Tesla Cybertruck spotted in new color - hints at upcoming wraps?

author: FutureCar Staff    

Tesla's highly anticipated Cybertruck is set to hit the road later this month, and it has been spotted today in a unique color - matte black. This is the first time we have seen the Cybertruck in anything other than its signature unpainted stainless steel.

While we have seen the Cybertruck with various wraps before, they were mostly camouflage or jokes to disguise it as another truck. The appearance of these wraps sparked speculation that Tesla might offer wraps as an option when the Cybertruck is released. However, none of the wraps we have seen so far seemed like they would be available to the public.

Now, we have finally seen an actual wrap that someone might not be embarrassed to drive in. This matte black Cybertruck was spotted in Santa Monica, driving by a "Teslas & Coffee" event. Videos of the vehicle were shared on social media and on the cybertruckownersclub forum. The Cybertruck was being driven by Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla's design chief, who happens to live nearby.

Originally, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that the Cybertruck could be any color as long as it was nothing. He explicitly mentioned that Tesla would not offer wraps, at least initially. However, he did mention that there are third-party installers who would be willing to install wraps for customers.

As the Cybertruck is now nearing production, with initial deliveries scheduled for the end of this month, it seems more likely that Tesla may offer wraps. Tesla has recently started installing its own wraps on the Model 3 and Model Y, although they come at a starting price of $7,500. These wraps use a more expensive paint protection film (PPF) instead of vinyl film, as it is thicker, has a longer warranty, and provides better protection for the paint underneath.

Wrapping the Cybertruck should be easier than wrapping the Model 3 or Model Y due to its lack of curves, making installation and cutting simpler. However, the Cybertruck is larger than those vehicles, so it will likely require more material for wrapping.

Since the Cybertruck does not have any paint underneath, it may not be necessary to use the more expensive colored PPF film, and vinyl could be sufficient. Speculation suggests that these wraps could be available within six months at a price range of $8,000 to $12,000, indicating the use of PPF.

It is unclear whether the wrap seen on the Cybertruck today was PPF or vinyl, and it is likely not the final production specification. It remains uncertain if Tesla will offer production wraps at all or if this was simply a one-off because Franz von Holzhausen liked it.

However, the sighting of a wrapped Cybertruck, combined with Tesla's recent move to install its own wraps, does provide more evidence that wraps may indeed be available. What are your thoughts? Do you think Tesla will offer factory wraps? Does the Cybertruck in the video look better to you? Let us know in the comments.

FutureCar Staff