this post was submitted on 25 Mar 2025
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Tesla Inc. (formerly Tesla Motors) is an energy + technology company originally from California and currently headquartered in Austin, Texas.

They produce electric vehicles (with a heavy focus on autonomy), batteries, and energy/solar products for the grid.

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“Demand is off the charts!” Elon Musk crowed at the end of 2023, citing more than a million reservations for Tesla's polarizing polygonic pickup—so why has it still sold less than 50,000?

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[–] [email protected] 38 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Dunno about anyone else but I bailed. I made a reservation for a tri-motor version, a reservation I cancelled before the truck was available because Elon started taking Tesla off the rails.

Putting the political horseshit aside I'm very glad that I ended up not buying one. They've proven to be poorly engineered and poorly constructed.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

I am quite surprised you were able to back out of it. and that they didn't try strong-arming you.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 days ago

If I recall, at the time the original “reservation” for the $70k truck was literally $100. There’s no way that would’ve ever held up in a court. Much like the original $40k price tag did.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I wanted an electric truck that cost less than most cars. The cyber truck is not that truck and tesla is not the same company that promised that truck years ago

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 days ago (1 children)

No, they are the same company. Nothing about them changed They just removed their veil and showed the world who they actually are.

All companies like, will stab you in the back for profit but they hide it (or try) because they need your money.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 days ago

Are you talking about Elon or the actual company? Because I’m not sure what Tesla revealed to the world, that they were hiding from us?

The Cybertruck has always been a stupid car though imho. It’s not even legal in Europe lol

Companies make stupid shit all the time. That doesn’t mean they can’t also make good shit. But another stupid thing Tesla has done lately is removing the sticks at the steering wheel. I mean wtf are they smoking?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Is the F150 Lightning that expensive? I have no idea what normal pricing is in the US. But they don't seem very pricy for what you get?

[–] phdepressed 5 points 3 days ago

F150 lightning is about 63K for the base model. It was also not available until 2022 (announced in 2021). The tesla cybertruck, 82K base, was first announced in 2019 (not manufactured til 2023).

For it to be cheaper than an average new car in 2019 it would have to be under $37,000. For it to be cheaper than an average new car now it'd have to be under 48.6K

That's a lot of thousands before the electric savings win out.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 3 days ago

They took preorders for the cheap version that I’m certain they have no intention of producing/selling. They are all sitting on or canceled those preorders for nonexistent products.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 days ago

I definitely remember reveal day pretty vividly. I had already soured on it by then, but I still watched anyway, some of the leaks suggested it was going to be pretty stupid looking. Could not have possibly prepared for what drove out on stage... apparently ketamine is a hell of a drug, I guess.

Watching the crowd reaction, even the fanniest fanboys had a hard time not making the "who farted?" face. They really had to start stretching to prepare to jump through the hoops necessary to continue being fans, many didn't manage.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Like many I preregistered. I liked that it was electric,. I liked that it was eclectic looking, though I was sure it would become more like a regular truck after a while.

Perception changed with time.

Firstly, that was the final design, but I could live with that. Then, there were the early failures - the “unbreakable” windows and the fact it is utterly shit at being a truck. The fact that it rusts at the drop of a hat. All of these made me rethink my decision.

And that Elon turned out to be an even bigger prick than we first thought is just the icing on the cake. It means I will never own one now, and I am 100% happy with that decision.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I am kind of curious, what was the appeal of an EV that is also like a regular truck?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Having a truck that doesn’t fuck the planet in CO2 emissions? What’s the appeal of a car that’s an EV? Like… I don’t understand the question.

If anything EVs could have direct power to each wheel and could be extremely well made trucks, and the extra weight from the battery won’t be that large of a difference between it and a normal truck.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I guess in my mind, I associate EVs with urban environments and charging infrastructure. On the other hand, trucks make me think of rural areas, often disconnected and remote (large farms, warehouses, etc.). The two don't intuitively overlap for me.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

Ah, I see. I'm in Florida so big dumb fuck trucks are everywhere, city or not.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Just that - I live in a rural area, and have a (technically) unmaintained drive way. I wanted something that would cope with that more easily, but also was good for the occasional tow/truck bed type thing.

And I also wanted something electric. Most trucks are majorly overpowered and polluting, mainly to generate torque. This is precisely what electric motors are good at.

In retrospect, charging would have been a problem, and I now drive a Subaru that I am happy with - sadly, it’s gasoline because Subaru Canada don’t think there’s a market for their PHEV…

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Right, I get the appeal, but EVs still seem to be a heavily urban-biased market. I'm in a major city and Tesla owners had issues charging their cars in the winter because the chargers or cars (forgot which) were simply too cold.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

I definitely agree with this, but it’s also why I want a PHEV - More complicated, sure, but best of both worlds. Or possibly the worst, I dont know.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 days ago

Well, some of them are driving Cybertrucks and being laughed at day in and day out for their stupid decision.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 days ago

Most people were hyped about the $40,000 cybertruck he promised that didn't kill you instead of the $120,000 for one that is most certainly going to murder you, or atleast try its hardest .

[–] Cheradenine 3 points 3 days ago

Reminder that Wired is soft paywall. Clearing cookies, reader mode, or something like bypass pay walls clean usually gets you in.