The Tesla Cybertruck is finally here. It may be a few years late, and it may not have arrived as originally advertised, but it's here and it's still one of the most anticipated vehicles—if not the most-anticipated vehicle—to debut in a very long time.
There haven't been a lot of independent reviews yet, since most of the deliveries have been to Tesla employees and a few hand-picked VIPs that might be reluctant to be critical of the vehicle. Luckily, we were able to talk to Kyle Conner of Out Of Spec Studios, one of the few truly independent reviewers to have extended access to a Cybertruck for testing purposes, and ask for his opinions. When I did, he had a lot to say.
"Is it the first (Tesla) dud? I think objectively, yes," Conner told me in a recent chat.
We discussed his range test, his supercharging sessions, and the Cybertruck's driving dynamics. We then asked him to compare it to the Ford F-150 Lightning, the Rivian R1T, the Chevrolet Silverado EV, and the GMC Hummer EV.
Here are direct links to a few of the topics covered in the video:
- Driving range 2:07
- Charging 6:40
- Are Tesla's 4680 battery cells a disappointment? 13:22
- Driving dynamics 16:45
- Cybertruck vs the other electric pickup trucks 19:18
- What would you improve? 22:08
- The Cybertruck range extender 23:32
- The Cybertruck vs Porsche 911 race 24:40
- Is the Cybertruck Tesla's first dud? 30:05
- What really is the Cybertruck? 34:31
- Cybertruck vs Hummer EV - which one would you buy? 37:44
Conner completed the first structured 70 miles per hour range test on a Cybertruck and finished driving it a disappointing 254 miles at which time the vehicle stopped moving and put itself in park. At that point, the display indicated that it had used 124 kWh on the range test, proving that the Cybertruck does indeed have a much smaller battery than all of the other electric pickups on the market today.
| Vehicle | Battery Capacity | EPA Range |
| Tesla Cybertruck AWD | 124 kWh | 340 Miles/318 Miles (est) |
| Ford F-150 Lightning | 131 kWh | 320 Miles |
| Rivian R1T Dual Motor (21"/20") | 135 kWh | 352 Miles/289 Miles |
| Chevrolet Silverado EV | 212 kWh | 450 Miles |
| GMC Hummer EV | 212 kWh | 314 Miles/298 Miles |
Therefore, it's not surprising Conner wasn't able to drive the Cybertruck as far as the other electric trucks he's range-tested. He was quick to point out that the Foundation Series Cybertruck that he was driving was equipped with large 35-inch tires. The smaller tires that will be offered on future Cybertrucks will certainly add more range to the vehicle.
When equipped with 35-inch tires, the Cybertruck has an estimated EPA range rating of 318 miles, 22 miles less than the estimated range rating of 340 miles for the same vehicle with the smaller tire option.
Gallery: Tesla Cybertruck
Conner was more impressed with the Cybertruck's supercharging results than he expected, based on some early reports that the vehicle wasn't charging very well.
We also asked him if he would take the Cybertruck over the other electric pickup trucks on the market. That answer was especially interesting: Conner said he would take it over the Ford F-150 Lightning and the Rivian R1T (although in another video last week he said he would take the R1T over the Cybertruck), but that he would take both the Chevrolet Silverado EV and the Hummer EV over the Cybertruck.
We also discuss Tesla's 4680 battery cells and whether they have delivered on their original promise of being better than anything else on the market today.
Even with its shortcomings Conner wants to buy a Cybertruck but believes that Tesla oversold what the vehicle would be capable of, and for that reason, he believes it's probably Tesla's first dud.
