Toronto, Ontario — In this weekly electric and autonomous vehicle report, Youtube channel i1Tesla puts the Cybertruck’s aerodynamics to the test; while Ford announces electric vehicle (EV) production delays and Hyundai and Kia reveal Dal-e the delivery robot.
An aerodynamic assessment
Tesla and Ceo Elon Musk previously claimed that the Cybertruck has a 0.34 drag coefficient and Youtube channel i1Tesla recently decided to put this figure to the test.
Specifically, i1Tesla took their Cybertruck to the A2 Wind Tunnel in North Carolina—the vehicle being one of the largest that has been tested in the company’s wind tunnel to date.
The results of the test found that the Cybertruck did in fact come close to Musk’s claims, sporting a drag coefficient of 0.384.
The video also notes that every wind tunnel is different, making it difficult to create a direct comparison with Tesla’s original figures. i1Tesla also acknowledged that their truck’s wrap did not impact results because the exterior texture and shape hadn’t changed.
These results, alongside Tesla’s original figures. Put the Cybertruck in the better half of electric pickups for aerodynamics. Notably, the Ford F-150 Lightning and GMC Hummer EV both perform worse with drag coefficients of 0.44 and 0.50 respectively. Chevy claims a 0.33 for the Silverado EV and Rivian notes a 0.30 for the R1T.
Check out i1Tesla’s video below.
A charged delay
Ford Motor Co. has announced that it will be delaying the start of electric vehicle (EV) production at its Oakville, Ont. plant until 2027.
The automaker had originally planned to start production at the plant—which currently employs 2,700 workers—in 2025, but announced last Thursday that this will not be the case.
In a recent press release, Ford said that the delay will give the consumer market more time to develop and also allow for further development of EV battery technology.
However, despite this delay in production, Ford did stress that it will still overhaul the plant and equip it with tools to produce EVs beginning this quarter as initially planned.
Dal-e delivers
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation unveiled the new design of the Dal-e Delivery robot on April 2nd.
This robot, based on the delivery robot originally introduced in December 2022, is expected to improve delivery performance, particularly in high-traffic settings such as offices and shopping malls.
According to the automaker, the new Dal-e has undergone improvements in both design and performance to deliver swifter and more dependable service. Specifically, to enhance driving stability, Dal-e Delivery has been designed as a square column with rounded corners and with its centre of gravity at the bottom. The robot also uses autonomous driving technology to recognize obstacles and to navigate in congested areas.
“Dal-e Delivery offers efficient and reliable. F and B and parcel dispatch service to ensure customers receive good promptly,” said Dong Jon Hyun, Vice President and Head of Robotics Lab at Hyundai Motor and Kia in a recent press release.
“Our vision extends to implementing infrastructure interworking across diverse spaces, including offices, restaurants and shopping malls.”
