I keep trying to mind my own business, but it’s hard when I keep seeing the same stories over and over and over. I feel you deserve to hear about it at that point — that point when it becomes more than a trending news story and becomes a pattern.
A few days ago, there was a pretty hilarious story about a Cybertruck getting stuck in some sand on the beach. It ultimately had to be pulled out by a Toyota Sienna, which apparently has more off-road capabilities and towing prowess than the Cybertruck. I saw that story and rolled my eyes, got a bit annoyed, started thinking about how Elon Musk claimed the Cybertruck was some off-roading machine. But I kept my thoughts to myself.
I mean, I bash Tesla enough here. But hey, it’s not only me.
But then it happened again. Just days later. Another Cybertruck was “off-roading” when it got stuck in a large, muddy puddle. Okay… Now it’s a story. Two different times in one week, a Cybertruck has been stuck in an off-roading scenario that it shouldn’t have. Well, if you believe Musk. Which you shouldn’t.
However, many Cybertruck fans clearly do. And it’s leading to very dangerous and costly situations.
Why are people actually driving their Cybertrucks in sand and mud? Because Elon Musk said it’s fine
Tesla currently claims the Cybertruck is made for “city driving and off-roading,” boasting a few terrain-drive modes, including Wade Mode for navigating deep water. Like the muddy pond puddle above. However, even Tesla claims you must change your driving style depending on whether you’re on or off-road, which seems to lack the confidence of Musk’s earlier claims.
Musk has frequently boasted about the Cybertruck’s off-road capabilities over the past few years. He claimed it can excel in extreme environments like the desert and rocky trails, thanks to its adjustable air suspension. He has also claimed that the Cybertruck can act as a “boat” thanks to its waterproof nature, allowing it to cross rivers and other calm water.
Over the past decade, Musk has made plenty of dramatic claims about its vehicles and technology. Even after admitting that most of it was false, Tesla fans continued to have faith in him for some odd reason. This has led to Cybertruck owners to do some crazy stuff with their poorly designed and unfortunately constructed metallic trash bins. It has always felt a bit like a humiliation ritual to me, and I almost feel bad for the thing. There are endless stories of Cybertrucks getting stuck all over the place, drowning in water, unable to climb hills, and almost flipping over on downhill grades.
So much for Musk’s claims that the Cybertruck is ready for the apocalypse, or any planet.
But that was all “freedom of speech,” as Musk would say. Because Tesla’s official warranty doesn’t cover off-road damage to the Cybertruck. Water-related failures are also not covered under that policy. Again, this doesn’t scream confidence. And that means all of these fools who believed him will have to pay the price. Out of pocket.
Let’s maybe just keep the Cybertrucks on the road. Or just… don’t. Just don’t. Things are not going to get any better as Tesla pivots to autonomous robotaxis and humanoid robots. Its already flimsy vehicles will be getting even less attention very soon.
