6 photos
Photo: Lukáš ReNo via Facebook, This is Slovakia via YouTube, cas.sk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has built an idyllic image of the Tesla Cybertruck’s capabilities. The electric pickup can survive the Apocalypse, is bulletproof, tougher than any other truck, and, guess what, it can also “serve briefly as a boat” if the need arises. With expectations set so high, it’s no wonder people mock the Cybertruck at every chance they get.
Tesla unveiled the Cybertruck in 2019, wowing everyone with its unique design and out-of-this-world features that no vehicle on Earth could match. The electric pickup truck was made out of the same steel material as SpaceX Starship, had supercar performance, and cost only a fraction of what other luxury pickup trucks cost. Tesla needed four years before it started deliveries, and during all this time, Elon Musk continued to inflate the Cybertruck’s capabilities with incredible features.
The Cybertruck was supposed to be bulletproof and feature armor glass, survive the Apocalypse, do truck things better than any other pickup on the market, and drive faster than a supercar, all while floating on water like an amphibious vehicle. However, when deliveries started in November 2023, people couldn’t help but notice its shortcomings. Besides costing double what was initially announced, the Cybertruck could not get the advertised range, and the first people who took delivery confirmed that build quality was a mess.
With expectations set very high by Elon Musk’s exaggerated capabilities, no wonder people were disappointed. The Cybertruck might have a tough stainless steel body, but parts fall off it while driving, and the windshield breaks when moderate hail falls from the sky. It’s also no off-road champion, getting stuck in a cornfield, a snowy incline, and, more recently, in a river bed. As for the claim that it could “serve briefly as a boat,” as Musk said it would, you better forget it.
Tesla fitted the Cybertruck with a battery pressurization system it calls “Wade Mode.” This is supposed to inject the battery pack with compressed air from the suspension system to create positive pressure and prevent water from entering the battery pack. It should help the Cybertruck ford a river without issues, provided the water is not over 31 inches (0.79 meters).
If you’re wondering if people learn anything from past mistakes with Cybertruck’s overrated capabilities, the answer is no. One Cybertruck owner from Czechia (don’t ask how the Cybertruck got to that European country) wanted to test the Wade Mode, so he drove to the neighboring country, Slovakia. He decided to enter the Malé Košariská Lake, some 12 miles (20 km) from the capital Bratislava. The lake bed was covered in gravel, which proved too difficult for the Cybertruck to conquer.
The apocalyptic Cybertruck got stuck in the lake, and it needed help from bystanders to get out. People dug out gravel and placed wooden planks under the wheels. Others pushed the Cybertruck from behind, finally freeing the truck from the water. It’s unclear whether the Wade Mode test was successful, as the reports focus on recovering the truck from the lake.
