CNBC Ambition
Tesla plans to scale down the production Cybertruck by roughly five percent so the electric pickup can fit inside standard residential garages without sacrificing its bulletproof stainless-steel shell.
AI-assisted summary of ELON MUSK, JAY LENO AND THE 2021 CYBERTRUCK (FULL SEGMENT) | Jay Leno's Garage — original source. Check the original for full context.
Source published:
Key ideas
- Elon Musk explained to Jay Leno that Tesla planned to shrink the Cybertruck prototype by roughly 5% across all dimensions so the production version could fit into a standard residential garage. (1:32)
- The Cybertruck features cold-rolled 300-series stainless steel body panels and custom armored glass, engineered to be handgun-bulletproof. (1:32)
- Leno and Musk drove the prototype through The Boring Company's one-mile test tunnel beneath Hawthorne, demonstrating the vehicle's clearance and underground transit concepts. (3:18)
- Musk addressed earthquake concerns underground, explaining that tunnels behave like submarines during ocean swells and are structurally safer than surface infrastructure during seismic activity. (3:18)
Detailed notes
## Background Published on YouTube by CNBC Ambition on May 28, 2020, this segment from Jay Leno's Garage features host Jay Leno taking the 2021 Tesla Cybertruck for a spin alongside SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The video showcases the vehicle's unique design and sports car-like performance as the duo test-drives it on public roads and through an experimental transit tunnel.
## TL;DR Jay Leno inspects the futuristic Tesla Cybertruck prototype with Elon Musk, exploring its motorized tonneau cover, cold-rolled stainless steel body, and armored glass. After taking the wheel on public streets, Leno learns about planned production adjustments, including a five percent scale reduction to fit standard garages. The drive takes an impromptu detour to Hawthorne, where Leno pilots the wide electric pickup through The Boring Company's mile-long subterranean test tunnel. Musk addresses earthquake safety concerns before an automotive elevator lifts the truck back to the surface.
## Atmosphere & style The segment carries an enthusiastic, lighthearted, and forward-looking tone fueled by Leno's genuine car-guy curiosity and Musk's casual, ambitious demeanor. The dynamic feels like two tech-minded friends embarking on an impromptu science-fiction adventure, shifting from an analytical automotive walkthrough to spontaneous suspense as they test whether the massive truck can squeeze through the narrow underground bore. It conveys a palpable sense of futuristic wonder mixed with easy humor about surviving the apocalypse.
## Bulletin - [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=92s) Elon Musk explained to Jay Leno that Tesla planned to shrink the Cybertruck prototype by roughly 5% across all dimensions so the production version could fit into a standard residential garage. - [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=92s) The Cybertruck features cold-rolled 300-series stainless steel body panels and custom armored glass, engineered to be handgun-bulletproof. - [03:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=198s) Leno and Musk drove the prototype through The Boring Company's one-mile test tunnel beneath Hawthorne, demonstrating the vehicle's clearance and underground transit concepts. - [03:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=198s) Musk addressed earthquake concerns underground, explaining that tunnels behave like submarines during ocean swells and are structurally safer than surface infrastructure during seismic activity.
## Key takeaways - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=1s) Jay Leno notes that conventional pickup buyers are traditionally conservative, but the Cybertruck deliberately breaks design norms to make existing trucks look dated. - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=1s) The rear cargo bed features a motorized tonneau cover ('the vault') strong enough to support the weight of a person walking on it. - [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=92s) Musk outlines Tesla's philosophy that production vehicles should surpass concept show cars, avoiding the industry tendency to water down designs. - [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=92s) Tesla intended to reduce the Cybertruck's overall dimensions by approximately 5% to ensure it fits comfortably in standard home garages. - [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=92s) The vehicle's exterior panels are made from 300-series cold-rolled stainless steel designed to resist handgun fire. - [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=92s) Musk jokes about wanting Tesla to lead in 'apocalypse technology' when explaining the utility of bulletproof construction on a civilian vehicle. - [03:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=198s) Leno drives the wide Cybertruck through The Boring Company's Hawthorne test tunnel to evaluate clearances in an improvised real-world test. - [03:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=198s) Commercial Boring Company networks are intended to utilize multiple parallel tunnels with interconnecting access doors, emergency alcoves, and autonomous vehicle operation via Autopilot. - [03:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=198s) Musk argues that tunnels are inherently safer than surface roadways during earthquakes, comparing subterranean stability to a submarine submerged beneath surface waves. - [05:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=318s) The underground transit demonstration concludes with an automotive elevator lift hoisting the truck back to street level with only inches of clearance.
## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=1s) First Impressions and the Motorized Vault
Jay Leno meets up with Elon Musk to get his first look at the futuristic, science-fiction-inspired Tesla Cybertruck in person. While Leno had seen the vehicle on television during its November 2019 unveiling, he remarks that nothing compares to standing right next to it. Leno points out that traditional pickup truck buyers are typically conservative and expect vehicles that adhere strictly to standard truck aesthetics. The Cybertruck deliberately upends those expectations, looking unlike anything else on the road and making conventional pickups look dated by comparison. Musk explains the reasoning behind the radical departure, noting that conventional truck styling carries rigid preconceived notions and that going bold required completely breaking the norm.
Musk walks Leno to the rear of the truck to demonstrate the motorized bed enclosure, referred to as the vault. At the touch of a button, the tonneau cover smoothly retracts to reveal a spacious cargo bed. Musk jokes that there is enough room to mount a missile launcher if an owner desired. When Leno inquires about the durability of the retractable cover, Musk explains that it is exceptionally stout and strong enough to support the weight of a person walking on it, ensuring that any valuable gear locked inside remains protected against theft.
- **Unveiling Date:** The vehicle was originally revealed by Musk in November 2019. - **Tonneau Cover (The Vault):** Fully motorized, operated with a single button press, and engineered to support full body weight while securing cargo.
```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Cybertruck Vault Functionality accDescr: Diagram illustrating the operation and structural integrity of the Cybertruck rear vault. subgraph VaultSystem["Cybertruck Vault"] A["Push-Button Control"] --> B["Motorized Retraction"] B --> C["Full Bed Access"] C --> D["Secure Cargo Storage"] end subgraph Durability["Bed Cover Strength"] E["Walk-On Load Capacity"] --> F["Anti-Theft Protection"] end VaultSystem --> Durability ```
[01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=92s) On the Road: Proportions, Armor Glass, and Stainless Steel
Leno takes the wheel on public streets, noting that the Cybertruck retains the signature driving feel of other Tesla models with immediate electric torque and acceleration. He is particularly impressed by the spacious greenhouse and wide, open sightlines. When Leno asks how closely this prototype mirrors the eventual production version, Musk emphasizes Tesla's core design philosophy: “At Tesla we always want to have the production car be better than the show car.” Musk shares his frustration with other automakers who generate excitement with stunning concept vehicles only to release compromised, inferior production models.
Musk reveals that although the proportions of the prototype are close to final, the production version will be shrunk uniformly by roughly five percent so that it can comfortably fit inside a standard residential garage. Musk also points out the difficulty of manufacturing the steeply raked windshield. The production Cybertruck will feature a proprietary form of armored glass alongside exterior body panels stamped from 300-series cold-rolled stainless steel, rendering the doors resistant to handgun fire. When Leno asks why handgun protection is necessary on a civilian truck, Musk simply replies that it is badass and cool. Leno agrees with the logic, adding that you never know when an apocalypse might strike, prompting Musk to declare, “We want to be a leader in apocalypse technology.”
- **Scale Adjustments:** Planned reduction of approximately 5% in overall dimensions across all proportions to fit inside standard residential garages. - **Body Construction:** Panels built from heavy-duty 300-series stainless steel engineered to be handgun-bulletproof. - **Glass Specification:** Custom armored glass developed to accommodate the vehicle's steep, aerodynamic rake.
[03:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=198s) Descending into the Boring Company Test Tunnel
As Leno drives past SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, Musk points out the entrance to the Boring Company test tunnel situated right next to the SpaceX parking structure. When Musk mentions that the tunnel extends for about a mile and suggests attempting to drive the massive Cybertruck through it, Leno eagerly accepts the challenge. Both are unsure whether the wide pickup will even clear the tunnel opening, treating the run as an impromptu test of clearances.
Leno carefully maneuvers the Cybertruck down the access ramp and enters the test bore, checking his mirrors to verify that both sides clear the walls. Inside, the cylindrical tunnel features smooth, steel-reinforced concrete segments. Musk encourages Leno to pick up speed as they cruise under the streets of Los Angeles.
Musk clarifies that while this single-bore route serves primarily as an experimental test track, a full commercial deployment would operate quite differently:
> “This is a test tunnel so there'd be parallel tunnels for, you know, any kind of like production situation, so there'd be many tunnels and then you'd have doors in between the tunnels and you'd also have like alcoves and that kind of thing where people could exit or do whatever is needed.”
When Leno expresses concern about being trapped subterranean during a Southern California earthquake, Musk reassures him that tunnels are structurally safer than surface streets during seismic activity. Musk uses a maritime analogy to explain the physics, noting that seismic waves operate like surface ocean swells: during a violent hurricane, a vessel is far safer deep underwater as a submarine than tossed on the surface as a ship. Furthermore, in a finalized system, vehicles will traverse the network autonomously via Autopilot without requiring driver intervention.
[05:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=318s) The Elevator Return and Looking Forward
The underground drive reaches the end of the one-mile test track, where an automotive elevator platform waits to return vehicles to ground level. Leno edges the wide Cybertruck onto the platform until Musk signals him to halt, with the vehicle fitting onto the lift with only inches to spare.
The elevator hoists the truck back up to daylight. Leno drives forward onto the surface, praising Musk for offering a firsthand glimpse into the future through the combined integration of electric vehicles, underground transit networks, and tunnel-boring technology. Reflecting on Musk's past achievements, Leno remarks that he hopes the next twelve years are as fruitful as the last twelve, to which Musk reflects that the journey has certainly been an eventful one.
## Notable quotes > [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM&t=92s) At Tesla we always want to have the production car be better than the show car. — Elon Musk
## Mentioned Jay Leno, Elon Musk, Tesla Cybertruck, Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company, Jay Leno's Garage, Hawthorne, Los Angeles, Autopilot, CNBC
## Video description The 2021 Tesla Cybertruck is a massive truck with sports car performance! Watch as Jay Leno and SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk take this new car for a spin. Then, you can catch this episode on demand now! Then tune in next week to Jay Leno's Garage, Wednesday 10P ET on CNBC! Check out the first episode of NO RETREAT: Business Bootcamp: https://youtu.be/RCX_PvZsq4M
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ELON MUSK, JAY LENO AND THE 2021 CYBERTRUCK (FULL SEGMENT) | Jay Leno's Garage
[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ZuKkbHdqM)