Tesla Cybertruck Owner Learns Valuable Lesson After Going Off-Road

Starting at $79,990 and with the mandatory Foundation Series pack early buyers must select, the dual-motor Cybertruck will set you back at least $99,990 before any taxes, fees, and incentives. No matter how you might try to spin it, this is a very expensive ride. It is an all-electric vehicle like no other, though!

The manufacturer-estimated range of 340 miles has already been debunked. The EV will drive for around 250 miles or less on a single charge. If it must tow in less-than-ideal weather, then that real-world range will drop by more than half. A YouTuber tried to move an 11,000-lb trailer and got only 90 miles out of the truck.

We also learned that the 600-hp Cybertruck charges rather slowly, and it's not aerodynamic enough to save on electricity consumption when traveling long distances. Fortunately, a $16,000 range extender that occupies a third of the available bed space and should add 130 miles of more go will become available sometime this year.

Moreover, the Cybertruck can't accommodate 37-inch tires without extra modifications at the end of 2023. However, the 35-inch Goodyear rubber rings installed from the factory should be enough to keep this EV moving on various types of surfaces.

People buying a Cybertruck might expect the EV to be capable of doing impressive things (or not breaking down, at least) when off-roading. It wouldn't be outrageous to think that a pickup truck manufactured by the world's most valuable car company could actually excel at things cheaper vehicles are good at.

One of the earliest owners of such a vehicle, who is not an off-roading enthusiast, took his chance at taking this 6,600-lb angular pickup truck out in the wild. He went on the Park Road 3 route to reach the top of Wildcat Mountain in Texas. Among the first things he discovered was that off-road mode disables every time the driver gets out to check the surroundings because the EV turns off. To avoid that, you'll have to leave the door ajar.

He followed his buddies, who were driving a Toyota 4Runner and a Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness, along the way but was unable to keep up with them after a rather modest incline stopped the Cybertruck in its tracks. Airing down the tires to 30 psi from 50 psi didn't do much at first. The problem was that the software couldn't figure out what to do with the wheels.

The absence of locking differentials (that force the wheels to turn no matter what) is also a negative. Tesla says an over-the-air software update will bring such a feature later. But it would still have more work to do afterwards because the video below shows the wheel that's stuck in the air moving. The vehicle should have stopped it from spinning and transfer power to the one with grip.

However, the main issue is that the suspension setup doesn't have enough articulation to tackle those types of inclines. The wheels can't connect to the ground. Its weight isn't helping, either. It does have a superb sound system, though! You could listen to your favorite tunes while others keep driving. It also has a stellar A/C system.

He eventually pushed through but lost a couple of mud flaps. That's on the driver, though. Tesla recommends removing them (and the wheel aero covers) before off-roading, even though it doesn't show owners how to do it.

In conclusion, the Cybertruck isn't very good at off-roading for the time being. It also doesn't have all its systems active. Maybe it'll get better via software tweaks, but it's unlikely that it will manage to be on par with the quad-motor Rivian R1T and its McLaren 720S-inspired suspension.