The Tesla Cybertruck is perhaps one of the most recognizable and controversial EVs on the market today. The futuristic looking truck was a big gamble for Tesla and it arrived with a long list of promises and features that attempted to make the Cybertruck unique when compared to some of its rivals.

However, the Cybertruck has proven to be anything but a smashing success for Tesla with the EV maker seeing scores of Cybertrucks pile up in their inventory lots as demand crumbles due to problems with the truck as well as the actions of CEO Elon Musk. But how does this truck drive when given the opportunity to make a case for itself? We were eager to find out.

Controversial styling makes the Cybertruck stand out

We waited several years for our chance to drive the Cybertruck but a local EV promotion event that Detroit Edision (DTE) had set up in our hometown of Sterling Heights, Michigan finally allowed us to get behind the wheel of this elusive beast. It certainly stood out amongst the other EVs on hand thanks to its distinctive wedge like styling and stainless steel bodypanels. The front end gets a long lightbar that snakes its way along the upper portion of the grille panel with the panel itself having a blocky look to it. The formal headlights are located just above the front bumper.

Large chunky accents are abundant and the tires on our dual-motor equipped test truck came with rugged looking tire covers which supposedly help improve aerodynamics slightly. The wedge shape gives the Cybertruck a sporty profile with the rear of the truck getting an LED lightbar and a rolling tonneau cover that covers the relatively small bed. Tesla says that a range-extender option is coming to the Cybertruck but it will require you to give up some bed space to formally fit it inside.

The Cybertruck looks like nothing else on the market and that’s especially true when you compare it with rivals like the Rivian R1T and the Ford F-150 Lightning which have more traditional truck shapes. That said, the styling is also a double-edged sword since some buyers may not like the eccentric styling the Cybertruck boldy embraces and move to rivals instead.

Minimalist interior puts everything on the screen

Slip inside the Cybertruck and you’ll find that minimalism has been pushed to the extreme. There’s no wood trim or the typical garnishes you might expect in something like a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Instead, it’s all about function with the overall design having a near brutalist look to it. Many of the functions are relegated to the 18.5-inch infotainment system with the rear passengers getting a smaller 9.4-inch screen. The flat-bottomed steering wheel houses the turn signal and wiper controls but other than that, the remaining controls are designed to work in sync with the main screen. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are unavailable.

The front seats offer good amounts of head and legroom but taller passengers may find the headroom somewhat tight due to the sloping rear roofline. The sloping roof also makes traditional rearward visibility non-existent but Tesla thankfully added a digital rear-view mirror to help solve that problem somewhat. The integrated camera suite also helps improve visibility when manuvering the big truck into tight parking spaces. Overall material quality was pretty good but we wish the seats had more lower back support to balance out the decent amounts of side bolstering.

Dual-motor provides balance to Cybertruck

Performance for the 2025 Cybertruck comes from three different EV powertrains. The base model gets a single electric motor and rear-wheel drive with this particular variant just now making its way to Tesla showrooms after several high profile delays.

The bulk of Cybertrucks though will be powered by the middle of the road dual-motor setup that makes a combined system output of 600 hp and allows the truck to make the sprint to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Buyers looking to dispatch 60 mph in the 2 second range will have to go for the range-topping Beast version which gets three electric motors and a combined system output of 836 hp. DTE’s drive route and the power company’s onboard chaperone kept our driving experience brief, but we managed to learn some things about it.

The Cybertruck has drive-by wire steering with the system helping to make our tester feel much smaller than it really is with the steering giving drivers more tire movement for less rotations of the wheel. This does come at the cost of low-speed manuvers with tight parking spots requiring a degree of care to avoid hitting curbs or parked cars by mistake.

An adjustable air suspension is also along for the ride and it can give the truck up to 17-inches of ground clearance. Tesla says that this helps improve ground clearance for off-roading but look for most of these rigs to stay on the sreet. Ride quality is suprisingly smooth but the suspension is on the firm side when it comes to tuning.

Range will vary depending on how many motors are equipped to the truck but Tesla says that a dual-motor example like our example can go up to 325 miles on a single charge with the Beast’s extra motor causing the range figure to dip slightly to 320 miles before it needs more juice. The company says that when the default dual-motor model is hooked up to a Supercharger, it can get 136 miles of range back in 15 minutes.

How much?

Pricing for the 2025 Tesla Cybertruck starts at $62,490 for the base Long Range model with a Dual-motor model like our example starting at $72,490. Going for the range-topping Cyberbeast will set you back $114,990 (all pricing doesn’t include credits, options and fees) but that’s to be expected for a truck as wild as that particular model is.

This high price tag (among other things) has also caused the Cybertruck to not sell well with the company currently having over 10,000 unsold Cybertrucks in its inventory. These trucks are piling up on dealer lots and have actually gotten the company in trouble with local governments on a few occasions due to improper storage. This pricing has put strain on Tesla showrooms, and the company is still having trouble moving them despite discounts and existing credit programs.

The Cybertruck and Tesla itself are currently at the proverbial fork in the road. It’s obvious that the truck has rapidly become a flop in terms of sales but at the same time, it’s driving manners are impressive once you have the chance to go behind the wheel.

Overpromising and reality are finally catching up to Tesla

Ultimately, the Cybertruck is the latest rolling example of Tesla overpromising and underdelivering on the final product. This habit has defined the company for years but it seems that the Cybertruck is the first sign that this cycle is finally catching up to the firm. It will be interesting to see what the company does to address the Cybertruck’s woes because if the truck continues to lose sales, it could become the company’s poison pill.