CNN article: Behold, the epic flop that is the Cybertruck

Aan oversized refrigerator on wheels. Ugly as hell

Elons fever dreams on ketamine

Everything Musk has ever promised has been a lie. The CT was presented for orders back in 2019 as $39k entry level truck with a $69k tri motor option with 600 miles of range offered for sale by the environmental savior himself. 6 years later the only orders filled were for a dual motor truck with 300 miles of range for $120k by a Nazi who supports an anti-environmental administration who he helped elect. Throw in the fact that it's glued together and falls apart when you drive it and you have the quintessential Muskmobile. No wonder why only 5% of those orders were ever filled.

There's a guy in my neighborhood with a Cybertruck. He drives it around with a big sign on the back saying "ADVERTISE HERE" with his phone number. Been over a year and still no takers. Nobody wants their brand associated with Nazism, incompetence and failure.

I'll bet he gets plenty of phone calls just not to advertise.

The Edsel is no longer the poster-car for automotive failure.

Same story as the Semi. 2019? lol!

Don’t forget the Roadster!

To be fair, product that looks like cybertruck (with “looks like” being only thing in common with was announced) at least got released and you can go and buy one now. Semi is still missing in action, except for a couple of one offs advertising vehicles.

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All Leon does is take peoples ideas and make them his own. Only thing he designed from beginning to end, is the CT. And look how that’s turning out.

Is cnn usually that unprofessionally written? It makes me skeptical of the whole article. It’s like a redditor wrote that.

Probably spat out by AI.

Cyber trucks look laughably stupid. Whenever I see one in the wild I feel sorry for the person silly enough to buy it.

Yup exactly why I cancelled my day 1 reso.

Hi, I’d like to buy an “I had a tiny penis before musk went nuts” ad, what are your going rates?

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A more apt analogy would be the AMC Pacer in the 1970s. At first it was a funky design that turned heads and there was strong demand initially. But design flaws, poor build quality, crappy mileage and other factors made sales completely dry up within two years. Everyone who really wanted one had one. And no one else was really cross shopping it against anything else. It flopped.

You could buy 4000 of those tshirts for less.

Even if Musk did not exist, this vehicle would be a joke. It looks like the concept some kid playing Cyberpunk dreams up.......in a videogame. But for being an actual car, are you farking kidding me? It was a long shot to begin with, and should have failed no matter who produced it. A truck that can not even work as a truck, a truck meant for urban and suburban tech bros only (which begs the question why you would even need a truck). The founders of Tesla had a vision, a good vision on where to take this company. And then an adolescent adult loser rich kid forces his way in, and now we see the destruction of Tesla.

But refrigerators are useful.

Lmao investor genius 🤡

Does Leon get to extort CNN for this true report, or is that solely the purview of that orange thing's presidency extortion/protection racket?

And the solar roof! And the tunnels!

We’re truly witnessing history in the making.

In the future, no need to add the "CNN article:" in your title.

I maybe the few but I think it’s a cool truck.

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And the stock trades at a 188 P/E makes zero sense

I had an early reservation. I'm thankful that Musk lied and didn't release it until after he came out as a Nazi Trump supporter. Tesla notified me that I could complete my order 5 years after placing my reservation. I canceled and let them know that Musk was the reason.

i don't completely hate it. i don't mind form over function. the CT project though seems more like something that happened as an impractical collaboration bt a major movie studio to promote a new blade runner movie or something. like hey enter to win Deckard's car. not really good for fitting into parking spots at work or charging spots, parallel parking, down town driving, off roading, inclement weather conditions, grocery shopping, kids (they can't get in themselve) etc. like someone wins it and sells it to Jay Leno and it sits there in his garage. but they marketed this truck to ppl that were just looking for a bigger model X

It's a concept car they for some reason put in production. Like runway fashion sold directly at Target. And with a bonus of being a piece of junk.

Comment: good point

Honestly, I can see some benefits to the truck. However, it is a vastly more expensive inferior product compared to what was promised and even relative to its competitors. Offer the product you promised for the price you promised and I would be interested.

Allison Morrow is an amazing tech journalist. Someone not content with mere stenography of Silicon Valley CEOs.

The 21st century Edsel

Every time I see one I immediately judge the person in it

Elon: the what?

The tunnels are real. But they look nothing like his CGI bullshit he showed on Twitter.

Wonder what the Boring Company’s revenue trajectory has been like. Or does it just exist to buy excess Tesla cars?

Same here. They obviously had a script to answer the ‘Musk objection’ - something like “the political views of the CEO shouldn’t detract from” I said it wasn’t the political views, it was the fact he lied about what was being sold… (and the political views)

Yeah the Edsel was just kinda ugly. The Cybertruck is the ugliest vehicle on the road, not practical, expensive, and associated with Musk. If that's not bad enough, it's poorly built, unreliable, and a death trap.

Can't be much. They pay drivers, don't charge much and I guess they buy or lease Teslas

How many Teslas they “buy” or “lease” is probably top secret.

Would not be surprised if that's a way they boost numbers.

Roadster is just fraud at this point, took hundred of millions, never bothered even designing a production version.

I thought that had been replaced by the Pontiac Aztek?

Perhaps it’s the parking lot for the unsold inventory.

It will go down in history as the biggest automotive flop of all times. Says a lot about the idiots that bought them thinking they’ll look cool.

The Aztek was ugly, but it was one of the most practical vehicles of its era.

I'll buy a fast depreciating Cybertruck to run ads, lol. How stupid is that.

I like how everyone is clowning on the CT now.

I remember when the big Tesla bull accounts were predicting 250-500k Cybertruck sales per year. They’re probably not even going to sell 20k this year.

yeah, but Ford's cars were good

I doubt they sell 100k *total*.

Or, simply, utterly shit build quality.

I wanted to make it clear that my decision was based off of Musk's political views but in reality I would have also canceled based off their trying to sell me a truck with half the range and only 2/3 the advertised power for twice the price.

I can’t believe the amount of money people have shelled out to own one of these.

Had to be some reel or online course that convinced him he could offset the cost of the truck by advertising on the back.

And a lot of the innovations it was derided for, like plastic skirting all around, are now standard for crossover SUVs. In fact it was arguably the first modern crossover, and so ahead of its time. Ugly look, bad engine, but a good concept. The CT OTOH, is a ridiculous concept. I don't see anything worth imitating in it.

The Allante looks nice to this very day. The Cybertruck was straight trash homie.

The Edsel isn’t even ugly. My cousin in Finland got one a few years ago and it looks cool. Maybe now though.

Respectable news organisations have policies in place banning the use of AI

Let me get this right from the article (and others I've read). Tesla sold 12,900 S, X, and CT models last quarter. Tesla basically has 3 models that should have decent profit margins--the aforementioned three. However, their development costs for all 3 are so high that they likely will never recoup the costs of CT design challenges and are still possibly underwater on the S and X. The 3 and Y are possibly only profitable when factoring in Gov't subsidies and market-based carbon credit sales. They're losing the subsidies in the US in September. I'd imagine Europe is working to find solutions to close the carbon credit loopholes. Plus, if a company doesn't sell many cars there, can they still claim credits acquired from other companies? Additionally, VW and others in Europe are diversifying and having more and better EV's that compete. It's quite possible that by November Tesla could be losing money on every vehicle produced, right? I mean, it's possible they would be right now if not for gov't policy. I guess there is one benefit to making and selling fewer vehicles though. So they shift to $30-40k Y's as cybercabs, they're gonna have to have a lot of rides to make it a worthy venture.

The Semi is also all-the-more embarassing given it was an actual potential product (even if the design was as stupid and tone-deaf as the Cybertruck). Global sales of electric trucks are still a small share of the market, but it's growing very fast, especially in China and the EU, and you've now got Volvo, Renault, Mercedes, Scania and Iveco all in on the game, as well as a number of Chinese companies (who OTOH mostly sell in China). But of course, Tesla is now openly not a car company. It's a scam to extract money for investors for Musk's pet projects. The biggest "problem" with the Semi wasn't that the market wasn't there (clearly, it is) - it's that it doesn't generate enough hype and enthusiasm and Musk isn't personally very interested. So he decided he'd do fake robot demos instead and then, realizing AI is now where the VC capital is flowing, decided to go all-in on pretending to be an AI company under the FSD/Robotaxi banner.

There’s a 99% probability IMHO that you are correct that Tesla will report losses starting in 4Q 2025. The 3rd quarter will be profitable due to a surge in demand in the US for Tesla Model 3 and Y which qualify for the $7,500 tax credits which expire after 9/30/2025.

Everytime I see one my face scrunches up. I actively stop wanting to ever see this thing again

Runway fashion is held together with better adhesive

It definitely wasn't loved in its time. And the early models had serious engine issues. Along with a lot of novel technology that driver's didn't really know how to rap their heads around. That said, looking at the Edsel today, there's a definite feeling that - 'An Attempt Was Made' - A car was delivered, with a wide variety of experimental features. It didn't exactly work out. But the idea that the goal was to sell customers something they'd want to drive was there.

Eeeeehhhh . . . The model T was famously known as 'reliably unreliable' - But was so absurdly simple to get working again that it's up time rate was actually pretty good. Another similarity between Ford and Musk is the resistance to a major refresh on the models that have worked and become the company's mainstay.

Yeah. If this appeared on the streets of Cyberpunk 2077 I would just shrug and go - "Yeah, makes sense." Not good, but understandable. Make it the truck of some private security goon squad with a little automated turret that pops up out the bed and I'd believe it. Of course things hit totally different when you see them in a game environment.

Yeah I know it failed but I just mean it looks - and sounds - cool now.

"Hello, I just wanted you to know I have absolutely no desire to advertise on your ugly ass vehicle."

Wait till someone checks on his rockets....😸

Should have just said “it’s the political views” because in capitalism, consumers cannot be compelled to purchase a product. They can refuse for any reason they like.

I would pay him to plaster the swastika all over his car

When it was new, a coworker and I started seeing them around Detroit, and decided that the name was an abbreviation for “Azz Teknology”

I haven’t seen any analysis thinking they’re profitable. And mismanaged as well. It’s a less flashy but pure example of Musk’s hubris. Just jumping into a well-established industry he knows _nothing_ about, with no new tech, no definite idea, just ”We can do this better, how hard can it be?” (which he outright said about Hyperloop - hundreds of millions in wasted capital later, it turns out it’s quite hard) and a ridiculous half-baked thought he wants to ’solve traffic’ with tunnels everywhere.

What boggled my mind was that somehow other people bought into the idiotic “Hyperloop” thing who should have known better.

Maybe he can sell ad space to the schizophrenics who "advertise" on Twitter

Evil businessman in me says hire him with my competitors ad.

History repeats itself. Entirely predictable considering this followed the DeLorean DMC-12 storyline to the letter. Similar impractical design and a delusional rich CEO on drugs leading the company into a failed endeavor.

As someone with more than average knowledge of the original semi - it was shit

You should call him and tell would he mind advertising for the local American Nazi Party?? Tell him “That many of our members are CyberTruck owner, as yourself”. See how he reacts!!

Will likely eclipse the Pinto.

I think my understanding is that the Semi will NEVER be viable from engineering point of view or whatever. If it was viable or efficient or whatever it would exist.

Maybe his name is Advertise?