We finally have a clear shot of the Tesla Cybertruck with frunk open

Published

2 years ago

September 1, 2023

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Tesla is currently testing the dual-motor Cybertruck, of which we’ve been getting a lot of pictures, and now we have the best look yet at its wide-but-shallow frunk.

We’ve seen photos of the Cybertruck’s massive frunk opening before, but they’ve always been taken from a distance or the side – never a great look at the actual opening and how much space there might be for cargo. Last month, we got a blurry side video of the frunk with the liner open, which gave a pretty good idea of what the opening looks like, but that was still at a poor angle.

This morning, we got more photos of the hood open, but there was no frunk liner installed, instead giving us a view of the car’s internals – or at least, the internals of an engineering test unit.

But now we have a full photo of the actual frunk open with lining installed, showing us just how much cargo space it will have and how usable that cargo space might be. Plus, despite the low resolution of the photo, if you look closely, you can see what looks like the Cybertruck logo embossed into the lining:

The photo was posted on the Cybertruck Owners Club forum by forum user Old Spice, aka Ben. It was taken today, but that’s all the information we have.

As shown in the last video, the opening is indeed rather shallow. It’s smaller than some other frunks we’ve seen lately – smaller than the F-150 Lightning’s huge opening, not as long as the Escalade IQ’s, and it may be less deep than the Rivian’s (though this is harder to tell from the photo).

Here are photos of the frunks on each of those three vehicles to get a sense of what we’re comparing with here:

electric escalade — F-
F-150 Lightning frunk

But the thing the Cybertruck has over all three of those frunks is width and ease of access. The Rivian is deep, but there’s a big lift-over ledge, which makes it more awkward to get heavy stuff inside. The Lightning has a bit of a lip, too, though it’s relatively low. The Escalade does well in this respect, with almost no lip, making it easy to slide objects in and out, but its frunk is narrower than the Cybertruck’s wide opening.

The Cybertruck’s frunk seems almost completely flat. There’s a small ridge there, but it’s not high enough to restrict sliding things in and out of it. So if you’ve got something heavy that you don’t want to lift in and out of the trunk, and would rather slide it in – like a cooler full of ice, for example – the design of the Cybertruck’s frunk will be good for that application.

Additionally, there’s very little bumper in front of it, and nothing is painted, so you don’t have to worry about scratching the paint or getting dirty stuff on the uncarpeted plastic interior. It even looks like it could serve as an impromptu bench for “frunk-gating,” but perhaps the trunk lid is a little too low for those purposes.

The ease of access does have a downside, however. Cargo (such as groceries) could shift around while driving and might end up leaning against the trunk opening, ready to spill out when opened. A net could solve this for owners who use their frunk for those purposes, though we don’t see any included mounting points for one in the photo.

And, while the frunk is a little shallow, Tesla claims the Cybertruck will be the first sub-19-foot pickup with four doors and a 6+ foot bed (though that record might not last long if the TELO truck makes it to production). Something had to give, and frankly, more trunk space is probably more usable than more frunk space. So it’s understandable that this choice was made.

What do you think of the Tesla Cybertruck’s frunk now that we’ve gotten a better look at it? Is it what you expected? What are you planning to carry around in it? Let us know in the comments.

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Wheel-E Podcast: 65 MPH ONYX moped, lightweight Dahon e-bikes, more

Published

3 hours ago

July 4, 2025

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Wheel-E Podcast: 65 MPH ONYX moped, lightweight Dahon e-bikes, more

This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes a new ONYX RCR 80V electric moped, new lightweight e-bike motors, Aventon’s powerful update, California cops catching illegal e-bike riders with drones, a super lightweight new e-bike from Dahon, and more.

Today’s episode is sponsored by CYCROWN, an e-Bike company born from a passion for cycling. Its lineup now includes the new CYCROWN Dremax – a high-performance urban commuter e-bike now on sale in the US and Canada. Use Electrek50 to save $50 off your new eBike when you order.

The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.

As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.

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After the show ends, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:

We also have a Patreon if you want to help us to avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.

Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:

Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 9:00 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:00 a.m. ET):

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Environment

China’s nationwide ‘cash for clunkers’ trade-in program causing huge e-bike boom

Published

9 hours ago

July 4, 2025

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China's nationwide 'cash for clunkers' trade-in program causing huge e-bike boom

While much of the Western world is still figuring out how to get more people on electric bikes, China just flipped a switch, and the results are staggering. Thanks to a generous nationwide trade-in program rolled out around six months ago, China has seen an explosive surge in electric bicycle sales, with over 8.47 million new e-bikes hitting the road in the first half of 2025 alone.

The program, which offers subsidies to riders who trade in their old, often outdated electric bikes for newer, safer, and more efficient models, has sparked a new e-bike sale boom in a country already dominated by e-bike travel. In major provinces like Jiangsu, Hebei, and Zhejiang, over one million new e-bikes were sold in each region in just six months. That’s a tidal wave of e-bike sales.

The incentives vary depending on location and the model being traded in, but for many consumers, the subsidies cover a substantial portion of a new e-bike’s price – enough to turn a “maybe next year” purchase into a “right now” upgrade. And these aren’t just budget bikes either. The program has driven demand for higher-quality models with better batteries, safer braking systems, and more reliable electronics, accelerating both adoption and innovation across the industry.

The move has proven successful in replacing the millions of older models with lower-quality lithium-ion batteries that had posed safety risks around the country. Instead, China has pushed for higher-quality lithium-ion batteries, a return to a newer generation of higher-performance AGM batteries, and even interesting new sodium-ion battery options.

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Most e-bikes in China look more like what we’d consider seated scooters

According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, more than 8.4 million consumers have participated in the e-bike trade-in program so far, contributing to a sales increase of 643.5% year-over-year and more than doubling sales month-over-month. Meanwhile, production of new electric bicycles rose by nearly 28%, as manufacturers scrambled to meet demand. The sales boosts have already been seen in the financial reports of major industry players like NIU.

And it’s not just the big players benefiting – over 82,000 small independent e-bike dealers reported average sales increases of ¥302,000 (around US $42,000), giving a serious boost to local economies.

What’s particularly striking here is how fast this happened. The program was officially launched late last year as part of a broader effort to stimulate domestic consumption and phase out outdated vehicles and appliances. But while most analysts expected gradual growth, the e-bike sector responded much more quickly. In less than a year, the trade-in subsidies have reshaped the electric bicycle market, creating a consumer-driven boom that shows no signs of slowing.

For those of us watching from outside China, it’s hard not to wonder what might happen if other countries tried something similar. While most families in Chinese cities already own an electric bike and thus see this as an opportunity to trade it in for a newer model, Western countries like the US are still figuring out how to stimulate commuters into buying their first e-bike.

It’s too soon to know exactly how long the boom will last or whether the momentum will carry into 2026 and beyond. We’ve seen bicycle industry bubbles grow and burst before. But one thing’s clear: with the right incentives, even modest ones, it’s possible to ignite real, large-scale change. China just proved it with nearly 8.5 million new e-bikes to show for it.

And if you’re wondering what it looks like when a country takes electric micromobility seriously, this is it.

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Environment

Day 1 of the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix 2025 [Gallery]

Published

16 hours ago

July 3, 2025

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Day 1 of the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix 2025 [Gallery]

electrek formula sun grand prix solar car track event race

Today was the official start of racing at the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix 2025! There was a tremendous energy (and heat) on the ground at NCM Motorsports Park as nearly a dozen teams took to the track. Currently, as of writing, Stanford is ranked #1 in the SOV (Single-Occupant Vehicle) class with 68 registered laps. However, the fastest lap so far belongs to UC Berkeley, which clocked a 4:45 on the 3.15-mile track. That’s an average speed of just under 40 mph on nothing but solar energy. Not bad!

In the MOV (Multi-Occupant Vehicle) class, Polytechnique Montréal is narrowly ahead of Appalachian State by just 4 laps. At last year’s formula sun race, Polytechnique Montréal took first place overall in this class, and the team hopes to repeat that success. It’s still too early for prediction though, and anything can happen between now and the final day of racing on Saturday.

Congrats to the teams that made it on track today. We look forward to seeing even more out there tomorrow. In the meantime, here are some shots from today via the event’s wonderful photographer Cora Kennedy.