The current Tesla exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles hosts not only various concepts, prototypes and production vehicles from the EV maker, but also mockups, artworks and other design-related stuff.
One of the latter, more specifically a design sketch depicting a two-door Cybertruck, has captured the imagination of Tesla fans. Posted on Twitter by Miss Jillianne (@MissJillianne) and picked up by Teslarati, the sketch created significant buzz online as many commenters are convinced it previews the rumored smaller Tesla Cybertruck.
Now, before delving into speculation, it must be said that every new vehicle is preceded by hundreds of design sketches and renderings before it reaches production, and in most cases the final version of the vehicle ends up looking very different from the early sketches.
This is the most plausible explanation for this artwork, which is likely part of the concept art for the Cybertruck. Looking closely at the sketch, which is also briefly visible in CNBC's interview with Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen, some interesting details are worth mentioning beyond the obvious two-door configuration.
For example, compared to the most recent Cybertruck Alpha prototypes, the vehicle in the sketch features sportier proportions thanks to a shorter front hood and shorter windshield, as well as a more aggressive angle of the A-pillar.
The latter comes from the fact that the tip of the triangle formed by the A-pillar, roof and belt line is moved forward compared to actual Cybertruck prototypes. Another significant difference is in the area of the windshield, which is flanked by two triangular windows that project their plane into the hood. The truck bed is covered by a tonneau in this sketch, just like on the original Cybertruck prototype.
Some media outlets and Tesla fans claim the two-door Cybertruck looks smaller than the four-door model, but in the absence of any reference points, that's a difficult statement to make.
The comments to the Twitter post were mostly positive, with some people noting that they prefer the more compact look of the electric pickup truck. As a reminder, shortly after Tesla unveiled the Cybertruck in November 2019, CEO Elon Musk suggested that a more compact Cybertruck would make sense further down the line.
"Long term, it probably makes sense to build a smaller Cybertruck too," he tweeted at the time. Then in August 2020, Musk said a smaller Cybertruck was "highly likely down the road."
You can also catch a glimpse of the two-door Cybertruck sketch in the following video interview with Franz von Holzhausen courtesy of CNBC.
