Elon Musk to Release Special Edition Cybertruck made from Recycled Starship Mk1 Steel, Hints at Compact Version of Futuristic Pickup

Elon Musk has discussed possible future variants of his Cybertruck, including a special edition version made from recycled Starship steel as well as a compact version of the pickup. The future variants would be beneficial for Tesla in terms of cost-saving and manufacturing. So it is probable that the all-electric company would indeed release a Cybertruck made with MK-1 steel and a smaller version of it, too.

Elon Musk was very active on Twitter lately and took the time to reply to any questions or ideas people shared with him about Tesla’s Cybertruck. One of the more fun replies may have been the idea bounced by space enthusiast @Erdayastronaut, who suggested making a special edition CYBRTRK made from Starship MK-1 steel. Tesla’s CEO was taken aback by the suggestion but agreed to it anyway.

The concept for @Erdayastronaut’s special edition Cybertruck would fit into both Tesla and SpaceX’s business profile very well. Both companies focus on sustainability within their own sectors of industry. Tesla’s goal is to promote sustainable energy to prevent further damage to the Earth’s environment. Meanwhile, SpaceX aims for sustainable space travel through its recyclable rocket parts.

Really? Ok sure.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 24, 2019

During the Cybertruck’s unveiling, Musk briefly mentioned that Starship will use the same stainless steel like the one found on Tesla’s pickup truck. It is uncertain if the exact same type of stainless steel was used on MK-1, but future versions of Starship will likely be sharing this component with the Cybertruck.

Still, Starship Mark 1 is made of a type of stainless steel and would be sturdy enough for Elon Musk’s robust pickup truck. After all, a recycled sheet of stainless steel from Starship MK-1 would have gone through some rigorous tests to make it flight-worthy. According to a previous Tesmanian report, MK-1 tests recently started earlier this month in Boca Chica, Texas. Unfortunately, the results of its tests weren’t too pleasing. SpaceX has since moved on to Starships MK-2 and MK-3, with MK-1 now serving mostly as a manufacturing pathfinder. 

Due to the rigorous tests done on MK-1's steel, however, Tesla will have to figure out a way to adapt its stainless steel to the Cybertruck’s origami-like manufacturing process. Musk has mentioned that Tesla still needs to figure out a way to produce multiple stainless steel exoskeletons for the Cybertruck to meet demands because traditional methods can not be used.

Long term, it probably makes sense to build a smaller Cybertruck too

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 24, 2019

But this is not all. Apart from a potential SpaceX Starship MK-1 edition of the Cybertruck, the all-electric pickup's new manufacturing process is the same reason Elon Musk agreed to a smaller version of the all-electric pickup in the future. Another of Musk’s Twitter followers, @S_Padival, suggested making a compact version of the Cybertruck to solve its unique manufacturing process conundrum. Musk seemed to give it much thought and eventually deemed it to be the more sensible route to take for the Cybertruck in the future.

Manufacturing a smaller version of the Cybertruck makes good business sense for Tesla, considering that full-sized pickups are not as popular in regions such as Europe due to the countries' smaller roads. This is one of the reasons why midsize pickups such as the Ford Ranger have seen massive success abroad. With this in mind, a smaller Cybertruck would definitely allow Tesla to take a bit more of the lucrative pickup market. 

The Cybertruck received polarized reviews when it was unveiled, but the all-electric truck seems to be winning more and more people over slowly every day. So, future iterations of the pickup, like one made with Starship MK-1 steel or a compact version, may not be too far-fetched. However, it depends on the first batch of Cybertrucks Tesla releases, which is highly dependent on its production method.

Featured Image Credit: Tesla

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