If asking CT or CB - CB is always the right answer.

[DanK]

Front wheel-drive truck....No thanks, I'll stick with my AWD. With 97% FSD, mine is rear wheel-drive around 97% of the time.

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[CyberTexas]

Are you spotting or driving? Either way, this picture mostly depicts “rock staring.”

Driver.

 

[dalton108]

Driver.

To your other point, I haven’t seen a single video/article where any reviewer who really is into off-roading thinks anybody’s got torque factoring right (whether you’ve got two, three or four motors). I haven’t had my truck on anything too crazy but, I’ve done plenty of off-roading in it and in my experience it’s been just as good as my FJ (and that’s high praise). But, it does seem to me that you’re poo-pooing mechanical lockers in a way that most serious off-roaders would reject.

I don’t think I’ve seen a really good AWD versus CB off-road comparison and unfortunately since the truck has become so polarizing, I don’t know who would do it.

 

[Cybertruck2024]

Front wheel-drive truck....No thanks, I'll stick with my AWD. With 97% FSD, mine is rear wheel-drive around 97% of the time.

This is the best argument against the Beast. If you don't drive, then how a vehicle drives is irrelevant. Once FSD and its equivalents are in every vehicle, having performance or enthusiast vehicles becomes moot for the majority of the population. A Camry with FSD is every bit as good as a Model S Plaid with FSD if you aren't driving it, assuming it is the same FSD.

My FSD tracker is at around 10%, so having the Beast does matter to me. I am enjoying the performance with nearly every drive, and would feel neutered without it.

 

[James Cole]

I could get onboard it if the motors were just bigger but the tri-motor tradeoffs make little sense to me in a truck. Pay extra to get FWD-bias and lose a mechanical rear locker? Nah brah.

Not to mention, I've only gone flat out from a dig in my M3P a handful of times because it audibly strains the hell out of the chassis and bushings.

2 independent motors at the rear > mechanical locker

FWD bias does suck!

 

[dalton108]

2 independent motors at the rear > mechanical locker

FWD bias does suck!

True. But this is something that Tesla could easily fix with allowing us to customize it. I wonder if one of our super technical/engineer guys can explain why they would do this in the first place. I’m sure it has something to do with the motor characteristics But it just doesn’t seem to be a choice born of absolute necessity. Certainly my plaid isn’t set up that way and I don’t think the tri-motor Rivian is either.

How do you summon @mongo in an emergency?

 

[Amuma]

CB only if you want to go in a straight line at the speed of a Porsche. Otherwise AWD is by far the best overall. Less mechanical parts to break down and repair and better overall mechanics for doing truck things.

 

[dalton108]

Less mechanical parts to break down and repair and better overall mechanics for doing truck things.

That seems a bit dubious. You’re looking at
one extra motor/inverter/gearset combo and extra hoses. And just anecdotally over the years I think we’ve seen far more problems with AWD’s than beasts on the forum here— unless we’re gonna be talking about our unfortunate oem lightbar dysfunction issues which seems to be below the belt.

 

[mahdir35]

Everyone's got their own use case for it (or not), its personal preference really so there's no wrong answer. Is the Beast necessary, no, not really as you don't get many opportunities to really use it to its full potential (legally) - did I have to have it and is it fun, absolutely. As for attention gainer, this one not so much, most people can't tell a beast from AWD and unless you're close enough you can't either, the logos are barely visible.

Exactly, most people don’t know the difference. To put in perspective, I have had my CT since Sep 2024 and have had at least 50 people stop and ask me questions or look inside…maybe only 2 times they asked was it a CyberBeast, lol. Most people don’t know the difference including owners of other Tesla models.

 

[Caraholic]

I think the beast is great but the awd is great as well. For people clamoring on about the fwd feeling. It’s really not that noticeable unless you are trying to drift the truck around turns. Really a non issue that YouTubers keep harping on and it gets repeated.

 

[turns2stone]

Front wheel-drive truck....No thanks, I'll stick with my AWD. With 97% FSD, mine is rear wheel-drive around 97% of the time.

This.

If I want to go fast(er), I have my S Plaid. The extra speed in the Cyberbeast isn't as useful, IMO.

 

[SlegMD]

Everyone I dream of slamming the accelerator a ‘99Corolla pulls in front of me.

 

[Amuma]

That seems a bit dubious. You’re looking at
one extra motor/inverter/gearset combo and extra hoses. And just anecdotally over the years I think we’ve seen far more problems with AWD’s than beasts on the forum here— unless we’re gonna be talking about our unfortunate oem lightbar dysfunction issues which seems to be below the belt.

More parts means more failure points. Just speaking facts. And definitely have not had more issues with the AWD. They even had to stop delivering CB until they could figure out the issues with this said CB drive unit.

 

[mongo]

True. But this is something that Tesla could easily fix with allowing us to customize it. I wonder if one of our super technical/engineer guys can explain why they would do this in the first place. I’m sure it has something to do with the motor characteristics But it just doesn’t seem to be a choice born of absolute necessity. Certainly my plaid isn’t set up that way and I don’t think the tri-motor Rivian is either.

How do you summon @mongo in an emergency?

Why FWD?
It's because the AC induction motors can be shut off when not needed, but the permanent magent (PM) ones always induce drag. Beast has dual rear induction and front PM. AWD has PM rear and front induction.

As to Beast vs AWD, the extra available rear axle capacity is useful if towing, though the Beast has higher available torque (that may never be needed).

 

[CyberTexas]

To your other point, I haven’t seen a single video/article where any reviewer who really is into off-roading thinks anybody’s got torque factoring right (whether you’ve got two, three or four motors). I haven’t had my truck on anything too crazy but, I’ve done plenty of off-roading in it and in my experience it’s been just as good as my FJ (and that’s high praise). But, it does seem to me that you’re poo-pooing mechanical lockers in a way that most serious off-roaders would reject.

I don’t think I’ve seen a really good AWD versus CB off-road comparison and unfortunately since the truck has become so polarizing, I don’t know who would do it.

No, that was not my point. Torque vectoring is NOT for off-roading. It is 100% for on-road handling around a corner. (I think that you're referring to A-TRAC in Toyota off-road talk, which Torque vectoring is not...similar concept but different implementation.)

What I mean is that torque vectoring on a CB negates most of the issue (aka understeer) with front-bias AWD system. And if done right, it is a significant PLUS (not just negate) when you round a corner that may surpass AWD model. (Honestly, I don't drive fast enough to experience torque vectoring...so will defer to the fast folks on here to give their experience.)

Not sure if you know about G-wagen. It has factory 3 mechanical lockers. Full gear-based lockers at center differential and each axles. Not sure where you locate, but the above pic of rock ledge is from General Sams off-road park. It is not for the faint of hearts. I was part of off-road group that had FJs, Rubicons, LX/Land Cruiser, 4runners, etc.. IMHO, the only thing that beats the G-wagen was the Jeep Rubicon due to small footprint, 4:1 transfer case, lightweight, and mechanical lockers both axles.

So, no, I am NOT poo-pooing mechanical lockers. G-wagens and Rubis were significantly more capable than the rest in the group due to full set of lockers.

BUT to see the advantage of axle lockers in an area where it separates from the rest of the crowd is over rocky terrain and ledges...and going 5 mph or less.

And in such an environment where full on mechanical lockers at both axles are needed, CT or any full-size truck (or SUV) will be at a grave disadvantage. Too wide. Too much mass. Limited articulation. And not enough protection.

This is where my argument comes back......which would you use more as a CT owner? Torque vectoring (in CB) is FAR more useful to most (99%?) of CT owners than a mechanical rear locker. Because to see the superiority of a mechanical rear locker (AWD) vs. "virtual" rear locker (CB), you have to do some major gnarly rock crawling. And I mean gnarly...not just mudding (which I also did...see below) or going over little hills.

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