaller wiring, avoiding the oversizing of cables required by 12 volt systems. This results in less weight which, in turn, improves the overall efficiency of the vehicle in terms of consumption. Obviously all the devices need to be redesigned, but the use of the increased voltage system allows you to easily transform the steering from traditional to “by-wire”, without the shaft that connects the steering wheel to the steering rack.

TECHNIQUE, MOTORS AND BATTERY

The steer-by-wire In practice, it transforms into maximum steering with minimal movement of the hands. On Cybertruck it is then combined with the rear wheel steeringan almost mandatory system on a beast of this size to shorten the virtual wheelbase when maneuvering and transform the “mega-pickup” into a car that can also be managed in the city.

The other electrical system is the one dedicated to tractionwho works with two engines on Dual Motor (all-wheel drive) or with three engines on the Cyberbeat Tri-Motor. Both integrate an electromechanical locking front differential.

The battery has a structural function and therefore becomes the floor of the pickup, contributing largely to the rigidity of the frame. The integration of the battery as a floor is such that the passenger compartment elements (seats and central console) are anchored to the battery pack.

What you see on the outside, and it is one of the peculiarities that have made the pick-up famous at the various presentation events, is the stainless steel cladding protagonist of the various bullet resistance tests (45 mm caliber, 9 mm caliber and 12 mm caliber rifles). The windows, on the other hand, use a composite material (glass and polymers) and are all acoustic glass.

The Cybertruck’s technology also includes a 1,700 liter platform with an electrified water-resistant cover that can also be controlled by external switches and which holds up to 136 kg. In the floor there are two sockets (one 120 V and the other 240 V) and two LED bars used as lights to facilitate loading and unloading operations at night.

There is no trunk, but there is a frunk (trunk under the bonnet) which loads up to 200 kilograms.

The last element to point out is that of suspensions pneumatic and adaptive: in Auto mode they manage the settings independently and, depending on the load, they level themselves based on sensor data.

TECHNOLOGY AND INTERIORS

The interior always maintains a minimalist style and follows the Tesla classics, obviously increasing all the numbers. So the display is a 18.5″ high resolution touchscreen (2560 x 1440 pixels, at 60 Hz). Behind it there is a second screen, also touch, 9.4″ with a resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels, also with a refresh rate of 60 Hz.

The technological equipment is completed by four USB-C ports, two 120 V sockets for any electronic device, two wireless chargers for smartphones and ambient lighting LEDs.

The passenger compartment allows up to 1,533 liters of space (in addition to that in the cargo area) because the second row seats fold upwards creating a flat bottom.

IT TRANSFORMS INTO A COLUMN AND POWERS THE HOUSE

With Cybertruck the concept of an integrated electric car is raised to the nth degree. Cybertruck works with the home, powers any device, in practice it is already ready for the standard V2Hin addition to V2L. And he does all this with one output power up to 11.5 kW if we consider how the Tesla electric pickup is used in combination with the Powershare home backup kit.

However, when you switch to the Powershare Mobile Connector, the kit to use to transform the Cybertruck into a charging station for other electric vehicles, the power is a maximum of 9.6 kW via the sockets integrated into the floor. Obviously you can also connect to smaller loads (a TV, an electric hob and so on).

TECHNICAL SHEET CYBERBEAST (TRI-MOTOR)