Tesla Cybertruck Review: Already Iconic?

Marques Brownlee
29 Mar 202427:24

Summary

TLDRThe Tesla Cybertruck elicits varied reactions with its unique, futuristic design. While it faces skepticism for its appearance, its performance capabilities, including its acceleration and off-road features, are undeniable. The vehicle's innovative steer-by-wire system and 800-volt architecture are noteworthy, though its bulletproof stainless steel exterior, while durable, presents manufacturing challenges. Despite early issues, the Cybertruck's potential for mass production and its impact on the automotive landscape remain a topic of intrigue and debate.

Takeaways

  • 🚨 The most dangerous aspect of the Cybertruck is how it influences the behavior of other drivers on the road.
  • 🏎️ Despite its unconventional look, the Cybertruck has a surprisingly nimble and agile feel due to its steer-by-wire system and variable steering ratio.
  • 🔩 The Cybertruck's exterior design, made of stainless steel and black plastic, is visually striking and polarizes opinions, with many comparing it to a movie prop or an alien vehicle.
  • 💰 People often overestimate the cost of the Cybertruck, with guesses ranging from $150k to $300k, showing the truck's unique and unknown value proposition.
  • 🛠️ Early Cybertruck models may face manufacturing issues, as is typical with new vehicle introductions, but these are expected to be resolved as production scales up.
  • 🏜️ While the Cybertruck is capable of off-roading and towing, statistics show that the majority of truck owners rarely engage in these activities, suggesting the Cybertruck may be used more as a street vehicle.
  • 🏎️ The Cybertruck's performance, particularly its acceleration, is impressive for a pickup truck, but it may be overrated as it excels in straight-line speed but may not handle turns as well as sports cars.
  • 🔋 The Cybertruck's 800-volt electrical architecture and 48-volt low-voltage system contribute to its status as one of the lightest fully electric pickup trucks.
  • 🎽 Tesla's minimalist design approach, while successful in reducing costs and complexity, may have been taken too far with the Cybertruck, as some missing features could be useful for车主.
  • 🌐 The Cybertruck's mass production could potentially dilute its current iconic status, as rarity often contributes to the perceived value and appeal of such vehicles.
  • 🚀 The Cybertruck's combination of unique design, performance, and technology make it a cultural phenomenon, but its long-term impact and acceptance remain to be seen.

Q & A

  • What is considered the most dangerous aspect of the Tesla Cybertruck?

    -The most dangerous aspect of the Tesla Cybertruck is not its pointy edges, weight, or blinding stainless steel reflections, but rather the way it influences the behavior of other people on the road.

  • What are some of the public's initial impressions of the Cybertruck's design?

    -Initial impressions of the Cybertruck's design are mixed, with many people online stating it looks horrible or like a refrigerator on wheels. However, those who encounter it in person without prior knowledge often describe it as crazy, movie prop-like, and alien.

  • What materials are predominantly used in the construction of the Cybertruck?

    -The Cybertruck primarily uses stainless steel and black plastic in its construction.

  • How does the Cybertruck's design differ from traditional pickup trucks?

    -The Cybertruck's design features a square jawline with no curves and sharp angles, a high shoulder slope, and pointy corners, which significantly deviates from the traditional pickup truck look.

  • What is the most iconic profile of the Cybertruck?

    -The most iconic profile of the Cybertruck is its side view, which showcases the truck's unique slope and high shoulders.

  • How does the steer by wire system in the Cybertruck affect its handling?

    -The steer by wire system, combined with variable steering ratio and four-wheel steering, makes the Cybertruck the most nimble and agile-feeling truck to drive, despite its size.

  • What are people's common misconceptions about the cost of the Cybertruck?

    -People often overestimate the cost of the Cybertruck, with guesses ranging from $150,000 to $300,000, despite the actual price being lower.

  • How does the Cybertruck's bulletproof stainless steel feature rate in terms of overrated or underrated?

    -The bulletproof stainless steel feature is considered overrated since it doesn't cover all parts of the vehicle, such as the windows and tires, and it makes the truck more prone to fingerprints and manufacturing challenges.

  • What is the author's opinion on the Cybertruck's towing and off-roading capabilities?

    -The author believes that the Cybertruck's towing and off-roading capabilities are overrated because most truck owners rarely tow and the Cybertruck, despite its capabilities, is likely to be used more like a glorified SUV on the street.

  • How does the Cybertruck's performance in drag races compare to sports cars?

    -While the Cybertruck has impressive straight-line acceleration, capable of outperforming some sports cars in the initial stages of a drag race, it ultimately lacks the持续的高速性能 of sports cars with multiple gears.

  • What challenges does the Cybertruck face in terms of mass production and maintaining its iconic status?

    -The Cybertruck faces the challenge of transitioning from a rare, iconic vehicle that draws attention to a mass-produced model that may eventually become less新奇 and more commonplace, potentially affecting its iconic status over time.

Outlines

00:00

🚗 Cybertruck's Impact on Road Behavior

The most dangerous aspect of the Tesla Cybertruck is not its physical attributes, but the reaction it elicits from other drivers. The Cybertruck's unique design, including its pointy edges, heavy weight, and reflective stainless steel exterior, draws attention and sparks conversations. People's opinions on its aesthetics vary widely, from negative comments online to surprised admiration in person. The vehicle's distinctiveness is such that it distracts from its other features, like its performance and design elements.

05:01

🔄 Nimble Handling of the Cybertruck

The Tesla Cybertruck's steering system, known as steer by wire, is a technological marvel that enhances the truck's agility. Despite initial skepticism, the combination of sensors, variable steering ratio, and four-wheel steering results in a nimble and responsive driving experience. This innovative system allows the Cybertruck to maneuver easily at low speeds and cruise smoothly at high speeds, challenging traditional expectations of truck handling.

10:01

💼 Practicality of the Cybertruck's Features

While the Cybertruck's design is undoubtedly attention-grabbing, its practical features for truck usage are overrated. Despite its capabilities for towing, hauling, and off-roading, statistics show that many truck owners rarely engage in these activities. The Cybertruck's appeal seems to lie more in its aesthetics and status as a Tesla product rather than its utility for traditional truck tasks.

15:03

🏎️ Cybertruck's Performance and Limitations

The Cybertruck's performance is a mix of impressive feats and inherent limitations. Its acceleration is remarkable for a vehicle of its size, but it also highlights the difference between being quick off the line and sustained speed. While it can outperform some sports cars in straight-line acceleration, its physical characteristics and the laws of physics ultimately limit its capabilities in longer races and more complex driving scenarios.

20:04

🔋 Innovations and Lightweight Design of the Cybertruck

The Cybertruck incorporates innovative technologies such as an 800-volt electrical architecture and a 48-volt low-voltage system, contributing to its status as the lightest fully electric pickup truck. Its suspension system is adjustable and impressively responsive for a vehicle of its size. However, Tesla's minimalist approach to design and interiors, while profitable, may not always enhance the user experience, as evidenced by the lack of physical buttons and other features.

25:08

🌟 Iconic Status and Future of the Cybertruck

The Tesla Cybertruck has already achieved an iconic status due to its distinctive design and the attention it commands. However, its future as a mass-produced vehicle is uncertain in terms of maintaining this status. Comparisons to other iconic but rare vehicles like the Bugatti Veyron and Lamborghini Countach are made, questioning whether the Cybertruck's widespread availability will dilute its impact over time.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Cybertruck

The Cybertruck is an all-electric pickup truck designed and produced by Tesla, Inc. It is noted for its unique, futuristic design and advanced features. In the video, the Cybertruck's design, performance, and various features are discussed, with a focus on how it differs from traditional pickup trucks and its impact on the market and consumer behavior.

💡Design

The design of the Cybertruck refers to its visual appearance and the layout of its components. It is characterized by its angular, minimalist, and futuristic look, which is a departure from traditional vehicle design. The video highlights the divisive nature of the Cybertruck's design, with some viewers finding it iconic and others considering it unattractive.

💡Performance

Performance in the context of the Cybertruck refers to its ability to accelerate, handle, and perform in various driving conditions. The vehicle's performance is often a key factor in consumer interest and vehicle reviews. The video discusses the Cybertruck's impressive acceleration and handling, comparing it to sports cars and other trucks.

💡Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a durable and corrosion-resistant metal alloy used for various applications, including vehicle construction. In the Cybertruck, it is used for the exterior body, contributing to the vehicle's durability and unique appearance. The video discusses the practicality and aesthetic appeal of using stainless steel for the truck's design.

💡Steer by Wire

Steer by wire is a system that replaces the traditional mechanical linkage between the steering wheel and the wheels with electronic signals. This technology allows for advanced features such as variable steering ratio and four-wheel steering. The video explains how this system contributes to the Cybertruck's nimble handling and agility, despite its large size.

💡Towing

Towing refers to the act of pulling a vehicle or trailer behind another vehicle. In the context of the Cybertruck, it is one of the truck's intended uses, along with hauling and off-roading. The video, however, questions the practicality of the Cybertruck for towing, citing statistics that show many truck owners rarely or never tow anything.

💡Electric Vehicle (EV)

An electric vehicle, or EV, is a vehicle that uses one or more electric motors for propulsion. EVs are known for their lack of tailpipe emissions, quiet operation, and potential for rapid acceleration. The Cybertruck is an example of an EV, and the video discusses the benefits and characteristics of electric vehicles in general, as well as the specific EV features of the Cybertruck.

💡Minimalism

Minimalism in design refers to the practice of using the fewest and simplest elements necessary to achieve a desired effect. In the context of the Cybertruck, it relates to the vehicle's interior design and the reduction of physical buttons and controls in favor of digital interfaces. The video discusses Tesla's approach to minimalism and its impact on the user experience.

💡Iconic

The term 'iconic' is used to describe something that is widely recognized and regarded as a representative symbol or example of its kind. In the video, the Cybertruck's design is described as iconic due to its distinctive and futuristic appearance. The discussion revolves around whether the Cybertruck's iconic status will endure as it transitions from a rare sight to a mass-produced vehicle.

💡Manufacturing Issues

Manufacturing issues refer to problems that arise during the production process of a product, which can affect its quality, functionality, or appearance. In the context of the Cybertruck, the video discusses specific issues encountered with early production models, such as panel gaps and mechanical faults, highlighting the challenges of producing a new and complex vehicle design.

💡Preorders

Preorders are advance orders placed by consumers for a product that has not yet been released or is in limited supply. In the case of the Cybertruck, millions of preorders have been placed, indicating a high level of consumer interest and anticipation. The video discusses the implications of these preorders and the potential for the Cybertruck to shape the future of the pickup truck market.

Highlights

The most dangerous aspect of the Tesla Cybertruck is how it influences the behavior of other drivers on the road.

The Cybertruck's appearance has been met with mixed reviews, with many people initially finding it unattractive, but others appreciating its unique, futuristic design.

The Cybertruck is made primarily of stainless steel and black plastic, giving it a distinct look compared to traditional pickup trucks.

The vehicle features a light bar and unique headlights placement that helps prevent blinding other drivers.

The Cybertruck's design is boxy with no curves, featuring a slope and high shoulders that make it visually interesting.

People are often curious about the Cybertruck and tend to approach the driver to ask questions and share their thoughts.

Many people underestimate the cost of the Cybertruck, with guesses often being higher than the actual price.

The Cybertruck features steer-by-wire technology, which, combined with variable steering ratio and four-wheel steering, results in a nimble and agile driving experience.

The vehicle's stainless steel exterior is durable and can withstand significant impacts, but it is also a fingerprint-magnet and difficult to keep clean.

The Cybertruck's performance capabilities are impressive, especially its acceleration, making it a standout in the electric vehicle market.

Despite its towing and off-roading capabilities, the Cybertruck is likely to be used more as a street vehicle by most owners.

The Cybertruck's 800-volt architecture and 48-volt low voltage system contribute to it being the lightest fully electric pickup truck in the world.

Tesla's minimalist design approach, while successful in reducing costs and complexity, may have limited the Cybertruck's functionality in some areas, such as the lack of physical buttons.

The Cybertruck's suspension system is highly adjustable and provides a surprisingly low and firm ride for a truck.

The vehicle's design has already achieved an iconic status, but its mass production could potentially dilute its impact over time.

The Cybertruck's unique appearance often elicits strong reactions, with many people expressing joy or fascination when encountering it on the road.

Tesla's decision to prioritize certain features and design elements in the Cybertruck reflects their understanding of the vehicle's target market and potential uses.

The Cybertruck's current rarity and distinctive design contribute to its high level of public attention and fascination.

Transcripts

00:00

- The most dangerous thing about the Tesla Cybertruck

00:04

is not the pointy edges and corners.

00:07

It's not the fact that it weighs over three tons

00:09

and goes from zero to 60 miles an hour

00:10

faster than a Corvette.

00:12

It's not even the way that reflections

00:14

glare off the stainless steel

00:15

and can blind people on the highway.

00:17

No, the most dangerous thing about the Cybertruck

00:22

is the way it makes other people

00:24

around you on the road behave.

00:27

(rhythmic music)

00:35

(music continues)

00:44

(music continues)

00:53

(music continues)

01:00

Okay, I genuinely can't tell if the Cybertruck

01:03

is good looking or not, and I'm being completely serious.

01:07

Like if you just check the comment section online,

01:10

it's actually mostly negative.

01:11

Most people are saying it looks horrible.

01:13

It looks like a refrigerator on wheels.

01:15

It's a disaster of a design.

01:17

But once you start living with this thing,

01:18

you drive around with it and you talk to people about it

01:21

who have never heard of it,

01:22

they're saying things like, "This is crazy.

01:24

This is like a movie prop.

01:26

It's sci-fi, looks something alien."

01:29

So there's a lot to it.

01:31

Here, first of all, stainless steel and black plastic.

01:35

That's mostly what you're working with here.

01:36

And the front, I think it has a good angle.

01:39

To be honest, I'm a sucker for a light bar,

01:41

but the actual headlights are down here

01:44

so they stay outta people's eyes.

01:45

In general, it's like a square jawline,

01:48

no curves, just angles.

01:51

But the back, the back not so much.

01:55

You know, it's still technically a bar, yes,

01:57

but it's a little bit dinker in my opinion.

01:59

And also just tons of black plastic in the back.

02:03

Really high tailgate.

02:05

I'm getting like, dump truck vibes from back here.

02:08

I don't think I'm the only one.

02:09

I just, I don't think the back is its best angle.

02:11

But if I had to narrow it down,

02:13

I'm pretty sure the most iconic profile is the side.

02:17

And the two elements of this truck

02:19

that really stand out are this slope, these high shoulders,

02:24

and then the pointy corners on the other side.

02:26

See, most pickup trucks have basically this general shape.

02:30

It's the traditional pickup truck look.

02:32

And so we're not used to seeing this angle right here

02:36

and this huge slope right here.

02:39

It's unusual, it's weird, it's very visually interesting.

02:42

So I've been living with the Cybertruck

02:44

for about a month now, well over 1,500 miles.

02:48

And you notice a couple things.

02:49

First of all, people, whenever you go park somewhere,

02:52

always wanna come up to you and talk about it.

02:54

Naturally, I've entertained a lot of these conversations

02:57

'cause they're fun.

02:58

And they usually say two things.

03:01

One, you'd be surprised

03:02

how many people have never heard of the Cybertruck.

03:04

I know for us online people, people watching this video,

03:07

you're like, how could anyone have not heard

03:09

of the Tesla Cybertruck?

03:11

But you'd be shocked.

03:12

And two, most people just want to know,

03:15

how much does that thing cost?

03:17

And I got asked that so many times,

03:19

eventually I just started having people guess.

03:21

And 100% of the people who guessed were too high.

03:25

People were guessing $250, $300K, $180K, $150K.

03:30

They're all way over.

03:31

But you know, how could they know?

03:32

They don't know what the rest of the truck is.

03:34

They've just seen this thing

03:35

they've never seen for the first time.

03:37

And so I guess the conclusion is the looks

03:40

are really distracting people from the rest

03:43

of what makes the Cybertruck, the Cybertruck.

03:47

Okay, let's play a little game.

03:49

I'm going to name a feature

03:51

and all you have to do is think about it for a second

03:53

and think about if you believe it's overrated or underrated.

03:58

And then I, someone who's been driving this truck,

04:00

will tell you the real answer.

04:02

So first feature, steer by wire.

04:05

I've seen a few good pieces cover

04:06

what's actually happening here,

04:07

talking about the complete physical disconnect

04:10

between the steering wheel you're holding

04:12

and the wheels that are moving under the truck.

04:14

Instead, it's a bunch of sensors reacting to your input

04:17

like a video game controller.

04:18

But combined with the variable steering ratio

04:20

and the four wheel steering,

04:22

this is the most nimble, agile-feeling truck

04:26

that I have ever driven.

04:27

And I don't think a lot of people realize that.

04:30

So I'm going underrated.

04:31

It's one of those things where Tesla definitely

04:33

didn't have to do this.

04:34

Like, they've made their headlines already with the looks.

04:37

It could just be a Model 3 underneath.

04:39

But they went through the extra measures

04:41

and the extra engineering

04:43

to ship a full steer by wire system

04:45

and all the redundancies that come with making it safe.

04:49

I believe they're the first ones to do this.

04:51

But the variable steering ratio is really

04:52

what gives it all of its utility.

04:54

So at low speeds, the ability

04:56

to turn really quickly gets dialed up.

04:59

It's a much more responsive-feeling steering wheel.

05:01

So if I want to turn right here, I only have to give it

05:04

what, half a turn, a quarter turn,

05:06

and I'm fully maneuvering.

05:07

The way you can pull into parking spots

05:09

and make 90 degree turns and everything

05:11

is a total game changer.

05:13

But then at highway speeds it softens that ratio a lot.

05:17

So you have a little bit of steering input

05:18

to sort of glide left and right between different lanes.

05:22

It's much more subtle.

05:23

You kind of need that.

05:24

But then on top of that, throw in the four wheel steering.

05:27

So four wheel steering is not new,

05:28

lots of vehicles have done it.

05:29

But the amount of steer

05:32

that you get from these rear wheels is pretty dramatic

05:35

to the point where you can look in the mirrors

05:36

and see those wheels turning.

05:38

And this can also be adjusted with software.

05:40

But that really lets this huge truck basically pivot

05:43

around a much smaller axis.

05:46

The steering ratio now I think gives it

05:48

the same steering circle as a Model S,

05:50

but it feels really, really impressive

05:52

just because of how big the actual vehicle is.

05:55

It definitely takes some getting used to.

05:56

You can't ignore that fact.

05:57

But once you get used to it,

05:59

you literally feel like when you go back to like, an F-150

06:02

or any other truck where you have

06:03

all this hand over hand steering to do the K turns,

06:06

that feels weird, it feels archaic.

06:08

It feels like you shouldn't have to do that.

06:10

So again, Tesla definitely didn't have to do that,

06:12

but just the way you can drive it like a smaller car

06:16

and really point the nose,

06:17

I don't know, it's definitely underrated.

06:21

All right, next feature, bulletproof stainless steel,

06:25

overrated or underrated?

06:28

I'm going with, you probably saw this one coming,

06:30

I'm going with overrated.

06:32

Now look, first of all I get it.

06:33

Obviously having a very durable truck

06:37

is super useful of course.

06:39

But bulletproof up to nine millimeter rounds?

06:42

(Marques thumping truck)

06:52

(sledgehammer thunking)

06:54

Yeah, I'm not gonna test that.

06:55

But you know, there are some other YouTubers out there

06:57

who totally will.

06:58

And apparently it can literally stop smaller rounds

07:01

without being punctured.

07:03

But also, the glass windows aren't bulletproof,

07:05

they're more of just stronger than regular glass.

07:08

And then it's regular wheels, regular tires

07:10

that can still get slashed.

07:11

So don't go getting any ideas

07:12

that this thing is invincible or anything like that.

07:15

But clearly, cold rolled stainless steel alloy

07:19

is going to be much stronger

07:21

than the regular outside of the vehicle.

07:23

So that's the shopping cart in the back of the parking lot,

07:26

that's fender benders.

07:28

Or if someone hits you, you'll be fine.

07:32

You'll be fine.

07:33

But guess what?

07:33

It also means your truck is now made

07:35

of an extremely fingerprinting material.

07:38

And it also doesn't have normal door handles

07:40

so you just cannot keep it clean

07:42

if you use this thing daily.

07:43

And then steel just happens to be really hard to manipulate.

07:47

Apparently Tesla had to create new machines strong enough

07:50

to stamp this material together.

07:52

There's a reason why there aren't a bunch

07:53

of other cars rolling around looking like this.

07:55

So when I say in the Auto Focus review

07:57

that low VIN Cybertrucks

07:59

will have low VIN production issues,

08:02

that's not actually new to Tesla.

08:04

They've had to spin up manufacturing for different types

08:06

of vehicles before,

08:08

and usually the first few thousand of them aren't pretty.

08:12

But then they learn from those issues

08:13

and then one or two years down the road

08:15

they're making millions of the thing

08:17

and they're much better quality controlled.

08:18

So this particular Cybertruck

08:21

is the dual motor all-wheel drive.

08:23

This was borrowed from Ridge.

08:25

Shout out to Ridge by the way.

08:26

I'll leave a link below if you aren't caught up

08:27

on my partnership with them.

08:28

But on delivery, this one had a pretty big panel gap

08:32

on the driver's side door.

08:34

And you know, I never really care about panel gaps,

08:37

but this one in particular actually started growing

08:41

and getting worse.

08:42

It literally looked like the door was open,

08:44

and then it started making weird noises while closing.

08:46

Until one day it actually broke.

08:49

So turns out it wasn't a panel gap,

08:51

it was actually a manufacturing issue where the bolts

08:54

that hold this latch in place

08:56

were actually not torqued tight enough

08:57

and they loosened over time and it fell out.

09:00

And so Miles actually had the bright idea

09:02

to just gaffe tape the latch securely back in place.

09:05

And now when you close the door, lines up perfectly.

09:09

So Elon Musk addressed this on Twitter after my video.

09:12

Apparently only 15 trucks had this issue,

09:16

so lucky me, I guess.

09:17

So if you are one of the few,

09:19

then you can apparently just take this

09:20

to a Tesla service center

09:21

and they'll be able to fix it in no time

09:23

as long as you get an appointment.

09:24

The Cyberbeast that I took delivery of under my name

09:27

has been flawless so far.

09:30

But I think the point I'm trying to make is

09:31

these early Cybertrucks, as with any other early Tesla,

09:35

they're going to find,

09:35

I guarantee you, more issues like this.

09:37

And they'll work on 'em and fix 'em.

09:39

But yeah, this Foundation Series badge right here,

09:43

kind of clouted in the Tesla community

09:44

'cause it basically means you got one of the first few.

09:47

But it also kind of means willing beta tester in a way.

09:53

So you know, these materials and this new stamping technique

09:55

and all this should eventually make the vehicles

09:57

much easier to produce en masse, and cheaper.

10:01

But that's eventually, eventually.

10:04

All right, next feature, truck stuff.

10:06

I'm talking about the theoretical reasons why someone

10:09

would logically buy a truck over any other vehicle

10:14

like a van or an SUV or a car.

10:18

And that would be for towing, hauling and off-roading.

10:23

And I know it looks like this truck would be amazing

10:27

at all of that stuff, but I'm gonna say

10:29

that this one, it's overrated.

10:32

It's overrated here, and I'll tell you why.

10:33

Now, don't get me wrong, the Cybertruck, very capable.

10:37

It's much more capable than any other Tesla, obviously.

10:40

I can confirm it handles winter weather really well.

10:43

Like it has heated windshield wiper and the heated mirrors

10:45

and the door can in fact open in icy weather.

10:48

They added a wade mode

10:50

that lifts the suspension all the way up

10:52

and pressurizes the battery so that you can drive

10:54

through really deep water.

10:56

It's insane.

10:57

And it also has off-road driving modes

10:58

and towing modes right here in the settings.

11:01

There's also only one wheel and tire option

11:04

right now with Cybertruck.

11:05

Every single Cybertruck ships

11:06

with the same Goodyear Territory Wrangler RT Tire, whatever.

11:12

It's a pretty popular tire

11:13

and they ship them on, you know, Jeep Grand Cherokees

11:15

and F-150s all the time.

11:16

And it's reinforced

11:18

and it's capable of some light off-roading.

11:20

But I think if we're being honest,

11:22

most people will be driving this thing mostly on the street,

11:26

like a glorified SUV.

11:27

So here's a number to think about, 63.

11:32

63% is the percent of truck drivers who admit to rarely

11:37

or never towing anything at all.

11:41

And that's just the ones that admit it.

11:42

Like, look at this chart.

11:43

This is from a survey of F-150 owners,

11:45

so the most popular truck in the country.

11:48

People are almost never actually towing with these things.

11:51

So before we leave a comment

11:52

that this thing sucks for towing, yeah, they know, we know.

11:55

Everyone buying it kind of should already know.

11:59

If you're buying a truck specifically for towing,

12:01

then you have a short list of trucks you're considering

12:03

and none of them are electric.

12:05

But I think my main realization with this thing

12:07

is there are millions of preorders for this thing right now.

12:09

Because it's Tesla, it's going to be very popular.

12:12

This is gonna be a lot of people's first truck

12:16

and it will come with all of the first truck realizations.

12:19

Like to a lot of people,

12:20

the Cybertruck looks absolutely huge,

12:23

but it's actually smaller than an F-150.

12:25

And these people, when they get the truck,

12:27

they'll think they're invincible and they can drive off road

12:29

and just go wherever they want without even thinking about

12:32

strategically going certain routes

12:34

or airing down the tires

12:36

that literally come at 50 PSI from the factory.

12:38

They're gonna start getting stuck in all sorts

12:40

of embarrassing situations, which means

12:42

of course then there will be countless articles

12:44

written about them

12:44

because of course no other truck has ever

12:46

been stuck in the snow before.

12:48

And it's just, sorry,

12:50

I'm definitely getting ahead of myself.

12:51

But look, we will be using a Cybertruck

12:54

at our video production studio for a lot of the same reasons

12:56

that we've used an R1T.

12:58

It's got a tow hitch, it's spacious, it hauls a lot of gear,

13:01

it's quick, it's quiet, it's great.

13:04

But I think the point I'm trying to make is

13:06

most of the millions of people who will end up

13:09

with these Cybertrucks eventually

13:12

are going to use them on the street

13:16

just like a glorified SUV

13:18

just 'cause they think this one looks cool.

13:21

And that's fine.

13:24

All right, next category, performance.

13:28

Overrated or underrated?

13:31

Well, you might have seen this little video

13:32

that Tesla did on their YouTube channel

13:34

racing the Cybertruck against a Porsche 911

13:38

while towing a 911 and beating that 911.

13:41

And that, that was a very clever video.

13:45

It's an ad, of course,

13:46

but it also takes advantage of the fact

13:47

that EVs all have this commoditization

13:50

of this enormous straight line performance,

13:52

great acceleration.

13:54

Anyone can get it.

13:55

But you know, I'd normally never compare a pickup truck

13:59

to a sports car, right?

14:02

But well, we're here.

14:06

(energetic music)

14:14

(music continues)

14:23

(music continues)

14:27

(car revving) (truck humming)

14:34

(race signal beeping)

14:38

(car roaring)

14:42

(music continues)

14:50

(music continues)

14:57

(music continues)

15:02

So like most drag races, this one was just for fun.

15:06

But while we have some time at this drag strip,

15:07

we did a bunch of these, we did back to back to back races.

15:10

And it shed a lot of light on Tesla's video

15:13

and on the Cybertruck in general.

15:14

So first of all, EVs are quick, right?

15:17

We've known this for years.

15:18

Ludicrous mode, Plaid mode, Beast mode.

15:22

This is not new information.

15:23

But cars with gears can be faster.

15:27

So there's a difference between quick and fast.

15:30

So when you go to a real drag strip with timing equipment

15:33

and all that stuff, you get one of these after.

15:35

This is a time slip.

15:36

Breaks down in both lanes,

15:37

not just the end of the 1/4 mile

15:39

but multiple points along the race.

15:41

And so I've expanded it here.

15:44

So this was the triple motor Cybertruck's best run,

15:47

one of the first runs.

15:48

It runs a 10.9 second 1/4 mile,

15:50

which if you don't know, is absolutely ridiculous.

15:54

There are bonafide sports cars that don't run in the 10s.

15:57

And for a 7,000 pound pickup truck

16:00

to do it on all terrain tires is just kind of hilarious.

16:04

But when you actually look at and break down

16:05

each of these times, this shows the difference

16:08

between quick and fast.

16:10

So first of all, off the launch,

16:12

just from zero miles an hour,

16:14

the Cyberbeast with its triple motors

16:15

and with its 1000 hertz traction control

16:18

managing slip at the rear wheels basically in real time

16:22

is able to explode off the line

16:24

through the first 60 feet of the race

16:26

faster than the 911 Turbo S,

16:28

one of the fastest-launching cars ever made.

16:30

Now from there, it holds that lead,

16:32

continues putting down all of this power

16:34

all the way out to 330 feet.

16:36

So you can see that at 330 feet,

16:38

4.4 versus 4.5, it's still out ahead.

16:41

But by the time you get to 660 feet,

16:43

which is roughly halfway through the race,

16:45

that's when the 911 has changed gears twice

16:49

and continues to pull.

16:50

And this is when it shifts

16:52

and passes the truck around halfway through the race.

16:54

Physics just takes over,

16:56

and the lighter car with many more gears continues to shift.

16:59

It passes the truck.

17:00

Crazy enough, the Cybertruck hits

17:02

its 114 mile an hour electronically limited top speed,

17:05

probably 'cause of the tires,

17:07

well before the end of the 1/4 mile,

17:09

while my child, I mean the car,

17:11

continues to pull into the 140s.

17:14

No, it's not stock.

17:15

Now Tesla made this video that I've talked about,

17:17

and they wanted to showcase the Cyberbeast

17:20

against a Porsche 911.

17:21

And they know all of this

17:23

so they had to get clever, I'll say.

17:27

So if you haven't seen it, I'll link it below.

17:28

Their video shows the Cybertruck pulling up to the line.

17:31

It's racing a Porsche 911.

17:33

It beats the 911 in a drag race

17:35

and then it's revealed

17:36

that it was towing a 911 the whole time.

17:38

So they're saying you can beat one while towing one.

17:41

And then it flashes the 1/4 mile time

17:43

on the screen, 11 seconds.

17:44

So first of all, there's about 50 different models

17:48

and variations of the Porsche 911.

17:50

So just based on what we saw

17:51

and from the performance in the video, I'm gonna guess

17:53

that they went with the cheapest

17:55

and slowest possible 911.

17:56

So that would be the 911 Carrera T.

17:58

It's a manual transmission.

18:00

It does zero to 60 in around 4.3 seconds.

18:02

So now the Cybertruck with its 2.6 second zero to 60

18:05

has a massive advantage.

18:06

And so they're able to handicap it

18:09

by having it tow the 911, like 3,000 pounds.

18:12

Okay, so then they run the race.

18:13

And if you watch the video, they run it out

18:16

to this yellow mark right here.

18:19

Which it turns out

18:20

is actually the halfway point of the drag strip.

18:22

So shout out to Engineering Explained

18:24

for doing the math on this one.

18:25

I'll leave the video below.

18:27

But it turns out the Carrera T, thanks to its gearbox,

18:30

is still eventually faster than a Cybertruck,

18:33

especially if it's towing 3,000 pounds,

18:35

but it's really an 1/8 mile race

18:37

that they're showcasing here,

18:38

and then they quote the 1/4 mile time at the end

18:40

as if they ran a 1/4 mile race.

18:42

But as we've learned today, quick, fast.

18:46

People will point out that difference

18:48

but I'll let it slide.

18:49

It's just a drag race, it's fun,

18:50

it's not that huge of a deal.

18:51

But I will say, if you can,

18:53

from stoplight to stoplight be just as quick

18:56

as basically any other car in a 7,000 pound truck,

19:00

that's incredible, that's hilarious, that's really fun.

19:03

But hopefully, at least now you understand why I'm saying

19:05

performance is a bit overrated.

19:07

It's more of a one trick pony in a straight line.

19:10

Now that one trick is very fun

19:13

and very appealing to certain people.

19:14

There are people every day who pick the F-150 Raptor

19:17

over the F-150 for stuff like this.

19:19

But you know, then you get to a turn and it's a truck again.

19:23

But also one more thing I just wanna highlight,

19:24

again, in our best run we got 10.995 seconds

19:29

in the Cybertruck.

19:29

Is this the fastest?

19:30

Is this the world record

19:31

for fastest Cybertruck 1/4 mile?

19:34

I haven't seen any faster, so lemme know if you do.

19:37

But shout out to Miles, the driver mod.

19:39

I think we might have a world record here.

19:44

All right, the 800 volt architecture

19:46

and the 48 volt low voltage system,

19:47

both new to the Cybertruck.

19:50

I'm going underrated, if only for the fun fact that this,

19:53

this is technically the lightest fully electric pickup truck

19:58

in the world.

19:59

Which is not the highest bar to clear.

20:01

But yes, thanks to the lesser wire weight,

20:03

it is lighter than the Hummer EV.

20:05

It's also lighter than the F-150 Lightning.

20:08

And it is lighter than the dramatically smaller Rivian R1T.

20:12

So that's an accomplishment.

20:13

I was also hoping it would charge like,

20:15

just as fast or faster than other Teslas.

20:17

But it seems right in line, you know,

20:19

250 kilowatts out of V3 Superchargers

20:21

for about the first 1/3 of the curve.

20:24

You know, it looks like less as far as miles per hour

20:27

that you're adding to the battery,

20:28

but that's including driving efficiency.

20:30

Which is, thanks to the aerodynamics of a refrigerator,

20:34

not great.

20:34

Now I also wanna give a shout out

20:35

specifically to the suspension,

20:37

just the suspension on the Cybertruck,

20:39

which I think is underrated.

20:40

First of all, there's a huge amount of travel

20:42

between the lowest and firmest

20:44

and the highest and softest settings.

20:46

And no one's gonna say this thing drives like a sports car,

20:48

but it is pretty impressively low and firm

20:50

in its lowest setting,

20:52

and it's very high,

20:53

and it can move between those low

20:54

and high settings really quickly.

20:56

And I was also very impressed

20:58

by how little roll and yaw there was.

21:01

Typically a big truck, you hit accelerate

21:03

and the nose comes up a lot.

21:04

This one goes up a little.

21:07

Not bad.

21:08

But then also we gotta talk about, just for a second,

21:09

Tesla's minimalism.

21:11

Because it's kind of a staple of Teslas at this point,

21:15

especially with the Cybertruck here with the design.

21:17

But also on the inside and with materials

21:20

and the choices they make.

21:22

I think a lot of us would agree

21:24

that a physical button in a lot of ways

21:26

is better than a digital button.

21:28

I don't think that's a hot take.

21:30

But one of the reasons

21:31

Tesla's been so successful business wise

21:33

over the past couple years in such a competitive market

21:36

is because they've figured out a way

21:37

to make a profit on every vehicle,

21:39

and they minimize all of the extra pieces,

21:41

all of the moving parts.

21:42

And they've gotten rid of a lot of buttons.

21:44

Actually, they've gotten rid of basically

21:46

every button in the Cybertruck.

21:48

But because of Tesla's success,

21:50

I feel like auto manufacturers have started to copy

21:53

a lot of what Tesla does,

21:55

to the detriment of some of their vehicles.

21:57

I would've liked to have seen in the Cybertruck,

21:59

this big special vehicle, maybe a cool key fob

22:03

that has access to a button to open the front trunk,

22:05

or maybe real climate control buttons.

22:07

Or maybe, we all know they should have done a mirror

22:10

that's actually a screen

22:11

so you can see out the back of the truck

22:12

without looking down at the screen.

22:14

But they didn't do that.

22:16

So I'm saying Tesla's minimalism, kind of overrated here.

22:20

But I also do need you to know

22:21

that despite all the other interesting technical stuff

22:24

that I've talked about in this video,

22:26

this is still a Tesla under the hood,

22:29

and all of the things that we love about that

22:31

and all the other stuff that comes with it.

22:33

That means it works with Tesla Superchargers

22:35

all over the country.

22:36

That also means it has a super heavy

22:38

123 kilowatt-hour battery in the floor.

22:41

It means that the quiet interior of the vehicle

22:43

makes the speaker system sound way better

22:46

than it probably should.

22:47

And it also means a bunch of things

22:48

are missing about these early trucks as they deliver them.

22:51

The super heavy additional range extender battery

22:54

in the back isn't shipping yet,

22:55

and nobody knows when it will.

22:57

The screen also has no CarPlay or Android Auto,

22:59

but the software is really good and super fast.

23:03

But there's also no Autopilot right now,

23:06

even if you paid for it.

23:07

No light bar right now, even if you paid for it.

23:09

No aero caps right now, and you did pay for those.

23:12

The locking differential at the rear axle doesn't work

23:15

in the dual motor version of this truck yet.

23:17

And there's only one tire option, for a truck!

23:19

All of these are decisions that Tesla makes

23:22

knowing the priorities of the probable buyers,

23:25

the millions of pre-orders of the Cybertruck.

23:28

They know what people are probably going to do with these.

23:30

They know what people think they're going to do with these.

23:33

And they know what people want

23:34

when they buy one of these things.

23:36

It's a Tesla under the hood.

23:37

So I was driving to the studio the other day,

23:39

and on my way there I'm coming up over this hill,

23:42

and on the other side of the hill

23:43

is this biker across the street.

23:45

And as I came over the hill, he looked up

23:47

and he saw the truck for about two seconds.

23:49

And then he reached out and he just did this

23:52

as he biked past me.

23:54

But later that same night,

23:56

I was on my way home from practice

23:58

around the bridge somewhere in New York City at night.

24:00

And slowing down in traffic,

24:02

this car pulls up next to me, kind of in front of me

24:05

and all four of the windows roll down

24:07

and these super happy faces all stick out

24:09

and just like, give me thumbs up

24:12

and they're grinning the entire time.

24:13

And I'd say that's about the ratio of joy

24:17

to absolute disgust

24:18

that you bring into the world

24:19

driving the Cybertruck around, it's probably like 80-20.

24:22

So what's the verdict with the Cybertruck, right?

24:25

I think there's a lot going on between those four corners,

24:28

a lot of interesting choices and materials and technologies

24:32

and steer by wire and 800 volt systems and all this stuff.

24:36

But a lot of it frankly is overshadowed by the design again.

24:41

So we keep coming back to the design.

24:42

And I feel like we can use that word again, iconic.

24:48

I would say as a product person,

24:49

I do think this is already an iconic design.

24:53

Now, that comes with a lot of baggage.

24:55

I feel like when you say that word,

24:57

it's kind of like joining the rare air

24:59

of like, the bedroom poster of some on some kid's wall.

25:03

It's like the Lamborghini Countach or the Bugatti Veyron

25:07

or something like a Tesla Cybertruck.

25:09

But the thing about those iconic cars

25:13

is they're also almost always rare.

25:17

And that's the thing, it's like if you saw a Bugatti Veyron

25:20

on the street, that's probably the only Bugatti Veyron

25:22

you're gonna see on the street for a long time.

25:24

There's not that many Lamborghini Countaches

25:27

out on the world.

25:27

Now the Cybertruck today is super rare.

25:31

And there's all these articles about, you know,

25:32

celebrities driving them around.

25:34

And when you see one, it's an event.

25:36

That's why people are reacting the way they are.

25:38

It's probably because it's the first time

25:40

they're ever seeing one.

25:41

But the Cybertruck is slotted to be mass produced.

25:46

So I feel like this actually has to wear off after a while.

25:50

Like obviously it hits different

25:51

seeing your 10th or 50th

25:54

or 100th Cybertruck of the day, right?

25:56

So how does that match up?

25:58

I think there's like, two million plus pre-orders

26:01

of the Cybertruck, and more coming.

26:03

There were only ever

26:04

about 2000 Lamborghini Countaches ever made.

26:07

There was less than 500 Bugatti Veyrons ever made.

26:11

So it's kinda hard to find a comp for a vehicle

26:14

that starts off its life as iconic,

26:17

but then is mass produced.

26:19

And there was this really interesting comment

26:20

on the Auto Focus video I made about this truck

26:22

on owning the PT Cruiser when it first came out.

26:26

And I wasn't really old enough to remember this,

26:28

so I'm purely taking their word for it,

26:30

but it apparently it was a crazy enough design

26:32

that it got a lot of attention

26:34

when it first started being made.

26:35

You know, it's a weird shape, had some odd material choices

26:38

and all that.

26:39

But eventually Chrysler made over a million PT cruisers.

26:43

But now we know exactly how cool the PT Cruiser is.

26:47

You know, it gets humanized more and more

26:49

the more you see them on the road.

26:50

You see them get in accidents

26:53

and have to maneuver through traffic,

26:54

and they're just regular people and regular cars,

26:57

and they're everywhere.

26:58

And I guess the question is, is that the arc

27:02

for the Tesla Cybertruck?

27:03

Like, we don't know.

27:04

But it has to go from being this crazy unobtainium

27:07

that it is right now, to being something.

27:12

Only time will tell.

27:14

Thanks for watching.

27:15

Catch you guys in the next one.

27:17

Peace.

27:19

(rhythmic music)

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