Tesla Cybertruck has been often mocked for its supposed lackluster off-road capabilities. This is why Cybertruck owners are willing to set the balance straight and show the other side of the story. In a recent video, a Cybertruck owner recorded how his truck helped a Ford F-150 get unstuck from a snow mound.
As Tesla started testing Cybertruck prototypes last year, the pickup truck has been caught in less than flattering situations while trying to prove its off-road prowess. It was first ridiculed after the groundbreaking ceremony of Tesla's lithium refinery in Texas when the Cybertruck got stuck in a cornfield and had to be rescued by a Ford truck. Tesla's love-and-hate relationship with Ford haunted the Cybertruck in various situations for much of the past year.
Still, none was as viral as the employee Cybertruck stuck in the snow in December with a Christmas tree in the bed. I can't say what was funnier: the idea that a Tesla employee went to the woods to cut their own tree, the hopeless Cybertruck trying to climb back to the road, or the party-dressed girlfriend watching the rescue efforts from the side. Either way, the video made Ford CEO very happy because a 2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty rescued the Cybertruck.
Farley hasn't hesitated to make fun of Tesla in the past, not least when launching the F-150 Lightning with an adapter to help "charge a stranded Tesla." Tesla returned the favor when it released a promo video about the Cybertruck's PowerShare bi-directional charging capabilities. This is why a solid reply to the Cybertruck off-road struggles was bound to happen. And it just did, as a Cybertruck owner recorded the rescue operation of a Ford F-150 truck stuck in the snow.
Based on the description of the video shared on YouTube, the Ford driver seemed quite inexperienced. Although the truck was switched to 4WD/4Lo, the traction control wasn't cooperating. He also doubted that the truck had a rear locking differential because it couldn't move on its own power despite appearing to have winter tires.
Funny thing, the lack of a working locking differential was also causing the Cybertruck's misery in December. Tesla hasn't yet released a software update to activate the locking diff, and if you try to enable it, you get a strange "coming soon" message. The ability to lock the differential can be a lifesaver in a low-grip situation, sending power to all wheels instead of just the spinning one.
Besides differentials, many of these situations have been blamed on either wrong tires/vehicle configuration or bad drivers. These are actually the most important factors that can make a difference. Without the right tires (and the proper tire pressure, I might say), nothing can help you move. Also, if you don't know what you're doing, you're a lost hope in low-grip situations, and no professional off-road configuration will help you. This is why these videos showing truck X or truck Y stuck might not be the best measuring stick for a vehicle's performance.
After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News