Tesla has completed its first round of Cybertruck deliveries to customers. But the company didn’t just deliver the all-electric trucks to customers in standard fashion. Not hardly. Instead, it turned the deliveries into an event. It was livestreamed on the social media platform X (of course) and it was hosted by Elon Musk. Musk even escorted each new owner to their truck. Additionally, the livestream included a variety of interesting and insightful videos on the Tesla Cybertruck’s capabilities. Let’s dig in.
Four-Wheel Steering with Variable Gain
All the videos in the livestream were memorable and informative in one way or another. One showed the Cybertruck weaving its way through construction site material to demonstrate its tight turning radius. The truck utilizes steer-by-wire technology and includes four-wheel steering. The system has variable gain, which dynamically adjusts how much the wheels turn according to the truck’s speed. At slow speeds the wheels have more angle than at higher speeds. Tesla says the results include incredible low speed maneuverability and a turning circle that is less than its Model S. The system offers benefits similar to the Quadrasteer system that GM offered for a time.
Feat of Strength 2: Truck pull pic.twitter.com/senCV4YhTe
— Tesla (@Tesla) November 30, 2023
Truck Pull Against Three Competitors
The truck pull video pitted a tri-motor Cybertruck against three other pickup trucks. The list included a quad-motor Rivian R1T, dual-motor Ford F-150 Lightning, and single-rear-wheel Ford F-350 turbodiesel. Each of the vehicles were fastened to what Musk indicated was a 40,000-pound pulling sled. In typical truck pull fashion, as each truck made forward progress the weight on the sled moved forward, which created an ever-increasing weight load. Typically, a “pull” is ended when forward momentum ceases even if the vehicle’s tires are still spinning in the dirt. In the end, the Cybertruck pulled the sled 318 feet, which bested the nearest competitor, the F-350, by 55 feet.
Feat of Strength 3: Cyberbeast (0-60 in 2.6s) pic.twitter.com/q0cK9zb21D
— Tesla (@Tesla) November 30, 2023
Cybertruck Versus Porsche 911
This video showed the Cybertruck pitted against a 2023 Porsche 911 at a dragstrip. Spoiler alert: the Cybertruck won. However, there was a twist. Creative camera angles initially hid the fact that the Cybertruck was towing a trailer that was carrying a Porsche 911. In the words of Musk, the Cybertruck beat the Porsche 911 while towing a Porsche 911.
Feat of Strength 1: Shots fired pic.twitter.com/aPfpQuMXvc
— Tesla (@Tesla) November 30, 2023
Body Panel Toughness Demo
To demonstrate the toughness of the Cybertruck’s stainless steel alloy body panels, Tesla unloaded on the panels with a variety of firearms. The video showed .45 caliber and 9mm rounds fired at the side of the truck. None appeared to perforate the panels. Observations: The rounds were fired into the panels with the side windows down. The video showed the windows being powered up after the demonstration. There was no visible glass damage, and this also indicated that the window regulators were still operational.
Cybertruck Features and Facts
Musk provided some fascinating info during the livestream. Some of it was known and some wasn’t. For example, he said that the Cybertruck’s stainless-steel exoskeleton has more torsional stiffness than a McLaren P1 hybrid supercar. The Tesla Armor Glass is “basically rock proof” and also makes the truck’s interior very quiet. The truck’s 6×4-foot bed is composite, meaning its tough enough that no bedliner is necessary. And yes, with the tailgate in the lowered position the truck can carry a 4×8-foot sheet of plywood. The Cybertruck has a payload of 2,500 pounds and it can tow up to 11,000 pounds depending on configuration. Furthermore, the truck has 67 cubic feet of lockable storage. The Cybertruck has integrated 120V and 240V bed and cabin outlets and it can provide up to 11.5 kW directly to your home. Inside the truck there’s a massive 18.5-inch touchscreen in the front and a 9.4-inch touchscreen in the back.
The Tesla Cybertruck Appears to Have Off-Road Chops
Cybertruck’s off-road chops appear to be on point. It rolls on 35-inch all-terrain tires, it has four-corner adaptive air suspension, 12 inches of wheel travel, 17 inches of max ground clearance, locking differentials, and rear torque vectoring. We’re looking forward to seeing the truck’s approach, departure, and rampover numbers.
Three Tesla Cybertruck Models
Are you wanting a Cybertruck? Well, you’re in luck because the company is taking orders on its website. Below are the three models available. Each truck has a length of 223.7 inches, a width of 95 inches, and a height of 70.5 inches. For comparison, the Ford F-150 Lightning has a length of 232.7 inches, a width of 96 inches, and a height of 78.3 inches.
Rear-Wheel-Drive Model (available in 2025)
Price: $60,990 (est)
Range: 250 miles (est)
Acceleration 0-60 mph (sec): 6.5
Top speed (mph): 112
Max towing (lb): 7,500
All-Wheel-Drive Model (available in 2024)
Price: $79,990 (est)
Range: 340 miles (est)
Acceleration 0-60 mph (sec): 4.1
Top speed (mph): 112
Horsepower: 600
Torque (lb-ft): 7,435
Max towing (lb): 11,000
Cyberbeast (available in 2024)
Price: $99,990 (est)
Range: 320 miles (est)
Acceleration 0-60 mph (sec): 2.6
Top speed (mph): 130
Horsepower: 845
Torque (lb-ft): 10,296
Max towing (lb): 11,000
The Bottom Line
One of the best parts of the Cybertruck launch was watching the new owners take possession of their trucks. Smiles all around. We think its safe to assume that much attention will be paid to the feedback from these first Cybertruck owners. And we wonder if these deliveries mark a new momentum for Tesla as it spools up mass production of the Cybertruck. Time will tell. Stay tuned to Electrified for more Cybertruck news as it becomes available.
