It was on the fated day of November 21, 2019, when Tesla first revealed their entry into the pickup truck market — the CyberTruck. And as we are nearing 2021, their advertised year of beginning production, we now look back at the pre-order option and ask:
Is it really worth it to get the CyberTruck?
Sure, the event was a success, and it did garner over 146,000 pre-orders in its first week owing to the hype and futuristic look it offered. But now that everything has dialed down and scaled back, we think the time is right to decide whether you should pre-order or wait on it.
What Are The Features?
The pre-order comes at a very affordable price of $100 and is fully refundable should you ever change your mind. This pre-order price point remains the same for all three variants of the CyberTruck, namely:
- Single Motor RWD
- Dual Motor AWD
- Tri-Motor AWD
Their prices are $39,900, $49,900, and $69,900 respectively. As you can expect, the truck’s specs and features also scale with its value, and the entry-level tier (single motor RWD) carries this much power:
- 250+ Miles on Full Charge
- 7,500+ lbs Towing Capacity
- <6.5s 0-60 MPH
Compared to Ford’s F-150, the dominating pickup truck in the market, the CyberTruck is more than capable of going toe to toe and beating it out in some aspects. While it has a higher starting price, the CyberTruck is equipped with the more towing capacity and extra storage space.
We can’t glance over the F-150 vs. CyberTruck video too, but the odds were heavily in Tesla’s favor, so we leave that interpretation up to you. Nevertheless, the high-end tri-motor AWD variant is undoubtedly a truck to watch out for, but what exactly makes the CyberTruck stand out?
#1 All-Electric Design
Of course, it isn’t a Tesla vehicle without its main selling point — an all eclectic design. Unlike your average gas-powered pickup truck, CyberTruck runs entirely on electricity, which is much easier and safer on the environment. On top of that, electricity is also much cheaper than gasoline saving you on some expenses, with the bonus of rebates from certain states.
Running on an electric motor also nets you better performance and efficiency, but it does come with its downsides. While a full charge can get you 500+ miles, forgetting to charge can be a pain. And the last thing you want is being held back by your vehicle because it’s running low on battery.
#2 It Looks… Different
You might need to call in plumbing services because the CyberTruck’s overall look and design is definitely hard to flush. From an aesthetic point of view, the CyberTruck is trying something different, and we can’t blame Elon for doing something out of the box. ; However, for most truck drivers, the look is what makes or breaks the deal.
If you’re into the futuristic vibe, then more power to you, but if you’re looking for something more conventional and traditional, look elsewhere. Minus the aesthetics, though, the CyberTruck does offer some very appealing features that might make you think twice:
- Extremely Durable Exterior: The CyberTruck is made with Tesla’s flagship Ultra-Hard 30X Cold-Rolled Stainless Steel, one of the strongest exoskeletons on pickup trucks yet. It prevents any long-term damage and offers passengers the best protection.
- Tesla Armor Glass: While the event did have its “flop” when the glass cracked, Tesla does swear by its very durable glass. It can absorb and redirect the impact to tolerate any possible damage.
#3 Full Self-Driving
Lastly, an excellent feature of the CyberTruck is the full self-driving. Just as with any Tesla vehicle, drivers can have a fully-automated experience. And while it still does need minimal supervision in some cases, this is as close as you can get for an auto-pilot driving session and is bound to get better with more development.
However, please do note that it does come at a price premium and will cost you an extra $8,000 to have access to the full self-driving feature. This price is subject to become more expensive as time goes by, so locking in now will save you more money in the future.
Conclusion: It Depends
Overall, while looking very promising, the pre-order remains an “it depends” type of situation. Sure, we can bet that Tesla will deliver on most of its promises for the CyberTruck. Still, it’s always better to wait for when independent reviewers can give their professional opinions. However, if you have $100 spare just lying around, it won’t hurt as it’s fully-refundable.
We suggest that you look over the specs, aesthetics, and performance of the CyberTruck once more and see if it checks all the boxes for you. And if it remains undecided, waiting a bit more is always viable.
