Seattle to San Diego and back - 3200 miles road trip (My Cybertruck review)

[HaulingAss]

also, don't forget, but generally the rear axels are lighter than the front so "back end swing" be real..don't know if this applies to the Cybertruck

Ummm...no. "Back end swing" is not a thing on Cybertruck. It has a thing people call Dynamic Stability Control that works hand-in-hand with the anti-lock brakes. Plus it has a weight balance closer to a sports car than a traditional pickup truck. These two systems allow the truck to stop as quickly as the friction of coefficient of the tires allows. The proper technique in an emergency is to press the brake pedal fully, as soon as possible, and keep it depressed until you no longer need to slow down as quickly as the tires will allow.

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[justG0]

Ummm...no. "Back end swing" is not a thing on Cybertruck. It has a thing people call Dynamic Stability Control that works hand-in-hand with the anti-lock brakes. Plus it has a weight balance closer to a sports car than a traditional pickup truck. These two systems allow the truck to stop as quickly as the friction of coefficient of the tires allows. The proper technique in an emergency is to press the brake pedal fully, as soon as possible, and keep it depressed until you no longer need to slow down as quickly as the tires will allow.

I think that's what happened. I pressed the brake initially but did not go all the way and it was not stopping as quickly as I was expecting. But then I depressed all the way in panic and that's when it did stop. So, I guess I need to press it full when there is emergency.

 

[tripzero]

We are planning a trip like that in late June to LA except from Portland. How many charging stops did you need to take? Any idea on the overall cost?

 

[justG0]

I usually like to stop every 2 hrs. or so. I let the charge drop to around 10-15% and charge back up to 60-80%. I will stop for about 10-15 mins and next stop will be around 30-40 mins.

Best thing to do is stop overnight at hotels that have destination charging and ideally more than one charger, in case that is occupied. That way you can charge for free and are ready to go next morning with full charge. Imagine hotels giving free gas to cars

 

[Cybertruck2024]

I have driven pickup trucks all my life. My first car was a 1998 GMC Sierra and [other trucks ] and finally went up to a ford Raptor. After driving a Model 3, and Model S, there is a HUGE difference in braking.

I can see this may be a problem in the future with people buying this truck 'for the lulz' (Not talking about you) and assuming this truck brakes the same distance as a sedan because its a tesla... I can tell you, When I drive my truck, I ALWAYS am never in a hurry and leave plenty of space in front of me because in California, people will go from 70 mph to 10 in less than 200ft...it sucks.

This is why I get anxiety when I ride passenger in my brothers Model 3 because he doesn't leave the space I am used it..


PLEASE, my brother in christ, leave ample stopping room. All pickup trucks don't stop on a dime.

also, don't forget, but generally the rear axels are lighter than the front so "back end swing" be real..don't know if this applies to the Cybertruck

I wonder if anyone done an emergency stopping test with CT yet? This has come up a few times on this forum that the braking isn't great, but I haven't seen it quantified yet.

For example, does a CT stop worse than an ICE Ram? How about a Silverado EV? This should be measurable, not just subjective.

 

[getsometom]

Completely agree with you on the brakes. The regen is nice but the actual brakes are lacking and needs improvement.

 

[Cybertruck2024]

I just looked at Car and Driver's testing, they say the 70mph to 0mph stopping test is 4 feet better than a F-150 Lightning. I thought the brakes on my Lightning were actually pretty good, so this makes me less concerned.

Compared to a lighter vehicle, I'm sure the stopping distance is terrible. If you're driving a large truck, it seems like the braking performance is in line with other large trucks.

 

[Speedr]

The brakes are good, it's just a big, heavy vehicle. Physics is physics. The new Model S Plaid's brakes are really good too, but it's the speed you get to so quickly is the reason you think they're not.

 

[Amuma]

I picked up my new Cybertruck AWD on 4/25 and without skipping a beat, I decided to take a road trip. We're talking Seattle to San Diego and back, a whopping 3200 miles round trip. Strap in, because here's the lowdown on my electrifying adventure and some thoughts on this futuristic marvel that is the Cybertruck.

Let's kick things off with the good stuff, shall we?

The Good
Attention: Hold onto your hats, because driving a Cybertruck is like being a celebrity on wheels! Everywhere I went, heads turned, cameras flashed, and folks couldn't resist coming over to snap a pic or have a chat. San Francisco was the real MVP, where on Lombard Street and Golden Gate Bridge, people were taking more pictures of the Cybertruck than spot itself! Sure, it's a bit like being in the spotlight, but hey, spreading joy and smiles? Totally worth it.

Now, onto the not-so-great bits:

The Bad
iPhone Charger: The iPhone charger is so slow it's practically in reverse. And after 30 mins, the phone heats up like crazy. This needs to get fixed.

Brakes: Ever had a heart-stopping moment on the freeway where you're praying your brakes will pull through? Yeah, been there, done that with the CyberTruck. Maybe it's a "truck thing," but a couple of times, I felt like I was auditioning for a Fast & Furious stunt when coming to a hard stop. I was not sure if it was actually going to stop or not. Luckily it did but would prefer better stopping power.

Finally, the Amazing
Steering: Get ready for a mind-blowing experience because steering this beast feels like piloting a spaceship through a maze of asteroids. Smooth, fast, and surprisingly nimble, I'm convinced I could parallel park this bad boy on a postage stamp. San Francisco's tight spots? Child's play for the Cybertruck!

The Ride: It's like having a magic carpet ride, but with wheels. Switching between Sport mode for some freeway fun on 101 next to the coast and Comfort mode for those long-haul stretches, the Cybertruck glides over roads like a pro. Solid, reliable, and oh-so-comfy—what more could you ask for?

Music System: Move over, concert halls, because the Cybertruck's audio system is here to steal the show. I'm talking movie-watching, surround-sound bliss while supercharging. It's like having a cinema on wheels, minus the sticky floors and overpriced popcorn.

Overall Interface: Say goodbye to clunky gear shifts and indicator stalks. Once you get used to this, there is no going back. So intuitive and easy to use. Barely need to move you hand for turn indicators. Everything that you need is right there on the steering wheel, and nothing more.

Noise: Forget about road trip rumbles because the Cybertruck is the king of silence. It's so quiet, it's like cruising in a bubble of tranquility—Lexus, dare I say!

I've been a die-hard Model S fan since 2016, but Cybertruck is in a league of its own. Tesla, take a bow because you've hit it out of the park with this one. To all the engineers, designers, and dreamers behind the Cybertruck, give yourselves a pat on the back because you've created something truly extraordinary. Cause I am loving every minute of having it!



On the way back, I installed the Tessie app to track the usage. Here's the screenshot of one of the drives.

As someone who has also done this type of mileage on a road trip in this beast your review is 100% spot on. The only bad is the breaks and coming from a truck they need to beef up this trucks breaking power but it is a 6k lb machine so understandable as it works. Everything else is spot on. Once you drive it, there's not even a comparison to go back to. Tesla really has set the bar with this truck.

 

[getsometom]

BTW thanks for your write up. I'm about to take a road trip from Texas to Colorado. It's good to see what other owners' experiences are like on long distance trips.

 

[Nebucheri]

Really exciting, I will be taking delivery of my AWD CT in this coming week !

 

[LexusCyber]

I picked up my new Cybertruck AWD on 4/25 and without skipping a beat, I decided to take a road trip. We're talking Seattle to San Diego and back, a whopping 3200 miles round trip. Strap in, because here's the lowdown on my electrifying adventure and some thoughts on this futuristic marvel that is the Cybertruck.

Let's kick things off with the good stuff, shall we?

The Good
Attention: Hold onto your hats, because driving a Cybertruck is like being a celebrity on wheels! Everywhere I went, heads turned, cameras flashed, and folks couldn't resist coming over to snap a pic or have a chat. San Francisco was the real MVP, where on Lombard Street and Golden Gate Bridge, people were taking more pictures of the Cybertruck than spot itself! Sure, it's a bit like being in the spotlight, but hey, spreading joy and smiles? Totally worth it.

Now, onto the not-so-great bits:

The Bad
iPhone Charger: The iPhone charger is so slow it's practically in reverse. And after 30 mins, the phone heats up like crazy. This needs to get fixed.

Brakes: Ever had a heart-stopping moment on the freeway where you're praying your brakes will pull through? Yeah, been there, done that with the CyberTruck. Maybe it's a "truck thing," but a couple of times, I felt like I was auditioning for a Fast & Furious stunt when coming to a hard stop. I was not sure if it was actually going to stop or not. Luckily it did but would prefer better stopping power.

Finally, the Amazing
Steering: Get ready for a mind-blowing experience because steering this beast feels like piloting a spaceship through a maze of asteroids. Smooth, fast, and surprisingly nimble, I'm convinced I could parallel park this bad boy on a postage stamp. San Francisco's tight spots? Child's play for the Cybertruck!

The Ride: It's like having a magic carpet ride, but with wheels. Switching between Sport mode for some freeway fun on 101 next to the coast and Comfort mode for those long-haul stretches, the Cybertruck glides over roads like a pro. Solid, reliable, and oh-so-comfy—what more could you ask for?

Music System: Move over, concert halls, because the Cybertruck's audio system is here to steal the show. I'm talking movie-watching, surround-sound bliss while supercharging. It's like having a cinema on wheels, minus the sticky floors and overpriced popcorn.

Overall Interface: Say goodbye to clunky gear shifts and indicator stalks. Once you get used to this, there is no going back. So intuitive and easy to use. Barely need to move you hand for turn indicators. Everything that you need is right there on the steering wheel, and nothing more.

Noise: Forget about road trip rumbles because the Cybertruck is the king of silence. It's so quiet, it's like cruising in a bubble of tranquility—Lexus, dare I say!

I've been a die-hard Model S fan since 2016, but Cybertruck is in a league of its own. Tesla, take a bow because you've hit it out of the park with this one. To all the engineers, designers, and dreamers behind the Cybertruck, give yourselves a pat on the back because you've created something truly extraordinary. Cause I am loving every minute of having it!



On the way back, I installed the Tessie app to track the usage. Here's the screenshot of one of the drives.

thank you for sharing your marvelous experience!

I am in Seattle and my CT experience is 2y away but stories like yours give me patience and anticipation.... will do this Seattle to San Diego trip for sure as a "liberation" trip ( liberation from ICE )...

the Lexus bubble comparison is intriguing.. I am driving a Lexus LS460 2015 now and I am very proud of that experience. Can't wait to see how much of the quiet and power and nicety of it all I can find in my future CT. would love to invite you to lunch to learn some more about your adventure and ask questions.

would love to come and see you and others in Seattle at a CT meetup whenever those start. until then, I am left with visiting the Tesla Bellevue store and sitting in their CT like a kid dreaming about what the future could be like in a CT.

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