Demystifying the Cybertruck: It's 100% a Tesla EV, and That's Not What You Want To Hear

If you're reading this, chances are you know a thing or two about electric vehicles. You might even be pretty familiar with the Cybertruck. So, we won't dwell too much on what this EV is all about. However, before diving in, we must look at a few facts and figures.

When writing, the pickup trucks delivered to customers are equipped with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain. That's the version with 600 hp (it's unusual for Tesla to give us such output figures), 7,435 lb-ft of torque (exaggerated number), 340 miles of estimated range, 11,000 lb towing capacity, and a zero to 60 mph time of 4.1 seconds. Those specs have a pre-tax and -incentive cost of $79,990.

The tri-motor Cyberbeast and the single-motor rear-wheel drive Cybertruck will arrive later.

However, early buyers aren't paying that five-figure sum. They must move to six figures! Customers have to accept an upcharge of $20,000, which doesn't add too many extras right now. There's a laser etching, a sunshade for the glass roof (why's that an option, though?), some hooks and rings, a light bar (coming later), bidirectional charging gear (coming later), lifetime premium connectivity, Full Self-Driving (probably the out-of-Beta V12), and some white interior trim.

But what and how is being offered to early customers also shows that the now Texas-based brand is still rushing things. Considering this thing's price and premium, that really shouldn't have been the case.

The hottest toy of the year

Despite all those goodies, the real perk is getting the vehicle ahead of everybody else. Many of the people who are spending so much money on what should be an edgy workhorse are doing it because they want to experience the novelty before it wears off.

Can you blame them? No. I, for one, can't. If I had $100,000 lying around, I would spend it all on this quirky-looking and questionably-built EV. It's the "wow" factor that gets you! I can even see myself wrapping one in Carmine Red and using it to get Starbucks on Saturday mornings just for the sake of going out for a drive.

Elon Musk knows people like me (but with more money) exist. That's why he went on with making "the future look like the future." And here's the thing – I can't fault the guy and the team behind this project for making it happen. The auto industry needs this kind of out-of-the-box thinking. Honestly, it's a breath of fresh air.

Let's be honest with ourselves for a second – the Gigawiper by itself is a massively cool thing to see in action. It may look like a wet noodle when you pick it up, but it fits the vehicle's entire ethos so
well! It's what a vehicle with a stainless steel body and a biodefense mode for the A/C deserves.

The Cybertruck is the Lamborghini of pickup trucks because it just looks so wildly different than anything else on the road today. Even the Rivian R1T (with its fancy gear tunnel) can't come anywhere close.

It's also proof that Tesla's moving forward. This pickup truck is the marque's test bed for technologies that might make EVs much better (and a tad bit cheaper!). The 800V battery architecture and the 48V electronics are two of the most important novelties.

A first time for everything

Car buyers, however, might know that you're not supposed to buy a first-year production vehicle if you're not ready to put up with all the struggles. Considering Tesla's track record for reliability, service, and dealing with disgruntled customers, that should be enough of a deterrent for prospective Cybertruck customers.

But it's hard to resist the urge to see the latest marvel machine in your driveway or garage, especially when it's not priced like an organically-looking McLaren or an exquisite Bentley. Still, you might want to be aware of a few minor and not-so-minor drawbacks.

The made-in-California 123-kWh (gross) high-voltage battery pack comprises 4680 cells that were first put on the Texas-made Model Y. That crossover was eventually discontinued because of very poor charging performance. Tesla claims the pack's structure changed, but we have not been told what's new and great. Some people are already finding out that fast charging might take longer than expected.

The tailgate has the soft-close functionality but doesn't close by itself. You have to push it to the latch. It also won't sit completely flat when there's nothing on it, which might make loading stuff in the bed a bit trickier. That's by design. Tesla wanted to help people avoid straining their arm muscles, but, in turn, created another (admittedly small) issue.

Unlike some of its competitors, the Cybertruck doesn't have exterior lighting to help you see what's around the EV when you're using it for work in the evening. But probably more important than that is the absence of dedicated space (underfloor storage) in the bed for a spare tire. The marque sells a cover, but the wheel goes in the bed. Those who select the extended battery option are left with almost no space in the area that makes this EV a pickup truck.

This vehicle is Tesla's first 800V "computer on wheels." You can't fast charge it efficiently at V2 and V3 Superchargers. It'll draw power but at a very slow rate. V4 dispensers are capable, but they're not yet enabled for 800V vehicles. Simply put, it won't behave like a Lucid Air Grand Touring. However, Tesla figured out a way out of this debacle. It can split the battery pack into two and allow it to charge at V3 Superchargers at a rate of up to 250 kW until it reaches a 25% state of charge. Afterward, the speed lowers.

But wait, there's more!

The other charging-related problem is that you can't replenish its battery at Electrify America's high-power dispensers – for now, at least. The Cybertruck understands Tesla's old communication system for charging. NACS (which is basically adopted by everyone except Stellantis, at this point) is built on the CCS language, which is why EVs made by other brands can use the Magic Dock-equipped Superchargers. The pickup truck doesn't know what NACS is yet, so you won't be able to go outside the Tesla network for a quick "fill up."

A potential charging issue is also displayed by the time needed to stay plugged in when making long journeys. From Georgetown, Texas, to Memphis, Tennessee, you would need over 12 hours. Normally, such a trip would require around nine hours of driving. Include a couple of stops to refresh and reenergize, and you would still have two hours of extra time on the road.

High-power AC charging is also out of the question because the limit is 48A, not 72A or 80A. That means you'll add around 10 kW per hour, including heat losses.

The suspension system has impressive air chambers, but the upper control arms look feeble. The brand is known for having problems in this respect, so exercise caution when off-roading it.
Interestingly, the unit you'll see below also had rear doors opening at different degrees. The passenger-side one moved to a 90-degree position, but the driver-side one didn't. That prompted the reviewer to think that Tesla might have used the wrong hinges.

Inside, the front seats sit flush with the center console. The faux leather touches the polycarbonate parts and can squeak. A similar situation is met in the rear, where the seat back might push into a panel that makes quite a distinctive noise.

The Cybertrucks that are now reaching customers are delivered without FSD and Autopilot. None of these advanced driver-assistance features work on the pickup truck for now. That's quite a disappointment, considering that Tesla is known for its promising (and unfinished) self-driving tech.

Besides that, the electronically adjustable steering column didn't work on this factory-fresh unit.

Not done yet!

That makes the EV feel like a product from a video game company that delivers an unfinished game for top dollar and then asks customers to wait for updates or pay more for the whole experience.

But we can't stop yet. The center rear seat is not heated. As such, the person sitting in the middle of the second row won't enjoy a warm place during the cold season. Climate comfort is also missing from the wireless phone charger. Your iPhone might overheat.

The people sitting behind you while you're driving might also see that the headliner doesn't sit flush with the glass roof.

Tesla used a lot of plastic for the door pockets, center console storage area, and the front cover. The front passengers also miss out on a 12V outlet, so you need a longer cable and a NEMA 5-20 plug if you want to hook some auxiliaries.

Maybe we shouldn't forget that Tesla is a 14-year-old publicly traded company. That may seem like a long time at first. Do keep in mind, however, that making cars (even if they're EVs with fewer parts) is not child's play. Some might have made it look like that, but it's hard work, and thousands of people (and a worryingly increasing number of robots) do their best to make them for us.

Finally, it's worth noting that despite a few drawbacks, the Cybertruck still has its fair share of positives. The abovementioned facts are just things we thought you should be aware of.