The Tesla Cybertruck is sometimes depicted as a futuristic truck that could handle the surface of Mars without issue. If this short video of a pre-production truck struggling to find traction is any indication though, perhaps it should stay on Earth only for a while longer. Thankfully, a few more details expose exactly what happened to this floundering flat-sided pickup.
This new video making the rounds shows a Cybertruck release candidate stranded on the side of a snowy hill. Even with a tow strap hooked onto it and a Ford pickup truck trying to pull it out the tires struggle to get grip. While the setting is clearly slick it doesn’t appear to be so extreme that a truck like this should struggle the way that it is. One online poster claims to know exactly what led to this scene though.
On the Jeep Gladiator’s Only Facebook page, a poster named Matt says that a friend ended up having to wait for this Cybertruck to get pulled out before he could continue his own off-road excursion. Evidently, it had the “wrong tires”, wasn’t “aired down”, and had a software issue that wouldn’t allow the rear wheels to engage their “lockers.”
Read: Rivian R1T Tackles Same Off-Road Obstacle As Tesla Cybertruck
Video Reddit u/jankology
As the RC on the side signifies this as a release candidate, it didn’t have the same equipment as a production vehicle. In this case, that means that it was absent recovery and pickup points so the Ford had to pull it out by the suspension. Interestingly, this was one of four different recoveries mentioned by Matt. Evidently, a 4Runner driver in a similar spot hit a tree, slid into a second tree, and then ended up stuck.
Of course, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a Cybertruck apparently struggle on a surface that wasn’t paved roadway. A few weeks ago one appeared to climb a notable California off-road obstacle with more difficulty than rival trucks had. The moral of the story appears to be based on experience.
Off-roading isn’t as simple as bringing the right vehicle. Having the right tires, functional equipment, and a skilled driver all contribute to a safe and fun time in the mud, dirt, sand, or snow.