Tesla Cybertruck teardown finds Mexican parts and 'launch' quality as it demos wire steering

Tesla's lead Cybertruck engineer Wes Morrill recently said that, along with the Model Y, the electric pickup is the most made-in-America vehicle sold in the US.

About 65% of the Cybertruck's parts are made in the US or Canada, and 25% come from Mexico, revealed Wes. The Model Y is also 90% North American, but with 20% Mexican parts.

Some of the Cybertruck's made-in-Mexico steering and suspension components were on full display in its first teardown that also showcased the sprawling battery pack.

Structural 4680 battery

The Cybertruck's 123 kWh 4680 structural battery is actually a part of the chassis, just like in the Texas-made Model Y, and serves as the base on which the seats are mounted. This doesn't bode well for the battery's serviceability or repairs, but that's how modern electric vehicles are built.

It remains to be seen if structural packs will be a problem after the typical 8-year warranty expires, or when the packs need replacing. Some EV makers are now pushing for 15-year EV battery warranty as the current chemistries are sophisticated enough to allow it, even at 85% capacity retention.

Cybertruck build quality

The other interesting observation during the inaugural Cybertruck teardown was that its build suffers from the typical, as the presenter called it, "launch quality" issues. He cited the popping rubber seals of the Cybertruck's doors as one example, as well as the wrong hinge that a Giga Texas employee placed there in a hurry.

Those are attributed to the vehicle launch haste and the syncing of the assembly line teams, and are usually ironed out with time, he added. Elon Musk recently commented on several cases of wide Cybertruck panel gaps, saying that it only affected a small batch of 15 vehicles.

Rear wire steering

The Cybertruck teardown team hoisted one up and was able to showcase both the new steer-by-wire system and the rear steering angle in relationship to the front wheels turning. Tesla's chief engineer LArs Moravy explained that the new 48V low-voltage system of the Cybertruck is what actually made the synchronized steer-by-wire mechanism possible.

Tesla is now able to send an amount of power to the electrical steering motors that would've been prohibitive over the older 12V architecture. The steer-by-wire system has redundancy systems built all over it, with two electric motors at the front just in case one of them malfunctions.

Cybertruck gigacasting

The other interesting thing that the teardown showcases, is the huge rear gigacasting of the Cybertruck, which potentially makes any big repair or service jobs very challenging. The same goes for the Texas-made Model Y, of course, which also has a structural 4680 battery pack.

Insurers balk at those hard or expensive to service vehicle builds, often preferring to total the electric vehicle instead of fixing it. Tesla took notice and tries to design and train for easier repairs. If all else fails, Tesla provides gigacast parts at cost to service centers, but it's too early to tell how the process will go with the Cybertruck.

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