Its even stranger because presumably the light requires a wire for power, so using an adhesive doesn't allow them to avoid making at least 1 hole in the roof.
Perhaps it's about minimizing the installation cost at the dealership.
The irony is that you'd imagine that an off-road roof mounted light would be something that you should be able to tighten when you are ... off-road.
I guess field serviceability isn't a design goal for these "off-road" trucks, but appearing "off-road" when going glamping is.
Cybertrucks already come with a 48V 400W auxiliary power connection under the applique strip on the right side of the roof, so there was no need to make a hole in the roof.
There just isn't a lot of options other than adhesive for installing a light bar considering the windshield consumes all of the forward facing real estate (as the roof slopes back from the apex).
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The off road community has been complaining about "off road" vehicles that are not suitable for off road use for decades. Most off "road vehicles" are you can drive it around the house to your backyard if it isn't too muddy/steep. Anyone who really goes off road is looking for a lot of features that are hard to find in a production vehicle. (which is why they often modify production vehicles). A true off road vehicle often looks like a production off-road vehicle, but in production they do cosmetic changes to look the same as what true off-road vehicles do - but the difference cosmetic. Things like both sit high off the ground, but the off road one they look at what mechanical parts are underneath and either protect them or raise them.
> Anyone who really goes off road is looking for a lot of features that are hard to find in a production vehicle. (which is why they often modify production vehicles).
Perhaps this is something that Slate can solve better than Tesla.
The customizations available/planned are cosmetic things not of interest to off road. You can put in a different sound system or change the color - but off road wants things like a skid plate that can handle boulders.
Perhaps it's about minimizing the installation cost at the dealership.
The irony is that you'd imagine that an off-road roof mounted light would be something that you should be able to tighten when you are ... off-road.
I guess field serviceability isn't a design goal for these "off-road" trucks, but appearing "off-road" when going glamping is.