The Tesla Cybertruck stands alone in its category, whether positively or negatively.

• Tesla's Cybertruck is not a traditional electric truck competitor and is more of a vehicle than a truck.
• The company is testing its new technologies, including an electrical architecture and steering system, through the development of a $100,000 futuristic vehicle.
• The Cybertruck has established a unique category in the automotive market that it dominates alone.

Spaceship, dream car, UFO, dumpster, cool, stupid, phenomenal, abomination.

The Cybertruck was described by strangers, friends, family, and auto industry experts and employees during a 24-hour rental in metropolitan Detroit using various words.

A word not used much? "Truck."

The Tesla Cybertruck is more "cyber" than "truck." While it possesses some truck features, such as a pickup bed and utilitarian capabilities, it does not fit the traditional definition of a truck.

This product is unique and only appears occasionally, like the first SUV, minivan, or roadster pickups such as the Ford Ranchero and Chevrolet El Camino. It has established a new category in the automotive industry that it alone dominates.

The development of trucks by Detroit-based automakers has been beneficial for both Tesla and its competitors, as these companies have spent decades perfecting features such as bed access, door handle sizes, seating height, and interior components to meet the needs of their customers.

Tesla's Cybertruck is not a direct competitor for electric trucks from traditional automakers, but rather a "truck" for Tesla fans/owners and an experiment for the company in terms of its technologies, including a new electrical architecture and steering system.

According to Edmunds.com, the top vehicles that are cross-shopped for the Cybertruck are Tesla's other four models, followed by the Ford F-150 Lightning in a distant fifth at 7.4% of potential buyers.

I drove a $100,000 all-wheel-drive Cybertruck in Detroit and its suburbs, including a short torrential downpour where the vehicle's comically large wiper blade worked well.

I did not test the vehicle's towing or hauling capabilities, which have come into question recently due to reports of problems involving the durability of the vehicle's aluminum frame, most notably in an over-the-top viral video from YouTube channel WhistlinDiesel.

To gain a better understanding of the vehicle and compare it with electric trucks from other automakers, I intentionally avoided watching or reading any reviews before driving it.

Driving the Cybertruck

I have never driven a vehicle like the Cybertruck, which is different from all other all-electric trucks currently available on the market, including those from Tesla and Rivian.

The Hummer EV is the only vehicle that comes close to the driving experience of the Cybertruck. While both are large, flashy, and extravagant vehicles, the Hummer EV still retains its truck-like driving dynamics, seating, and functionality, whereas the Cybertruck does not.

The Cybertruck boasts a tight steering system with a yoke and "steer-by-wire" feature, a rigid chassis similar to a sports car, and a design that prioritizes form over function, which is a common reason for pickup truck buyers.

The seating in the vehicle feels more like a car than a truck, even when it's set to its highest speed, which is only possible under 25 mph, and it's still several inches lower than most electric trucks.

Despite being subjected to harsh tests such as bullets and steel balls, the vehicle I drove had only two pieces of trim peeling off along the rolling bed cover's sealant/guide rails after more than 2,000 miles.

The durability of the frame is a concern, as it is the foundation of the vehicle and its breakdown can have severe consequences.

The Cybertruck's unique design drew a range of reactions from toddlers to construction workers and police officers, with some even giving it explicit gestures.

Interior

The exoskeleton of the Cybertruck, which is made of stainless-steel alloy and has a doorstop-shaped design, is where things become more intriguing.

The interior of the vehicle, similar to other Tesla models, is often characterized as "minimalistic." However, some individuals consider it to be "sparse" and in certain materials, inexpensive for a $100,000 vehicle. Despite its size, the interior of the vehicle gives off a more car-like feel than a "truck."

The driver has about 3½ feet of unusable space from the bottom of the windshield to the vehicle, while the back seat is sufficient for a car but lacks space compared to full-size pickup trucks.

The touchscreen, measuring 18.5 inches and positioned at the center of the vehicle's interior, serves as the focal point, with limited controls on the steering wheel or yoke.

The Tesla Cybertruck may not have the traditional qualities of a truck, but it excels in technology and HMI for the driver.

The gear shifter was a long rectangle in the top left of the screen, allowing for easy access to drive, park, and reverse. Despite the absence of a traditional shifter, the buttons were conveniently located in the vehicle's roof, above the screen.

The infotainment system of the Tesla EV is impressive in terms of processing speed, particularly when compared to other non-Tesla EVs from traditional automakers. Despite the vast amount of information displayed on the screen, it is still manageable.

Although I preferred a screen in front of the driver or a heads-up display for speed and other basic information projected on the vehicle's windshield, it did not distract me as much as I thought it would.

The Cybertruck's camera system, which serves as an alternative to traditional mirrors, took some time to get accustomed to but ultimately proved effective (several automakers offer both usable mirrors and camera systems that display the rear and sides of the vehicle).

Tech focused

Although I utilized the adaptive cruise control system, known as Autopilot by Tesla, I was unable to access more advanced features such as "FSD," which is available for Cybertruck customers but not yet activated.

The system's impressive ability to display other vehicles, streetlights, people, traffic cones, stop signs, and garbage cans on the screen was nothing more than a standard adaptive cruise control while driving. It would stop at every traffic light, regardless of its color.

The yoke replacing a traditional steering wheel was another surprising feature of the vehicle. While it is more commonly found in race cars than pickup trucks, it functioned well. Unlike a traditional steering wheel, the yoke only rotates about 180 degrees for a full turn, requiring minimal input when changing lanes. The ease of steering comes from the vehicle's four-wheel steering and steer-by-wire system.

Other automakers are exploring the use of steering features as emerging technologies.

The four-wheel steer of the Cybertruck and GMC Hummer allows for a tighter turn radius, similar to a car, making it easier to maneuver into tight spaces and park.

The steer-by-wire system is more challenging to describe. This technology utilizes electronics and software to control a vehicle's steering without a physical link between the steering wheel and the wheels. It feels almost like a racing yoke for a video game or aircraft rather than a traditional vehicle.

Terry Woychowski, president of automotive at engineering consulting firm Caresoft Global, stated that you can significantly alter its performance with much more bandwidth.

A former GM executive who has tested and benchmarked the Cybertruck stated that the steer-by-wire feature is optional. However, he emphasized that the change in the vehicle's electrical architecture, which powers all of its systems, is a necessary engineering improvement that has been required for years.

The Cybertruck utilizes a 48-volt architecture to provide extra electrical capacity, eliminating the need for a 12-volt battery to power features such as windows, seats, and headlights.

Tesla is the first to introduce a 48-volt system on a pure electric vehicle (EV). Tesla CEO Elon Musk notoriously provided competitors such as Ford and GM with a "how-to" guide on developing such a system.

Using a higher voltage for auxiliary devices can provide the advantage of delivering the same power with a lower current. This can result in reduced weight and cost as the wiring is reduced in size.

The cost of rethinking a vehicle's electrical architecture may be prohibitive. It remains uncertain whether other automakers will follow Tesla's lead.

"Woychowski stated that the bill to implement the change is significant, but the technology it brings is excellent and long overdue. It offers direct savings from a cost and mass perspective, making it valuable for an EV."

The electric "truck" was the most popular among Americans who could afford it, surpassing the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, Hummer EV, and Chevy Silverado EV in sales during the second quarter of this year.

The long-term appeal of a polarizing vehicle will be determined in the coming quarters and years ahead, as seen with the Chevy El Camino and Ford Ranchero's ability to last for decades.