I think it looks bad-ass from the side profile. A little bit naff from the front. 

Geektastic:

 

Most people who but a Ute for actual work are going to want 4wd and aren't going to buy it based on economics unless it can be made to compare financially with the current vehicles they buy.

Tradesmen and farmers aren't poseurs buying Chelsea Tractors for the school run.

Anecdotally I don’t think this is correct. Most tradesmen wouldn’t need 4WD, and probably a fair percentage of farmers don’t need it either. Both groups would spend what they need. I reckon the sales statistics bear reflect this anecdote.

i reckon 4WD are preferred by a fair percentage of farmers, and outdoors lifestylers who spend a bit of time off-road, towing boats, and the like.

I don’t think anyone gets a ute for the school run.

BlinkyBill:

 

...

 

The exoskeleton approach is revolutionary for pickup trucks and I bet will enable a lot of function. Air suspension is pretty cool, 220v outlets. I do wonder if other wheels will be available, a bit worried the show vehicle wheels might clog up with mud.

 

i will probably pre-order the dual motor after a bit.

 

it is blimmin huge though.

 

Air suspension will be great for vairing loads. The likes of a hilux suspention is jarringly hard when the vehicle is empty, but still sags a lot in the tail when loaded. Note that air suspension has a bad rep with regards to reliability. Older range rovers often end up with the flash air suspension swapped out for coil's, when the owners get sick of the system breaking.

With regards to the size, this won't be an issue in the USA as the size pritty closely matches the dual cab F150. In NZ though, The ranger raptor is currently marketed under the tag line "you are going to need a bigger garage". This is the same width as a ranger raptor (seen as a very wide car here), and 500mm longer. Will struggle to fit carparks etc. Likely will end up over 3500kg GVM which means a 90Km/h speed limit which will suck.

Geektastic:

Most people who but a Ute for actual work are going to want 4wd and aren't going to buy it based on economics unless it can be made to compare financially with the current vehicles they buy.

Tradesmen and farmers aren't poseurs buying Chelsea Tractors for the school run.

The 2wd utes are popular for commercial use too. That segment is quite price sensitive, and the $10,000+ saving of a 2wd is compelling unless the commercial use case requires 4wd. As an example, the hilux has a trim called "workmate" which is exclusively 2wd. Most tradies work in the urban residential / commercial / industrial sectors where driveways passable by 2wd cars seem the norm. When I last worked in a trade role (marine industry), our company Utes were all 2wd). Serious trades seem to prefer vans anyway. My impression is that those with flash double cab utes want them to double up as a work vehicle and a lifestyle / weekend vehicle, or just want the tax advantages.

Rural / farmer duty is a bit different. Generally 4wd is required, but it is hard to justify a NZD100k vehicle with a 4.5sec 0-60mph time to beat up on the farm. I imagine much of that market will be put off by the lack of a flat deck as option. That said, as it stands, currently some farms don't pay the premium for 4wd, as they have tractors & quads / side by sides to use when conditions are poor.

I think this vehicle is targeted solidly at the recreational market. Features that justify it's price to the private buyers (such as crazy fast acceleration, and comfy ride with adjustable air suspension) are simply not not high on the priory list for commercial buyers. This isn't a big issue. A decent portion of the utes on our roads are privately owned (or effectively privately owned in the case small business owners).

BlinkyBill:

 

Anecdotally I don’t think this is correct. Most tradesmen wouldn’t need 4WD, and probably a fair percentage of farmers don’t need it either. Both groups would spend what they need. I reckon the sales statistics bear reflect this anecdote.

 

i reckon 4WD are preferred by a fair percentage of farmers, and outdoors lifestylers who spend a bit of time off-road, towing boats, and the like.

 

I don’t think anyone gets a ute for the school run.

 

Yeah they do need 4wd, often going onto half finished building sites, taking materials on to lawns and other parts of properties that are not paved etc, even if thats just to fold down the tray and use it as an extension of the work surface.

richms:

 

BlinkyBill:

 

Anecdotally I don’t think this is correct. Most tradesmen wouldn’t need 4WD, and probably a fair percentage of farmers don’t need it either. Both groups would spend what they need. I reckon the sales statistics bear reflect this anecdote.

 

i reckon 4WD are preferred by a fair percentage of farmers, and outdoors lifestylers who spend a bit of time off-road, towing boats, and the like.

 

I don’t think anyone gets a ute for the school run.

 

 

Yeah they do need 4wd, often going onto half finished building sites, taking materials on to lawns and other parts of properties that are not paved etc, even if thats just to fold down the tray and use it as an extension of the work surface.

 

Regardless as with the Hilux & Ranger, the Tesla has 4wd available at a price premium. That said the price premium is heaps bigger on the Tesla as AWD comes packaged with longer range, and much higher performance / tow rating.

Not sure what you are referring to as $39k with $8k discount. The $39k price is in USD, not NZD. In fact, outside of the USA the website does not shown any prices for the vehicle itself.

boosacnoodle:

Not sure what you are referring to as $39k with $8k discount. The $39k price is in USD, not NZD. In fact, outside of the USA the website does not shown any prices for the vehicle itself.

boosacnoodle:

Not sure what you are referring to as $39k with $8k discount. The $39k price is in USD, not NZD. In fact, outside of the USA the website does not shown any prices for the vehicle itself.

 You are hoping that they dont tank the currency any further to get it under that point. If that happens then perhaps they will do what they did for Canada and cripple it furthur to get the price down.

richms:

 You are hoping that they dont tank the currency any further to get it under that point. If that happens then perhaps they will do what they did for Canada and cripple it furthur to get the price down.

richms:

 

BlinkyBill:

 

Anecdotally I don’t think this is correct. Most tradesmen wouldn’t need 4WD, and probably a fair percentage of farmers don’t need it either. Both groups would spend what they need. I reckon the sales statistics bear reflect this anecdote.

 

i reckon 4WD are preferred by a fair percentage of farmers, and outdoors lifestylers who spend a bit of time off-road, towing boats, and the like.

 

I don’t think anyone gets a ute for the school run.

 

 

Yeah they do need 4wd, often going onto half finished building sites, taking materials on to lawns and other parts of properties that are not paved etc, even if thats just to fold down the tray and use it as an extension of the work surface.

 

Maybe, but in many cases with building sites etc, one of the the first things that needs to done after clearing is to get access to the site for trucks to deliver steel for foundations, concrete etc.  If you can't get a Toyota Corolla to the site, good luck getting anything delivered when and where you need it.  You can't load much in the back of a dual cab ute compared to a van.

Most trades people don't need 4WD.  When they are needed, the typical double cab "ute" is a pretty horrible work vehicle.  They're high sided - so you'd really need to be an 8 foot tall gorilla to be able to lean over to find tools, if the tools etc are heavy, then you'll need a good chiropractor to calm the damage from trying to lift stuff over the sides, if the ute has a canopy, then you'll need a dwarf apprentice to crawl inside to find stuff.  Most tradies I know that do have utes tend to go for single or crew-cab so you get a longer deck, then get a chassis cab with either a low-sided flat deck or get something made up themselves or DIY to suit their trade, with accessible and well organised secure tool trays etc, often ugly-as but practical.

Maybe tesla should look at the new Transit vans, with long and short wheel base, high and standard roof.  They're pretty good and decently priced, but a full electric version of one of those, with 4WD optional and reasonable range, would be the perfect tradie vehicle.

There are currently 7352 utes listed on trademe.  3042 of them are 4WD.  I think it's safe to say there is a market in NZ for 2WD utes

BlinkyBill:

 

Geektastic:

 

Most people who but a Ute for actual work are going to want 4wd and aren't going to buy it based on economics unless it can be made to compare financially with the current vehicles they buy.

Tradesmen and farmers aren't poseurs buying Chelsea Tractors for the school run.

 

Anecdotally I don’t think this is correct. Most tradesmen wouldn’t need 4WD, and probably a fair percentage of farmers don’t need it either. Both groups would spend what they need. I reckon the sales statistics bear reflect this anecdote.

 

i reckon 4WD are preferred by a fair percentage of farmers, and outdoors lifestylers who spend a bit of time off-road, towing boats, and the like.

 

I don’t think anyone gets a ute for the school run.

 

Anecdotally or not, almost every tradesman round here drives a 4WD ute, so does every farmer and the farm staff.

Your anecdote may be correct in Auckland, it is not correct in the actual working countryside.