In 2019 I started making a 3D model of the Tesla Cybertruck prototype version in Blender. Four years later, in 2023, Elon Musk finally released the production version of the Cybertruck. Since I've studied every millimeter of the prototype version to be able to make the 3D model I thought it would be interesting to make a comparison of how much changed during the four years.
Exterior
Front bumper. The black front bumper has become bigger and smoother, most likely to improve the aerodynamics of the vehicle. They also added a mudguard for the front and rear wheels attached to it.
Front window. Like the front bumper has become smoother to improve aerodynamics, so has the front window which is now rounded - it used to be completely flat (To be honest I think this is the case anyway - it is not rounded much to make it super visible).
Windscreen wiper. They added a windscreen wiper (apparently the world's largest), which is on the left side of the Cybertruck (I mirrored the photo above to easier compare them). I'm not sure why the prototype version didn't have a windscreen wiper. I think Elon Musk talked about using some other method to wipe the windshield but I guess they didn't work out - or the regulators didn't allow them.
Rearview mirror. They added rearview mirrors. All the way back to the Tesla Model X, Elon Musk has talked about removing rearview mirrors because they are kinda ugly and instead use cameras, but current US regulations are making it difficult to remove them. But they are apparently easily removable I guess if the regulators are changing their mind...
Front lights. The main light is apparently not the light bar (the big light stretching from left to right), the main light is the light immediately above the bumper. I don't recall seeing a light there in the prototype version.
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Frunk. The frunk (front trunk) hatch has become bigger. In the prototype version the hatch was open above the light bar, but now the entire section above the bumper opens. I guess it makes it easier to load and offload your stuff?
Door handles. If I recall correctly Tesla said early they would remove the door handles which were visible in the prototype version - and yes they are gone. You open the doors by pressing a button on the black list above the metal part of the doors. Removing the door handles has caused some criticism because people touches the metal part of the door opening the door which leaves ugly fingerprints clearly visible on the metal. You can open the doors without touching the metal, but I guess people's muscle memory prevents them from doing so.
Dimensions. The production version Cybertruck is 5 percent smaller than the prototype (in all dimensions). To be honest when you look at the production version it actually looks a little more squeezed and people on Internet think it looks more cartoonish.
Rear bumper. The rear bumper looks the same, but it now seems to be protruding backwards to outside of the main body. It also looks like they added something to below the rear bumper but it's hard to see.
Bed (trunk). The trunk has become black, otherwise the geometry is roughly the same. Why the changed? Apparently Tesla talked with some potential customers who said they would spray line the metal in the trunk to not damage it. The stripes are now protruding out from the trunk, in the prototype they were intruding into the trunk.
Tailgate. The corner of the upper part of the tailgate used to be a triangle, but now the shape is different. This also means the rear light, which used to be a single section, has been cut up into three parts. The tailgate in the prototype version could be extended down to the ground (we could see a Cyberquad drive up it to the bed) but I don't think that's longer possible.
Hatches. There's still a hatch in the bottom of the bed. But there was also a hatch on the side of the bed shown during the Cybertruck prototype presentation. I haven't found any information of it the production version so I suspect it has been removed. I never saw it in a physical version of the prototype either.
Charging flap. Was moved from behind the rear wheel to on top of the left-rear fender.
Color. Yes it does come in black. I made my prototype version red because I think it looked cool. But apparently just black and stainless steel are the only currently available colors.
Interior
Steering wheel. The steering wheel is not round - but it is rounder than in the prototype. Also the cylinder connecting the steering wheel to the dashboard is now round - it used to be like hexagonal shaped.
Door interior. Has changed slightly to become more minimalistic.
Interior rearview mirror. Is now an actual mirror and not a digital screen in the roof. The physical mirror can be removed because the rear view is often blocked because of the cover covering the trunk (bed). The digital rearview mirror was moved to the digital screen.
Sun visors. I saw no sun visors in the prototype version, but they were added to the production version. They are removable.
Glovebox. They added a glovebox below the front panel on the passenger's side. This space was empty in the prototype version.
Beam. There was a rather ugly beam in the prototype version located below the digital screen close to the driver. It looks like they replaced it with two smaller beams.
Front seats. The back of the front seats were in the prototype made of some hard plastic material with rough shape. The back of the front seats are now smooth with paper holders like regular car seats. Otherwise the design of the seats look roughly the same.
Rear small screen. The back seats have gotten a small screen in the center below the foldable seat.
I love this breakdown. It is a long time from first thought to completed truck. I'm honestly impressed with the number of things they could keep the same. One sad loss IMO was the 6 seater option. But win some you lose some ?
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