Tesla’s first pickup truck is a six-figure all-electric vehicle that has many reconsidering their stance on automotive exterior design. It’s not just pointy. Electric vehicle It really looks like he escaped from a futuristic video game and landed in our version of reality with no regard for the safety of vulnerable road users.
It may not be very practical or have the qualities of a thoroughbred workhorse, but it can accelerate very quickly and transform the towing experience. Many who have already had the opportunity to hook up a 10,000-plus pound trailer to this funky machine said they had never experienced a pickup that could make towing a breeze.
The bulletproof Cybertruck with rock-proof glass, a battery built on 800V architecture that still can't charge at speeds faster than 250 kWLow voltage systems 48V, no FSDSteer-by-wire that still doesn’t work, missing accessories people paid thousands of dollars for, and weak upper control arms are more or less proof. The world’s most valuable automaker has rushed the launch, but believes over-the-air (OTA) software updates will improve the ownership experience.
In a way, they did. Locking differentials were added a few months after the official release. It will soon get FSD, too, even though early buyers paid for it up front by checking the box for the Foundation Series edition. However, I remain convinced that the EV will suffer a steep depreciation on the secondary market in a couple of months. Some people are already looking to get rid of their Cybertrucks, even if it means taking a five-figure loss.
Photo: T Sportline on YouTube
The punishment for not paying attention is… Having fun?
For all its flaws, the biggest red flag Tesla has waved at everyone, but that few have cared to notice, is that it doesn’t allow customers to lease the vehicle. The brand doesn’t allow owners of Model 3s, Model Ys, Model Ss, and Model Xs to buy out their leases, signaling confidence in the potential for electric vehicles to generate profits even after a couple of years and a few tens of thousands of miles on the odometer.
However, most Cybertruck owners love their EVs. That’s understandable. It’s just different. For some, it can even become a source of income. They can rent it out for $100 or more a day. It pays for itself in a place like California.
I've often called it the supercar of pickup trucks. If vehicles existed in this world like we humans do, the Cybertruck would be a little Lamborghini that had never heard of a V12 or V10 and would have grown up to be a young metrosexual adult who now thinks he can become a successful farmer in rural Maine.
All the criticism aside, Tesla’s pickup truck can be improved. It can be made better via OTA updates, but it can also be transformed into something more than just a police cruiser. UP.FIT and Archimedes Defense of Unplugged Performance have imagined a Cybertruck for the military or civilians who think the world is about to succumb to darkness. Spoiler alert: it’s not! It’s always been terrible in many parts of the world. We just know better now.
Photo: UP.FIT
They call it STING. It’s almost the perfect vehicle for Apocalypse because it doesn’t require long charging sessions at home or at a DC station. This is a hybrid, or rather, it’s been transformed into an electric vehicle with extended range. Now, it can finally inspire enough confidence for real overlanding.
Durability and self-sufficiency – Mad Max style
The Cybertruck Special Edition is available in three trim levels: Baja, Protector, and APC. Before you get too excited about buying one, keep in mind that it was developed primarily for government business. The company may sell you one, but that will only happen after a series of rigorous checks.
The Baja is the one most Americans can probably order without much trouble, and honestly, it’s the only one you should want or need unless you have some very skilled enemies out to get you. This one comes with an off-road package and a lightweight AMP Drive generator in the front trunk that can run on jet fuel (Jet A or JP-8), diesel, and biodiesel.
Without a gearbox, the generator is very efficient and can charge the truck’s 123-kWh battery at rates of up to 125 kW. Factoring in heat losses and inherent inefficiencies, it shouldn’t take more than 100 minutes to charge from zero to 100 percent. Since you’ll never run out of juice in the middle of nowhere, charging should take less than that. The math changes if you opt for Tesla’s $16,000 structural range extender, which takes up about a third of the cargo space.
Photo: UP.FIT
The Protector enhances the EV's outer shell and makes it truly bulletproof with a bolt-on and unboltable steel armor. In a way, it's like a jacket you can put on your Cybertruck to go to places where people shoot before they ask questions. UP.FIT claims it can withstand assault rifle fire. The coolest thing is that you can get it without the generator.
The APC is what the International Monetary Fund might want to buy when they need to visit countries in dire need of a serious loan. Seriously, this is the STING-y Cybertruck to buy if you plan on not polluting the local environment in war-torn areas. It comes with improved steel-ceramic armor and the off-road package, but the generator is still optional. It can even protect those inside from IEDs.
UP.FIT hasn’t revealed the price of each model, but we expect to see a hefty add-on. The Cybertruck alone costs $100,000, or $120,000 if presented in the tri-motor Cyberbeast guise. The good news is that you can claim one. We did! Now, we can’t wait to see if The Protector can be ours, and more importantly, how much it would cost.
Ultimately, we have to ask ourselves an important question: Could a hybrid Tesla Cybertruck help the US military look cooler and be more sustainable abroad? That remains to be seen.
Introducing STING: Protect and Defend with @UpfitTesla And @archimedesdef
✅ Go Anywhere: UP INVINCIBLE Tesla Cybertruck with Bolted and Bolted Armor
✅ Connect everywhere: with Starlink equipped
✅ Recharge anywhere: using electricity, JP-8 jet fuel, diesel or biodiesel
✅… photo.twitter.com/lUGtlHYm7D
— PLUG-LESS PERFORMANCE (@UnpluggedTesla) August 16, 2024