Tesla has been spotted testing the Cybertruck’s suspension at the company’s Fremont test track. This is the second sighting of the Cybertruck undergoing testing at the Fremont test track in the last few days, and is yet another sign that production is just around the corner.
Over the weekend the Cybertruck was seen doing laps around the Fremont test track, but this time Tesla was testing out the electric truck’s air suspension. In the six minute drone flyover video the Cybertruck can be seen going down three separate lanes over bumps in various sizes, shapes, and configurations. (h/t: @SawyerMerritt)
So far the only thing we know about the Cybertruck’s suspension is that it will be air suspension, a feature that has so far been reserved for Tesla’s flagship Model S and Model X vehicles, but is expected to be standard on all variants of the Cybertruck. Based on what was visible of the air suspension on the Cybertruck displayed at Investor Day, teardown titan Sandy Munro say it has the biggest air suspension cylinder they have ever seen on a consumer pickup truck.
Sandy Munro told me the Air Suspension cylinders are the biggest he’s ever seen, they are bigger than the ones available on Ram Trucks.
— Matthew Donegan-Ryan (@MatthewDR) March 10, 2023
The only other information we have on the Cybertruck’s suspension is from a brief glimpse of the underside of the truck in a crash test video (that doesn’t show the crash) released last week. According to an analysis of the image by Jordan and Cory from Munro & Associates, the length of the Cybertruck’s lower control arms appear to be notably greater than those featured in other Tesla models. This extension of the control arms enables the vehicle’s suspension to better adapt to uneven or bumpy surfaces, something which the test engineers inside the Cybertruck were able to experience today.
The Cybertruck’s subframe also features X-shaped geometries that may serve as stabilizers and support structures, including a plate that creates a double shear interface to stabilize the entire assembly, according to Jordan and Cory. Additionally, the pair points out the mounting points for the powertrain and the fact that the Cybertruck appears to not have a virtual ball front suspension like in the other Tesla models. From what limited information they could obtain from the image, the design was found to be relatively efficient and cost-effective, and Jordan and Cory were impressed with what they saw.
You can watch more of their analysis in the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnqKm4WJs1o
