Tesla's Cybertruck Revolution: A Year of Fame, Flaws, and Fan Frenzy

The Tesla Cybertruck burst onto the automotive scene with a disruptive energy that’s become synonymous with its creator, Elon Musk.

One year on since hitting the roads, the Cybertruck has made an undeniable splash in the EV market, selling in significant numbers and becoming the ultimate status symbol for celebrities and tech enthusiasts alike.

Yet, the Cybertruck’s journey has been far from smooth. Plagued by production delays and a series of high-profile recalls, Tesla’s boldest creation has not escaped criticism from industry analysts and consumers. The carmaker has faced questions over its safety and range, and had to deal with competition from other electric trucks.

However, these issues haven’t deterred its loyal fan base, who tout the truck’s groundbreaking technologies and unmatched style as worth every dollar (for which they spent a lot to obtain one).

Newsweek has reached out to Tesla for comment via email.

The Cybertruck’s Background History

The Cybertruck was unveiled by Tesla CEO Elon Musk in 2019 with much fanfare, capturing the imagination of consumers worldwide. Its unconventional design, resembling a futuristic armored vehicle, broke away from traditional pickup aesthetics.

Despite initial setbacks—including the infamous incident during its unveiling where Tesla designer Franz von Holzhausen threw a metal ball at the supposedly bulletproof window glass, causing it to shatter and Musk to exclaim “Oh my f***ing god”—Tesla pressed forward.

The truck began deliveries in late 2023, two years behind schedule and at a higher price point than originally promised. Yet, these delays did little to dampen the enthusiasm of its supporters.

“When the Cybertruck was first unveiled in 2019, I had a feeling it would be huge. I figured it was too crazy to fail, and I loved it,” Troy Meekhof, a Cybertruck owner and videographer who blogs his experiences at The Cybertruck Guy, told Newsweek. “The community all gathering around this outrageous pickup truck was like a lightning bolt to me.”

Meekhof wasn’t alone in his excitement. The Cybertruck quickly amassed a dedicated following, with thousands placing preorders. “I preordered my Cybertruck the night of the unveil and received an invitation to take delivery in January of this year, two months after deliveries began and over four years after preordering it,” Dr. Jay Larson, podiatrist and Cybertruck owner who posts about his experiences under MyCybertruckLife on X, told Newsweek.

Cybertruck Sales and Production

Tesla’s Cybertruck has apparently defied conventional wisdom by becoming one of the bestselling EVs in America. The Cybertruck was the third bestselling EV in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2024, behind only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3, according to vehicle valuation and automotive research company Kelley Blue Book (KBB).

“Despite a six-figure price tag—average transaction price in September was north of $116,000, according to Kelley Blue Book estimates—more than 16,000 Cybertrucks were sold in Q3,” said KBB. Overall, this would put Tesla’s share of the U.S. electric vehicle market at almost 50 percent.

However, not all industry analysts agree on sales. John McElroy, automotive commentator and founder of industry analysis program Autoline Daily, has a different estimate.

“It’s difficult to determine how well the Cybertruck is doing in the marketplace since Tesla does not publish those sales numbers. But it looks like it ended the third quarter at a 12,000-unit run rate, suggesting an annual run rate of 48,000 trucks. That’s well below the 125,000-unit manufacturing capacity that Tesla installed,” McElroy told Newsweek.

“But considering that most of those trucks so far were priced in the $80,000-100,000 range, those are not bad numbers. It could be generating close to $1 billion a quarter in revenue,” McElroy added.

Recalls and Issues With the Cybertruck

Despite such sales, the Cybertruck’s first year was marred by a series of recalls and production issues. Tesla issued six recalls in the truck’s first year, ranging from faulty drive inverters to delayed rearview camera images.

Tesla’s Cybertruck is facing its sixth recall since its launch a year ago, as reported by TechCrunch on November 13. The recall affected 2,431 units, including certain 2024 Cybertrucks built between November 6, 2023, and July 30, 2024.

The most significant recall involved a faulty accelerator pedal. The pedal, according to reports from Cybertruck owners, was at risk of getting stuck. Tesla recalled all Cybertrucks after federal safety regulators contacted the company over the malfunctions.

These issues have raised concerns among consumers and industry watchers. “This is another black eye for Tesla, which has added to the chaos going on for Musk,” Dan Ives, senior equity analyst at Wedbush Securities, told The Guardian. “Cybertruck is the pedestal moment, and a recall out of the gates is a bad look.”

EV influencer molesrcool posted a video on TikTok at the time, demonstrating how the fault could have happened, using his own Cybertruck. Showing a metal pedal cover to the camera, he said, “That little panel slid off and wedged itself at the top of the truck and stuck the truck in 100 percent acceleration. So this 7,000-pound stainless steel sledgehammer was stuck at 100 percent acceleration.”

“The Cyber truck has many, many issues with safety, but this has been the most glaring and obvious one yet,” he added.

Cybertruck Innovations and Competition

Despite these setbacks, the Cybertruck has been praised for its technological advancements. “The real impact of the Cybertruck on the auto industry is its edgy styling and groundbreaking technology,” said McElroy.

“The technology that pioneered on the Cybertruck has the rest of the industry scrambling to catch up: steer-by-wire with 4-wheel steering and 4-wheel drive, 48-volt architecture for ancillary components, and bigger gigacastings.”

Owners have echoed this sentiment. “The 48V architecture and the steer-by-wire system are going to change the automotive industry,” said Larson. “There is nothing else that drives like the Cybertruck, and I suspect within the next 10 to 15 years every single car will switch from 12V architecture to 48V. There’s just way too many advantages not to switch, and the steer-by-wire system is unlike anything else.”

A 48-volt system allows for greater efficiency while reducing the weight of cabling in the vehicle. Four-wheel steering—which in the Cybertruck is steer-by-wire, meaning there is no physical connection from the steering wheel to a steering rack—allows a large vehicle such as the Cybertruck to be more manoeuvrable and have a tighter turning circle.

However, not everyone is convinced. Tom Raftery, a technology evangelist and podcaster focusing on sustainability and EVs, offered a more critical perspective. “I think it’s selling well because it grabs headlines, in the same way Musk does or Trump does,” he told Newsweek.

“Either of them opens their mouth; no matter what they say, it’ll generate a headline. Similarly, if you ask people to name a large electric truck, the one they’ll come up with is the Cybertruck.”

Raftery also expressed skepticism about Tesla’s battery technology. “Over two years ago now, back in September 2022, was when they talked about their new 4680 batteries, which they still haven’t produced two years later,” he said. “In fact, they’re starting to drop that project now.”

“The battery innovations are coming out of China. CATL in particular, and BYD to an extent as well, are doing really impressive things with batteries, producing, in some cases, solid state batteries, in other cases, batteries that are specific for long haul fleets. And so they have a lifetime of about a million miles, or one and a half million miles, that kind of thing, they’re warranteed,” explained Raftery.

“They are doing really impressive things in the battery space that Tesla still hasn’t managed to deliver on despite all its promises. But that’s Tesla, long on promise and short on delivery,” he added.

Then there is the Cybertruck’s stainless steel body. Tesla uses a patented type of stainless steel alloy which it says is tougher and more corrosion-resistant than traditional steel or aluminum-bodied vehicles. This required Tesla to develop an innovative manufacturing process.

However, the angular design proved to be cutting-edge in more ways than one. Videos on social media showed testers and owners placing vegetables such as carrots and cucumbers over the truck’s front trunk, or frunk, compartment and then closing the powered lid—which sliced the vegetables in half. Tesla later updated the vehicle’s software to stop the lid closing in such situations.

Cybertruck VS the EV SUV Market

In a competitive EV market, the Cybertruck stands out not just for its design but also for its performance—and not just in terms of acceleration, often an exceptional feature of EVs (in a test by Car and Driver, the tri-motor version, the 6,884-pound Cyberbeast, hit 0 to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds, making it the quickest truck ever). The truck claims a superior payload of 2,500 pounds and a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds. However, its range has been a point of contention.

Looking at the market beyond celebrities and Tesla fans to include consumers who want an electric SUV that can haul heavy loads like horse trailers across long distances, Raftery thinks the Cybertruck doesn’t meet requirements.

“The Cybertruck certainly wouldn’t do it. It wouldn’t have the range,” Raftery said, comparing it unfavorably the Chevy Silverado EV.

While the Silverado’s payload capability comes in lower than the Cybertruck at 1,500 pounds with a towing capability of 10,000 pounds, in terms of range, the Cybertruck claims 318 miles (less in real-world testing, according to TFLTruck.com) compared to an estimated 440 miles for the Silverado, which, again, TFLTruck has tested and said may be a conservative estimate.

This comparison highlights the challenges Tesla faces in appealing to traditional truck owners who require long-range towing capabilities.

What Owners Love About Their Cybertruck

Despite the challenges, many Cybertruck owners remain fiercely loyal and enthusiastic about their vehicles. In a survey reported by TorqueNews, more than 75 Cybertruck owners said they had “no regrets” about buying the vehicle. Some even expressed a desire to purchase a second Cybertruck.

“Because I was able to own one of the first trucks in Arizona, I was able to meet a lot of people in the car scene in AZ,” said Larson. “My truck was front and center in several car shows… I’ve had multiple companies reach out, wanting me to test their products as well. It has been really fun! I’ve met a lot of other Cybertruck owners as well. Every single one of them that I have met feel the exact same way that I do—they love their truck.”

Meekhof shared similar sentiments: “Its power and acceleration are addicting. It’s like a roller coaster on tap. It’s incredibly comfortable to drive, and it can drive itself most places. Very relaxing experience.”

He added, “Because of my Twitter account, I bought my first Model Y in 2021 while waiting for the Cybertruck. Because of that Model Y, I fell in love with road tripping and camping, which has sent me all around the U.S. and Canada meeting new people and seeing new things.”

While some owners have faced issues, their overall satisfaction remains high. Larson recounted a windshield issue and how he solved it with a $13 part from Amazon. “When they replaced the window, I noticed there was a whistling sound coming from the window that I never had before,” he said. “I was able to fix it with a $13 piece of rubber stripping that I bought on Amazon.”

Celebs and Their Cybertrucks

The Cybertruck has also made appearances in high-profile settings, further cementing its status as a cultural icon. In November, a Tesla Cybertruck was spotted in President-elect Donald Trump’s motorcade as it made its way to a SpaceX launch in Texas—indicating that the Cybertruck may appeal to a demographic not traditionally inclined to purchasing EVs.

It has become the latest must-have vehicle for A-listers, with customization being the name of the game.

Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal leads the pack with not one, but two Cyberbeast models, including the first-ever wide-body version modified to accommodate his 7’1″ frame. His latest acquisition has a striking black-on-black design with distinctive red undercarriage lighting.

Pop star Katy Perry made headlines by snagging a military-inspired army green model, seemingly unfazed by a recent recall notice. Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian has doubled down on the futuristic vehicle, adding both a matte black and a satin gray Cybertruck to her extensive automotive collection.

The music industry’s elite are also on board. Power couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé opted for a customized matte black finish, while DJ Steve Aoki received his Foundation series model with much fanfare, documented by Tesla CEO Elon Musk himself on X (formerly Twitter).

Hollywood veteran Al Pacino joined the trend with a distinctive satin dark green finish, while other celebrities have kept things classic. Justin and Hailey Bieber, Lady Gaga, and Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian (married to tennis champion Serena Williams) have all been spotted cruising in standard factory models across Los Angeles and Malibu.

The Cybertruck’s angular, stainless steel design may be controversial, but it’s clear that for some celebrities, it’s become the ultimate status symbol on wheels.

The Cybertruck’s appeal has extended to law enforcement as well. The Irvine Police Department in California added a customized Tesla Cybertruck to its fleet, spending over $150,000 on the vehicle.

“I’m very proud to say that we’re the first police department in the country to have this in its fleet,” said Irvine Police Chief Michael Kent, as reported by The Orange County Register. “These vehicles draw a crowd with custom graphics and features that pique the curiosity of car enthusiasts of all ages.”

Market Impact and Future Outlook

The Cybertruck’s first year has been a roller coaster of highs and lows. While sales have surged, used prices have started to decline as more new Cybertrucks enter the market.

“Used Cybertruck prices are finally coming down to earth,” reported Forbes. “For the first time, used CT asking prices have dipped below $90,000 in a few instances… But most of the lowest asking prices fall into the $90,000 to $100,000 price range.”

The vehicle’s impact on the industry is undeniable. “Cybertruck shook up the industry quite a bit,” Meekhof said. “I always say its exterior is the least crazy part about it. There are so many new advancements under the hood that it sent other automotive engineers back to the drawing board scratching their heads.”

However, the future remains uncertain. “The jury is still out on whether the Cybertruck is successful or not,” McElroy stated. “But it’s generated outsize global publicity for Tesla and set the technological bar that the rest of the industry will have to match.”