Tesla Cybertruck hit less than 80% of advertised range in Texas winter test
Deliveries of the Tesla Cybertruck began in November. picture alliance/Getty Images
A YouTuber range-tested a Cybertruck and it clocked in at 254 miles.
He took the truck out on the highway in Texas on Thursday and livestreamed it.
The Cybertruck advertises an estimated range of 320 miles, which many factors can impact.
In a YouTuber’s unofficial range test, a Cybertruck lasted 254 miles — around 79% of Tesla’s advertised 320-mile range.
Out of Spec Reviews’ Kyle Conner livestreamed a range test for one of Tesla’s Foundation Series Cybertrucks on Thursday. Conner took the vehicle out on the highway in Texas, running the vehicle at about 70 miles per hour in temperatures around 45 degrees.
In the video, the reviewer ran the Cybertruck from a 100% charge until the battery died, taking the vehicle to a mall parking lot once it reached a low percentage and completing loops until the car came to a complete stop.
Ahead of the test, Conner guessed that the truck would clock in around a 306-mile range. The vehicle’s configuration was the all-wheel-drive version, and it had all-terrain tires.
Conner and Out of Spec Reviews did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Tesla did not respond.
Many factors can impact an electric car’s range, including its tires, weight load, and cold weather conditions. A 2023 study from Recurrent Auto that was cited by Bloomberg found that many EVs lost about 30% of their range in temperatures below freezing. For example, a Tesla Model 3 had a maximum range of only 66% of its original EPA estimated range when tested in 32 degree weather.
Out of Spec Reviews will likely be the first of many Tesla fans to test the Cybertruck’s range, but for now, it’s the first widely shared test of its kind of the vehicle’s real-world performance.
Shortly after Tesla began Cybertruck deliveries in November, the carmaker started offering the Cybertruck Foundation Series for $120,000 to reservation-holders.
Tesla also said it plans to offer a range extender for the Cybertruck. The device would take up about one-third of the vehicle’s bed and would allow the truck to go an estimated 470 miles on a full charge.
In 2019, when Elon Musk first announced the futuristic truck, he said that the premium version of the truck would have a range of 500 miles. He also said the price for the base, rear-drive Cybertruck would be just under $40,000, with the most expensive version set at nearly $77,000.
Meanwhile, earlier this year, Tesla revealed that the cheapest model is $60,990 (which won’t be available until 2025), an option with all-wheel drive is $79,990, while the premium “Cyberbeast” version is $99,990 before tax incentives. The cheapest model has an estimated range of 250 miles, while the other two models have ranges of 320 and 340 miles.
At the time, top tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee said Tesla was “straight up not delivering” on its promises, including on its price and range, and some Cybertruck reservation-holders told Business Insider they were disappointed by the specs.
Do you work for Tesla or own an EV? Reach out to the reporter from a non-work email and device at gkay@insider.com
