Remember the Tesla Cybertruck? The stainless steel, futuristic-looking EV pickup that debuted way back in 2019? It’s now 2022 and … still no Cybertruck. It’s been delayed again with the new production date being sometime this year. We know how Tesla can be with its deadlines. But that’s not stopping the aftermarket. As Business Insider reports, one company has “developed” a camper for the Cybertruck, despite the truck technically not existing.
The company is rather interesting in that it’s not an automotive company nor does it usually make anything that has to do with vehicles. Called Stream It, the company specialises in artificial intelligence and software. And the CEO, Lance King, talks a big game.
[The RV industry] hasn’t innovated in 50 years. They’re not going to get a stroke of genius and create a new RV. And I thought, ‘who could do it? The only company I can think of that could do that is my company. We’ve got the software developers, we’ve got the AI, and we’re really creative. We wanted it to be a Tesla-like experience even when you were in a RV.
From office, to dining, to sleeping just like that. Transforming your Cyberlandr to meet your needs will be this easy!
At Cyberlandr we are striving to ensure that there is no wasted space inside your Cyberlandr.#cyberlandr #tesla #cybertruck pic.twitter.com/1BYDAHVvQq— cyberlandr (@cyberlandr) April 21, 2021
That sounds great, but how are you designing and testing prototypes, sir? I doubt Tesla is handing them out to the aftermarket to play with. Anyway, the company is calling the camper the Cyberlandr. For $US50,000 (A$69,410), you’d be getting a steel-bodied camper that fits in the bed of the Cybertruck. The only simple thing about it is that it has a living room, a bedroom, and a bathroom and that it stows in the bed of the truck when not in use. Everything else is as unnecessarily complicated as you would expect from a tech company, like voice control for the lights, water faucet, and temp controls. And for some reason, King feels updates and AI make it worthy to be a Cybertruck camper.
The company claims to have $US80 ($111) million in pre-orders despite its recent unveiling in April. Business Insider says it has verified these sales but didn’t say how. And remember what I mentioned about designing something for a product that doesn’t exist yet? King is nervous about it but doesn’t think the final design of the truck will change much:
The product is wholly dependent on the final Cybertruck specifications, so if Tesla doesn’t share them before the Cybertrucks are shipped out, the team will have to take their own measurements and tweak the designs. This means the first few customers might not have their Cyberlandrs by the time their Cybertrucks are ready.
Feel better yet? You shouldn’t if you order one of these things because this is the elephant in the room.