We try to cover everything related to exciting patents on the EV world. Weirdly, we missed reporting about a revolutionary windshield wiper Tesla trademarked in September 2019. Like the innovative wiring harness it patented in July 2019, we have not seen it in any car so far, but what if it was applied to the Tesla Cybertruck? Some of its characteristics suggest this wiper would be a perfect fit for the electric pickup truck.
Before we talk about this perfect match, it is vital to understand how the windshield wiper design makes it be a revolution. It has a single wiper, even if it can also work with two of them. What makes it unique is using an electromagnetic moving block that slides along at lead one guide rail.
The best way to understand this is by imagining how a maglev works. The moving block would be like the maglev moving from one side of the windshield to the other. Attached to it, the wiper would be the sole friction source for obvious reasons. And that's the main advantage it presents.
With less friction, such a windshield wiper would need less energy to work. As you already know, any way to save energy in an electric car impacts range. In Tesla's case, there is another need: Autopilot and FSD work solely with cameras. This new wiper would ensure the windshield offers a better view than traditional systems.
Although we have no idea if Tesla will ever manage to make it work, the Cybertruck seems to be the best vehicle for the company to test it. Mostly because of its flat windshield, even if the windshield drawings show the unusual one adopted by the Model Y and Model 3 – remember the patent is prior to the Cybertruck reveal, on November 21, 2019. That would ensure an even surface for the new equipment to wipe.
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The very first vehicles had flat windscreens due to the glass technology available at the time. They were slowly abandoned due to being more fragile and prone to break with stones or even larger insects that hit them, especially at highway speeds. In Cybertruck's case, that is not a concern. The electric pickup truck will use aluminum oxynitride, also known as Tesla Armor Glass.
Another great take would be to eliminate windshield wipers as a whole, either with hydrophobic materials or aerodynamic solutions that created an "air wiper" to keep things clear. But this is something many tried before and never succeeded. If Tesla can make the maglev wiper reach production without reliability or quality issues, in any of its vehicles, that would definitely be a win.