I received my palms on a Tesla Cybertruck for per week. Being from Canada, I haven’t had the chance to check the electrical pickup truck till now.
So, for individuals who care, right here’s my Tesla Cybertruck overview:
I rented the Cybertruck on Turo and I had a few week to drive it round Washington for my overview.
We put collectively a video overview (if you happen to take pleasure in it, I’d recognize if you happen to may subscribe, like, and share it):
My extra detailed overview is beneath, however right here’s a fast TLDR:
I’m notably impressed by the expertise contained in the Cybertruck. It drives amazingly effectively. I used to be notably impressed by the drive-by-wire system, which makes the truck drives like a online game. The rear-steering makes it activate a dime. Additionally, Tesla must be counseled for being the primary to push to maneuver to a 48-volt structure.
Nonetheless, there are some downsides. The novel design has pressured Tesla to make some compromises, like the large A-pillars leading to a bling spot, the tonneau cowl leading to a ineffective rear-view mirror. A few of the downsides additionally appear to have to do with Tesla’s perception that self-driving is simply across the nook – regardless that it doesn’t even have Autopilot proper now. Lastly, the charging capability is subpar in comparison with Tesla’s different autos and rivals.
Consideration Grabber
One of many first issues you’ll discover when driving the Cybertruck is the eye you might be getting. I’ve pushed uncommon supercars that will get a lot much less consideration than this pickup truck.
More often than not, it’s nice. Individuals come as much as you and wish to ask questions, which I’m blissful to reply until I’m on a schedule. Nonetheless, it may also be a ache. Loads of folks don’t ask earlier than taking photos and don’t have any downside photographing you if you are contained in the truck.
However extra importantly, it may be harmful. I had folks drive erratically to attempt to catch as much as me to take photos of the automobile whereas they have been driving. Please don’t do this. It’s stupidly harmful.
Both means, it probably not going to be an issue for lengthy. It’s a very novel automobile proper now, however Tesla is ramping up manufacturing and plans to make a whole bunch of 1000’s of Cybertrucks per yr. As soon as that’s the case, I assume that the fascination and pleasure will die down a bit and homeowners will be capable to journey with much less consideration.
Issues my girlfriend mentioned concerning the Cybertruck
My girlfriend is likely to be the Cybertruck’s largest fan. Right here are some things I caught her casually saying throughout our week with the truck (sure, I truly stored a listing trigger I couldn’t consider how excited she was about it):
- All different automobiles can go dwelling, that is the one automobile that issues
- It’s the proper automotive.
- Vehicles ought to have at all times seem like that.
- For those who don’t like this automotive, you don’t like the long run.
- *sees folks checking the truck from a distance* please make the truck fart.
- It’s effing stunning, I’ve nothing else to say.
For context and to be truthful, she doesn’t drive, actually, she has by no means pushed a automobile. She is a metropolis woman with out a driver’s license. She doesn’t know something about automobiles. I’m undecided she may title you one other automotive with a gun to her head, however she is a really inventive one who appreciates the “cinematographic look” of the Cybertruck’s design.
If something, she is proof that some folks do just like the design.
Cybertruck’s Design
Personally, I’m nonetheless ambivalent on the design. I commend Tesla for departing from conventional automobile and pickup designs and attempting one thing novel.
Typically, I believe it appears fairly sharp, however I can also’t actually argue with the individuals who say it appears like a dumpster.
Contemplating it’s goal, I’ll focus as a substitute on what Tesla’s novel design for the Cybertruck allows and what it pressured Tesla to do.
In some methods, I really feel just like the Cybertruck is a superb instance of a product engineered from its design. I wouldn’t be shocked if the automobile program have been born from a Tesla designer going as much as CEO Elon Musk with the Cybertruck’s design and Musk going: “I adore it, let’s determine the way to construct this.” Then Tesla’s engineers and designers needed to make this factor a actuality
There are fairly a couple of traits in help of that. For instance, Tesla first claimed that the Cybertruck could be constructed with an exosketlon and its web site nonetheless mentions that right this moment. Nonetheless, teardowns and photos of the truck’s physique makes clear that you need to stretch the definition of “exoskeleton” to its very restrict to nonetheless name it that. The Cybertruck’s constructed is far nearer to a standard unibody than anything.
Tesla does have a degree that the physique panels add to the structural integrity of the automobile, however they’re actually not the primary structural a part of the pickup. The panels are additionally thinner than initially deliberate.
Nonetheless, Tesla constructed the primary stainless-steel automobile because the DeLorean and that’s cool by itself.
Many individuals like the concept of a rugged truck that doesn’t rust, doesn’t ding straightforward, and that’s it, however there are some downsides too.
It does get soiled with pollen and fingerprints fairly straightforward. With the clear look with sharp strains, Tesla didn’t need any door handles. As a substitute of going with an embedded door deal with that pops out, routinely like Mannequin S, or manually like in Mannequin 3/Y, Tesla as a substitute went with a button that pops the door open after which you need to attain inside it to tug it totally open – just like the system within the Mustand Mach-E.
I really feel like Tesla may have carried out that higher. It may have had auto presenting door, it’s a $100,000 automobile in spite of everything, but it surely may have additionally carried out less complicated issues to make the expertise higher.
One thing like a rubber piece contained in the door the place you seize it will have been nice to keep away from touching a metal panel and may very well be use to swing the door shut with out having to the touch the surface.
The ridiculously massive windshield wiper in a vertical resting place can also be one thing that was pressured by the Cybertruck’s design.
If you’d like a straight line from the entrance finish to the roof, you’ll lose the standard indentation between the hood and windshield the place you may disguise the windshield wiper.
Personally, I don’t have a lot of downside with the wiper aside from the truth that the auto mode works as dangerous as in different Tesla autos with vision-based computerized wipers.
The design additionally leads to a particularly brief overhang within the entrance, which suggests a comparatively small entrance trunk or frunk. I used to be nonetheless in a position to match two carry-on baggage after a couple of tries:
That’s actually an space the place the Cybertruck is missing over the competitors with Rivian R1 and the Ford Lightning each having a lot larger frunks.
However the Cybertruck’s frunk remains to be helpful and with the tonneau cowl coming normal, the mattress remains to be helpful for on a regular basis cargo that you simply wish to preserve clear.
Talking of the mattress, that’s in all probability the place the Cybertruck’s design comes collectively the most effective.
The perimeters present higher aerodynamic efficiency, and you’ve got the tonneau cowl, which is tremendous satisfying to make use of, as you may see in my video overview, and in addition helps with aerodynamic efficiency.
At 6′ by 4′, the mattress is beneficial, however the primary draw back is the form of the edges, which implies that some off-the-shelve pickup equipment received’t work and you’ll have to work with Tesla extra to get some roof and mattress equipment.
My favourite function within the mattress is the ability retailers (two 120v and one 240v):
It’s conveniently positioned on the left facet of the mattress close to the tailgate.
Shifting to the inside design, that’s the place I believe that Tesla needed to compromise lots to make the outside form of the Cybertruck work.
The very first thing you discover is the sprint, which appears as massive as a twin mattress. It appears odd, but it surely’s probably not the issue. The issue is that it creates tremendous lengthy A pillars, which do create a blindspot on the driving force’s facet.
The small window within the center does assist a bit, however there have been a couple of events at T intersections the place I’d lose visibility on autos if there have been a sure timing for them arriving on the intersection. Then, they’d shock me when turning.
The B pillars are additionally big, however that’s not a lot of an issue, particularly with the facet cameras protecting the blind spots.
For the remainder of the inside, the design is stable. The all-glass roof appears superior. The seats are comfy. The UI is best-in-class, in my view – although I’m biased on that entrance because it’s just like the one in my every day driver, my Mannequin 3 Efficiency, which makes me fairly used to it.
There’s a fast tour of the inside at 11:00 in my video overview.
Cybertruck Driving Expertise
That’s the place the Cybertruck shines regardless of a couple of drawbacks. Once I first sat within the truck, I couldn’t consider how small the steering wheel was. It didn’t even make sense in my head.
My feeling was that it needed to do with the drive-by-wire with progressive steering.
Positive sufficient, it took a while to adapt, however as soon as I’ve discovered good seat and steering wheel positions for me, I began to get it.
The steering is so responsive due to the progressive steering that the dimensions of the wheel barely issues. In actual fact, the Cybertruck’s steering wheel may have been a joystick. Now that I give it some thought, it is smart that many airplanes use a joystick, or a variation of it, to steer since they do use fly-by-wire.
You do actually lose some street really feel, however I believe it’s value it for simply how responsive the steering is within the Cybertruck. I hope Tesla brings this to different autos.
The steering mixed with the automobile’s electrical powertrain with immediate torque makes this 6,000 lbs automobile appears like a a lot lighter, smaller automobile.
Then, you mix all that with the rear-wheel steering making the turning radius equal to a Mannequin S.
On high of all of this, I discovered the Cybertruck’s cabin to be extraordinarily quiet, which to me is among the major issues that makes a automobile really feel luxurious.
It’s not all nice with the driving expertise although.
A few of the beforehand talked about design constraints do negatively have an effect on the driving expertise, however none greater than the rear-view mirror state of affairs.
When you could have the tonneau cowl on, which you wish to for aerodynamic causes, the rear view mirror is ineffective aside from to control your children within the again if in case you have some.
As a substitute, Tesla makes use of its rear digital camera and feeds it to the middle show. I don’t get why Tesla shouldn’t be at the very least providing a rear-view mirror that doubles as a display screen and ship the feed there. It’s an thrilling expertise and this can be a $100,000 automobile.
It might be a significantly better expertise than having to have a look at the display screen and taking some display screen actual property there.
However the largest draw back to driving the Cybertruck proper now, at the very least on the freeway, is the dearth of Autopilot. Tesla has been delivering these vans for six months now and whereas they’re all bought with Autopilot and Full Self-Driving included, Tesla has but to adapt its ADAS methods to the truck but.
The automaker says that it’s engaged on it, but it surely’s not a precedence since enhancements to the prevailing system for different autos that exist in increased volumes are extra impactful. Not a foul level, however you may’t use that excuse for thus lengthy if you end up promoting the options on these new vans.
Cybertruck Vary and Charging
The automobile was displaying about 318 miles (511 km) of vary when full and I felt like I’d be capable to get one thing near that in my journey in pretty good circumstances in Washington if I used to be optimizing for vary, however I used to be having some enjoyable with the truck.
That end in getting a mean of 429 Wh per mile:
That leads to nearer to 286 miles (460 km) of vary
After all, you may count on that vary to drop considerably if you happen to use a number of the truck’s 11,000 lbs towing capability. We beforehand reported on Cybertruck towing vary exams.
It’s a bit disappointing that the Cybertruck’s vary introduced on the unique unveiling is just achievable by way of an upcoming extra battery pack that can match at the back of the mattress, however on the similar time, I believe it’s an fascinating resolution and I’m curious to see how will probably be carried out and utilized by prospects.
The larger bummer for me is the Cybertruck’s charging capability.
It does have a peak cost price of 250 kW like Tesla’s different autos, however that cost price drops a lot quicker than in Tesla’s different autos, leading to pretty lengthy “fast-charging” classes.
In my very own expertise, you may get 130 miles in nearly 10-Quarter-hour at a Supercharger in case you are at a low (
Tesla says that it’s engaged on enhancing that cost curve by way of a software program replace. The automaker is speaking about as a lot as a 20% enchancment, which is far wanted.
Electrek’s Take
Total, I’ve a constructive view of the Cybertruck. I like that Tesla was daring sufficient to lastly convey a 48-volt structure and steer-by-wire to a high-volume automobile program.
In the long run, I believe it would show impactful on the whole trade.
I simply don’t perceive the choice to bundle it on this means. Like I beforehand reported, it feels just like the Cybertruck is extra of a advertising software than a standalone automobile program. You could possibly argue that it’s higher as a tech check mattress and advertising software than anything.
Some folks adore it and I’m not there to be a celebration pooper. I’m not a kind of who choose for loving the way in which the truck appears.
However I do marvel if Tesla would have had a much bigger affect on its mission if it had packaged this expertise in a different-looking truck. I’m not saying that it has to look similar to all different pickup vans available on the market. It may have nonetheless had stainless-steel, a rugged look, however in a much less dramatic kind issue.
With all its unbelievable tech inside and a kind issue simpler to undertake, Tesla may have extra simply gone after the large pickup truck market, which is badly in want of electrification. That’s its mission, in spite of everything.
As a substitute, I now really feel just like the market is generally current Tesla homeowners who don’t even actually need a truck, however they’re getting one as a result of Tesla is making this. I’m positive a few of them do want one, however I really feel like there’s lots of that occurring.
Both means, the factor I cherished essentially the most concerning the Cybertruck was the grins. It’s a smile-making machine. I couldn’t let you know what number of instances I noticed folks strolling on the street taking a look at their telephones and searching up after catching a glint of the solar reflecting on the Cybertruck.
The response was at all times the identical: an enormous smile.
Now, as I mentioned within the “consideration grabber” part, it will probably fade as Tesla delivers a whole bunch of 1000’s of Cybertrucks over the following few years. Individuals will get used to seeing them, and the grins will fade.
Nonetheless, I believe the Cybertruck drivers would be the ones who preserve smiling as a result of it’s such a enjoyable automobile to drive.