Tesla Cybertruck Takes the Highway Range Test, Throws In the Towel After 254 Miles

Back in 2019, Tesla promised that the tri-motor Cybertruck would have 500 miles (800 km) of range while the dual-motor would settle for 300 miles. The official delivery event on November 30, 2023, offered new range figures, with the Cybertruck AWD the new range champion, at 340 miles / 545 km (40 miles / 65 km more than promised). However, the Cyberbeast was only capable of 320 miles (515 km) of range, far from the promised 500 miles.

As we all know, these are rough and sometimes overly optimistic estimates of what people would actually see in the real world. With the first Cybertrucks in the wild now, we were waiting for the first range tests to show us what the Cybertruck's actual range is. Kyle Conner from Out of Spec Studios set up a monstrous testing session involving five Cybertrucks. One of the first tests he and his team conducted was the already famous highway (70 mph/115 kph) range test, with the Cybertruck driven from full battery to absolute zero (when the truck shut off).

The test started in less than ideal conditions, at 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) temperatures. Although this is not exactly freezing cold, it's expected to take a toll on the battery. Also, the All-Terrain tires influenced the result, considering that they are far less efficient than the all-season tires on which the Cybertruck AWD was rated for 340 miles of range. However, the Cybertruck underwhelmed even the most pessimistic estimates at the start of the test.

More specifically, the Cybertruck AWD went for 254 miles (409 km) before the lights went out. For reference, Kyle Conner expected it to go about 300 miles (480 km) at the beginning of the test. Considering that most people would use the Cybertruck in the recommended 20%-80% state of charge window, this means you can count on 150-160 miles (240-260 km) of range in the winter, and that's only when you're not towing. Not to mention that in many regions in North America, the temperatures can drop far lower than 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

However disappointing this might look, some Tesla fans still considered the results as promising. The half-full glass means that the Cybertruck should fare better in higher temperatures and on all-season tires. Also, with more traffic (the test was done at night with almost no traffic), regenerative braking would keep the battery charged for longer. Some even point to a similar test involving the Rivian R1T, which InsideEVs also performed at 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The R1T also got 254 miles of range, although that was affected by high winds in the area.

Whether 254 miles of highway range is acceptable, only the Cybertruck owners can tell. For most, it doesn't even matter as long as they can show off the coolest and most badass truck in the world. After all, 254 miles of range still means 3-4 hours of driving, which is more than enough for most people. However, a recent test showed that the Cybertruck not only has a limited range but also charges slower than advertised.