Would you have Purchased the CT if, "it looked more like a normal truck?"

[Jhodgesatmb]

Tons of people will tell your their car drives itself and the future is here because they have lane assist. Until I tried FSD (and subsequently switched all cars to Tesla over the next 2 years) I had no idea the technology was so far along. FSD has sold me on all my cars and if the Cybertruck didnt have it I would not have been interested.

If more people experienced FSD the demand would go through the roof (well, maybe not with this lame subscription model). It is simply amazing how people refuse (REFUSE) to see anything not perched on their nose.

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[SCTesla]

If more people experienced FSD the demand would go through the roof (well, maybe not with this lame subscription model). It is simply amazing how people refuse (REFUSE) to see anything not perched on their nose.

I think there's a large portion that knows about it and still doesn't want it. "I like to drive myself", that's why a majority of Tesla owners don't buy even with trials. We have people here with FSD and FS who are at almost no usage.

It will take a generation or so for a majority to accept.

 

[tingmo13]

You reserved and never bought? Was the issue price, size, or both? It is hard to believe size would be an issue given how well the Cybertruck handles, and being stainless steel it doesn’t need a garage (we live very near the ocean and I never worry about it and have no garage). With respect to cost, when Tesla announced the $60K AWD that would have been a no brainer for holdouts. Just curious …

I did 48 hrs demo-it's too big. It's not the price-as T$LA long I want the beast. Hopefully Tesla will come out of 'One size fits all' Cybertruck.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

I think there's a large portion that knows about it and still doesn't want it. "I like to drive myself", that's why a majority of Tesla owners don't buy even with trials. We have people here with FSD and FS who are at almost no usage.

It will take a generation or so for a majority to accept.

We were kind of in that group until version 14 and now both of us use it exclusively except for disengagements. If Tesla were to clean up the lane-choice, speed, and parking issues I don’t know how much [normal] driving I would ever do.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

I think there's a large portion that knows about it and still doesn't want it. "I like to drive myself", that's why a majority of Tesla owners don't buy even with trials. We have people here with FSD and FS who are at almost no usage.

It will take a generation or so for a majority to accept.

We were kind of in that group until version 14 and now both of us use it exclusively except for disengagements. If Tesla were to clean up the lane-choice, speed, and parking issues I don’t know how much [normal]driving I would ever do.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

I did 48 hrs demo-it's too big. It's not the price-as T$LA long I want the beast. Hopefully Tesla will come out of 'One size fits all' Cybertruck.

I wouldn’t hold my breath - but clearly you are. I have driven trucks and SUVs my whole life and between the camera views, 4WS, and steer-by-wire I really don’t feel the size, but everyone is different.

 

[FHWizard]

I consistently hear people claiming that Tesla would sell more CT's if it "looked like a normal truck."

One group who might have better adopted the CT and its appearance were put off by the CEO while another group weren't interested in a truck that didn't identify with the "rugged working man" (or intimidate Subaru drivers with turbos, glass packs, rolling coal and aggressive snarling front grills to put in their rear view mirrors.)
While I love the truck and it's futuristic look, I didn't buy it for the "Look at me" appeal from others but for what it is and does as a truck. In fact, sometimes if it weren't for traffic running into me, I'd be happy with a cloaking device option.

 

[3PinkyToes]

I put down my deposit based on the looks alone...... there was hardly any real info given.

I was sitting at my desk at Theif... I mean Lief Johnson Ford in Austin TX, I was the Inventory Manager at that time.

Elon had just watched Franz break the 1st window.

The GSM, James came in and asked WTF is that? I tried to explain and got the standard, "You work for Ford, you buy and drive Ford".

Put down my deposit right then, and decided that working 6 days a week bell to bell was no longer worth it.

Left a month later.

P.S. Never got better than 16 MPG in my Platinum Eco Boost F150

 

[AlDente]

I am a pickup truck guy. I now own a cybertruck. I have always driven pickup trucks, and the design of the cybertruck body did give me pause. I like that it is stainless steel & angular with no curves, but I would have preferred a regular bed style that would allow easier bed access from the side of the truck and would be compatible with the thousands of tool boxes, fuel tanks, racks, and such already on the market. My main problem, however, is that you have no backup camera when the tailgate is open, which is practically every time I load it with lumber. This oversight boggles the mind--it could have been avoided so easily. It makes me wonder if Tesla actually consulted with anyone who actually uses a truck for work.

That's a great point. Tesla needs to do a rear facing camera add kit for the existing Cybertruck's that mounts on top of the Tonneau Cover just below the roof glass like the after market guys have done but is fully integrated with the other cameras and the FSD software. I'd be willing to pay $1500 bucks for that option if the Service Centers would do the installation.

Also as was mentioned already, the Powershare needs to get done and work as promised. It can make a huge difference in cost of ownership if it serves a home electric backup source for those of us with Solar.

 

[YDR37]

I think there's a large portion that knows about it and still doesn't want it. "I like to drive myself", that's why a majority of Tesla owners don't buy even with trials. We have people here with FSD and FS who are at almost no usage.

It will take a generation or so for a majority to accept.

All Teslas currently on the market are designed with a steering wheel and pedals, so that they can be driven manually. FSD is therefore an optional feature. And given that it costs $99 every month (or $1,188 every year), we can reasonably call it a "luxury option".

The best-selling Tesla vehicle is the Model Y. The best value Model Ys are the standard RWD/AWD versions. The default finance/lease terms for a Model Y standard are on the order of $460 to $575/month. So adding FSD boosts the monthly payment by around 17% to 22%.

This forum caters to Cybertruck owners. The CT is currently the most expensive Tesla model, and I'm sure that CT owners are (on average) more affluent than Model 3 or Model Y owners. So maybe $99/month is no big deal for them.

But in 1Q 2026, the CT was only a tiny fraction (3%) of Tesla's US sales. The overwhelming majority of Tesla owners in the US drive an MY or M3. And even if they are impressed by FSD, maybe they can't justify increasing their monthly car payment by ~20% for a luxury option.

 

[P_O_Man3849]

Opinions are like A-Holes, right? Everybody has one.

My attraction to the Cybertruck was instantaneous when I first saw it. Futuristic, geometrical, stainless steel, DeLorian looking pickup truck. Closest thing I'll ever get to a starship.

Geo or Saturn could have designed this truck powered by a V-12 Diesel engine that boasted 8 MPG and I still would have thrown my deposit at it.

The fact that it's an EV and full of hopefully great technology is just icing on the cake for me.

 

[JCERRN]

I consistently hear people claiming that Tesla would sell more CT's if it "looked like a normal truck."
The data does not appear to support this. The F150 Lightning looked almost exactly like a normal F150 and it failed in the market.
The Silverado EV and Sierra EV look "normal" and they are failing in the market.

I am purchasing a CT specifically because of the stainless steel and the fact that it does not look like every other truck in the parking lot.
This is my first truck, I do not actually need a truck, the futuristic look, no paint, and durability of stainless are my primary reasons for choosing it over a model S.

Why I bought a CT:
I needed a truck: NO
FSD: YES
It is a Tesla: YES
Stainless Steel: YES
Futuristic look: YES
4 wheel steering: NO
I wanted a stainless steel urban tank for my family: YES
I like to be different: YES


Year-to-date sales figures (Q1 2026) for major battery-electric (BEV) pickup trucks in the U.S. include:

• Tesla Cybertruck: 3,519 units
• Ford F-150 Lightning: 2,060 units
• Rivian R1T: 1,658 units
• Chevrolet Silverado EV: 1,406 units
• GMC Sierra EV: 1,288 units
• GMC Hummer EV: 1,653 units

To be honest, i was turned off by how it looked at first. It wasnt until i bought into the “its shaped like that for an aero/functional/structural reason that i accepted and found that i didnt mind the way it looked.

I realized once production specs started coming out that the way it looked was simply a design choice.

 

[jf64k]

When they first revealed in 2019, I thought “there’s no way that‘s the truck, the real one will be shown shortly. Elon is just messing with us!” But it was quickly apparent that the CT was real, haha!!

I listened to the spiel, then put my $100 down.

After a while (almost 5 years, haha!!) I loved the way it looked and was glad it was so different.

I will never forget the day I took delivery (May, 2024). What an impression It made!!

Absolutely love the CT.

All that said, to the OP‘s question: Yes, I would‘ve bought it even if it looked more ‘normal’. I wanted an EV truck and I wanted it to be a Tesla.

 

[EricGregori]

The most striking thing about these numbers is that they all suck by ICE truck standards. In 1Q 2026, the worst-selling ICE trucks were the Honda Ridgeline and the Jeep Gladiator, and even they both sold more than 10,000 units. The top sellers, like the F-150 and the Silverado, moved more than 100,000 units.

So why don't existing EV trucks sell? The manufacturers seem to think that the problem is: range. Ram, Ford, and Scout are all developing full-sized "Extended Range Electric Vehicle" (EREV) trucks with ICEs that act as generators to charge the battery. In effect, the ICEs will act as "range extenders". And of course, even Tesla seriously considered offering a supplemental battery as a "range extender" for the Cybertruck.

The interest in "range extenders" clearly implies that today's full-sized EV trucks -- regardless of appearance -- have a range problem. You may be perfectly satisfied with your Cybertruck's range, and that's great, but the market may not see it that way.

I think it is range for towing, not range in general. I have no intentions of towing so I will be happy with the CT range. It makes sense that Tesla would not force me to buy a bigger battery if I have no intention on towing.

 

[EricGregori]

Tons of people will tell your their car drives itself and the future is here because they have lane assist. Until I tried FSD (and subsequently switched all cars to Tesla over the next 2 years) I had no idea the technology was so far along. FSD has sold me on all my cars and if the Cybertruck didnt have it I would not have been interested.

I just came back from a trip. 2500+ FSD miles over the month of June. I love streaks!
I hope I never have to purchase a vehicle without FSD.

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