Tesla Cybertruck review: an enjoyable but bizarre EV

Verdict

A fascinating experiment, but not one particularly well suited to European roads or European customers. While we enjoyed our time in the Tesla Cybertruck, it’s no great shame that Elon Musk has thwarted plans to bring it here.

Nothing about this is normal. The 1.2-metre-long wiper sweeps the drizzle off the largest windscreen ever installed in a passenger car. In front of us is an endlessly deep dashboard, in our hands a little rectangular steering wheel. We’re sitting in the Tesla Cybertruck, a futuristic pick-up truck that sets new standards – and we’re among the first to drive one in Europe.

The basic model gets a not insignificant 604bhp, but our range-topping Cyberbeast test car ups this to 833bhp. With ‘Beast Mode’ activated, the truck, which weighs around 3,400kg, is claimed to rocket from 0-60mph in just 2.6 seconds.

We can't really verify this during our drive, but the Cyberbeast is certainly no slouch. We’re equally amazed with the way the heavy machine manages to scrub off its speed – without much delay or swaying, and in a stable and safe manner. 

Although the Cybertruck looks like a concept car, it drives and functions like any production Tesla. Comfort and noise isolation are good, despite its blocky shape and the 20-inch wheels shod in coarse off-road tyres. It even remains calm inside at high speeds. 

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The steering inputs are transmitted electronically to all four wheels via a steer-by-wire set-up, meaning angles of up to 180 degrees are sufficient to turn the truck on what feels like a sixpence. No vehicle measuring almost 5.7 metres should turn like the Cybertruck does.

But what impresses (or shocks) us most is the design. It’s angular, brutal – almost like a moving fortress. Wherever the Cybertruck appears, it gathers crowds. People are staring, filming and discussing its lines – a sight you won't forget in a hurry.

4

To some extent, the Cybertruck shows how emotional and desirable an electric car can be. For many, it could be the moment to leave their Lamborghini languishing in the garage; the Tesla attracts more passing glances than any high-end hypercar. With prices starting from the equivalent of £72,000 (the Cyberbeast is more like £110,000) in the US, it’s much cheaper, too.

But approval in Germany and the rest of Europe remains in doubt. Its three-tonne kerb weight, stainless steel construction and all the sharp edges represent a major hurdle that CEO Elon Musk may not see any point in overcoming. A smaller, more Euro-friendly version was once mooted, but conversation on that has gone suspiciously quiet of late.