A New Cybertruck Spotting Just Revealed Two Big Design Changes

A fresh sighting of Tesla's much-discussed Cybertruck electic vehicle has exposed some new design flourishes for the electric pickup. The Cybertruck's retrofuturistic Blade Runner visuals have already been the subject of some comment. Changes to its look may indicate the manufacturer has taken customer feedback onboard or that further changes are in store for the wild-looking pickup.

Of course, these changes could also mean nothing at all. Tesla knows how to work the media. The latest glance may just be the House of Musk doing what it does best: stirring up discussion to a profitable end. A simple but obvious change might be just the thing to get people talking about the Cybertruck again. After all, we are.

Regardless, it's been a long road for the Cybertruck from drawing board to working prototype. Any change on the way to full-scale production, currently slated for late 2023, is worth a look.

The first clear change to the Cybertruck has to do with the rearview mirrors. As Electrek correctly notes, the Cybertruck was originally meant to lack side mirrors, favoring the more futuristic solution of body-mounted cameras. Assuming the particular prototype that was spotted on the road in Palo Alto represents recent changes, that's at least one concession to reality from the aggressively conceptual Tesla truck.

The second, arguably more significant change is to the truck bed. Prior to this sighting, the Cybertruck had yet to be shown with a working, retractable tonneau cover. User Flavio Tronz on Instagram seems to have caught the Cybertruck with the cover half-retracted, suggesting that particular challenge has also been conquered.

In short, the Cybertruck seems to be getting the tweaks and flourishes to be expected for a car that is expected to enter full-scale production soon. The implementation of simple, proven solutions, like side mirrors, suggests that Tesla is getting real about putting their vision of the future on actual roads.