PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA - Tesla’s new Cybertruck is almost certainly the most daring bakkie design that the world has ever seen, but it’s safe to say that the electric pick-up hasn’t exactly garnered universal praise on the internet - although it certainly appears to be a sales hit in the making, with Tesla claiming to have received almost 150 000 orders for it just a day after its unveiling.
But what is the sentiment like towards Tesla’s daredevil bakkie? We asked our readers and fellow staff members to weigh in on the Cybertruck, and many of the responses were far from flattering.
“Oh look! A bakkie designed like the cars you drew when you were five,” said IOL executive producer Lance Witten.
“Which designers signed that off!?” asked group motoring coordinator Willem van de Putte. “It looks like something that toddlers were asked to draw during a creative art period.”
Drive360 editor Pritesh Ruthun was a bit more positive, saying he loved the tech and the vision, but felt the execution was “too sci-fi”.
“It's ok for movies and for Instagram, but Tesla (Musk) seems to forget that these vehicles need to be used in the real world,” Ruthun added.
“And, pick-ups are built to work. This Cybertruck is like a Zara version of bakkies. Fast Fashion for the auto sector.”
IOL content producer Theolin Tembo remarked that it looks like something from Mars.
“It looks very futuristic. Like it jumped out of the Tron movie, or like the rover they used in The Martian movie with Matt Damon. Maybe he copied the new design from
?”
Our readers were hardly flattering towards it either on the various social media channels.
“It looks like a cockroach” said @Beastmo72005834 on Twitter, in response our Cybertruck article on Friday.
@KristofKruger said the vehicle looks like it was designed “on MS Paint”.
“Ug... Ly,” said Riyaan Abrahams on Facebook.
Dhiren Hunsraj added: “I always knew the cars I used to draw in pre-school will some day exist”.
“Tesla engineers are aliens,” said Vusi Sibutane, while Simon Tollitt remarked: “Mind you don't cut yourself walking past it.”
Another facebook user, Paul Pregnolato even compared it to the vehicle Homer Simpson designed:
“Remember that one episode of The Simpsons - 'O Brother Where Art Thou?' - where the car manufacturer gives Homer carte blanche to design a car… and it is a complete disaster? Life truly does imitate art sometimes!”
But it still has some fans...
However, not everyone dislikes the new Tesla...
“I can’t be the only one that thinks the Cybertruck is cool as f#@k right?” said @Froste on Twitter. “Did y’all really think Tesla was just gonna make another generic pick up truck?”
@realhungryfool wrote: “Imagine how advanced and easy #cybertruck will make your life. Besides all the tech. No worries about anyone banging doors into it or keying it and so on. None of this will bother you. You are free now. Thanks @tesla and @elonmusk”.
“Finally!! Something more badass than Chuck Norris,” said @AlterViggo.
“It’s been 40 hours since #Cybertruck was revealed... and I have to admit... it’s growing on me,” @Erdayastronaut wrote on Twitter.
@phibetakitten even came up with “the seven stages of Cybertruck”:
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cybertruck?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cybertruck(takes 4-24 hrs)
1. Shock
2. Disbelief
3. Huh
4. Well actually, hmmm
5. It’s growing on me
6. I kind of love this?
7. All other trucks are dead to me
— The Girl With the Mozart Tattoo (@phibetakitten)
Some facts about the Cybertruck
As reported last week, the Tesla Cybertruck has an exoskeleton-type exterior shell made from ultra-hard 30 x cold-rolled stainless steel. It’s also fitted with ultra-strong glass designed not to break, although it did crack like a spider web during a demonstration at the reveal event.
Tesla will offer three different versions, with a tri-motor all-wheel-drive model topping the range and offering a range of over 800km, and this version will also sprint from 0-60mph (96km/h) in just 2.9 seconds, according to claims.
Tesla will also be offering a dual-motor AWD model, with a 483km range and 4.5 second sprint time, as well as a rear-driven single-motor variant that achieves 400km range and 6.5 second sprint.
Tesla says the Cybertruck is similar in size to Ford's F-150 and the towing capacities are competitive too, ranging from 3400kg to 6350kg.
The futuristic truck is not as outrageously expensive as you might think, with prices in the US starting at just $39 900, which is around R587 000 at today’s exchange rate, while fancier versions are expected to cost around $69 900, which is just over a million rand.
It's worth noting, however, that Tesla has yet to enter the South African market.