Off-roading outside Chattanooga, Tennessee, with Raphael and Nancy \u2014 aka Teslatino and TSLATNA. They took their expedition-built Cybertruck up to the Arctic Ocean as part of the Arctic Cybertrek. Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTesla recently supercharged this hardware suite with its latest software stack, dubbed version 13. Version 13 is perhaps the closest thing we\u2019ve ever experienced to being in a fully autonomous vehicle. It is able to go literally from a parking spot in a private parking lot all the way to your destination effectively intervention free.<\/p>\n
Over the course of driving more than 15,000 miles since taking delivery of our new 2024 all-wheel drive Cybertruck, I can say now that using version 13 of this new software effectively eliminates the need for critical interventions.<\/p>\n
Said another way, just about every single drive in the Cybertruck with Full Self Driving requires essentially no input from the driver. The in-cabin camera in the Cybertruck monitors the driver and ensures you are paying attention, because, after all, Tesla\u2019s Full Self Driving does require driver supervision since it is not a fully autonomous software stack \u2014 yet.<\/p>\nExploring the remote backcountry of Big Bend National Park on Glenn Springs Road. Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAt the end of the drive, the vehicle now looks for parking spaces and attempts to end the ride in the most logical way possible. In our testing, there are still some rough edges to be smooth over in this portion of the drive, but it has occasionally arrived in a parking lot and prompted us to select a parking space for it to automatically park in.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Steer-by-Wire<\/span><\/h3>\nIf you do want to take the wheel and drive the vehicle yourself, whether it be around your neighborhood on the freeway or getting off into the dirt on some trails, another one of Tesla\u2019s first-to-market innovations comes to the rescue. The Cybertruck is the first high-volume production vehicle to utilize a steer-by-wire system.<\/p>\n
What that means is that there is no mechanical linkage between the steering wheel and the steering rack that physically moves the wheels side to side when you turn the wheel. Instead, Tesla has replaced the steering linkage with a fully digital system that interprets the driver\u2019s turning of the steering wheel and replicates that with a dual-motor steering rack.<\/p>\nCamping with the Cybertruck and Tesla\u2019s Cybertent is streamlined and comfortable even in the snowy hills of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThat doesn\u2019t sound very sexy, but in practice, it\u2019s nothing short of magic. Because there is no mechanical link from the steering wheel to the steering rack, Tesla is able to dynamically adjust the steering input depending on the speed the vehicle is moving, how fast the wheel is being turned, and other variables to fine-tune the steering response.<\/p>\n
The result is steering that is extremely precise and can be tuned to the driver\u2019s preference in the vehicle\u2019s settings with comfort, sport, off-road, and a custom profile that can be tweaked to your heart\u2019s content. It also means that the driver can turn the wheels from lock to lock without having to let go of the steering wheel. That\u2019s a game changer for a full-sized truck, and paired with the dynamic assist, makes the massive Cybertruck a dream to drive.<\/p>\n
Another key technological differentiator that Tesla delivered with the Cybertruck is rear-wheel steering. The Cybertruck features a second steering rack on the rear wheels that allows them to turn side to side up to 10\u00b0. Coupled with the steer-by-wire system in the car, the rear-wheel steering makes the Cybertruck extremely nimble and agile. It can make complete U-turns and much tighter three-point turns than you would otherwise be able to accomplish for a vehicle this large, and with much less movement of the steering wheel.<\/p>\nExploring the Alabama Hills at the foot of Mount Whitney in California. Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIt\u2019s a fascinating innovation that allows for much more control of the vehicle and makes it much easier to get comfortable driving the vehicle because it is so agile and nimble in tight spaces. I\u2019m not a truck guy and will admit wholeheartedly that this is my first truck. Take any of my opinions on driving large vehicles with a grain of salt. If you\u2019re used to driving a large truck, the Cybertruck will still be much nicer to drive and is much more nimble than its peers because of how beautifully integrated and well-tuned its steer-by-wire and rear-wheel-steering systems are.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Charging<\/span><\/h3>\nTesla has been the dominant force in public fast charging for the better part of the last decade, and that\u2019s showing no signs of changing anytime soon. It feels like we are currently in an awkward transition period where all of the important manufacturers have committed to moving to the North American Charging Standard (NACS), as have most of the the charging network operators \u2014 on paper. In reality, non-Tesla public charging infrastructure is still largely CCS, with only a few NACS chargers up and running outside the Tesla Supercharger network.<\/p>\nSupercharging in Shamrock, Texas. Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis makes the Tesla Supercharger network paired with one of Tesla\u2019s vehicles one of the easiest to use and most integrated systems if you want to have a successful road trip or expedition. This was a small factor for me, but it did push me towards the Cybertruck over comparable electric off-road vehicles<\/p>\n
In this regard, however, the Cybertruck is not perfect. For some reason, Tesla made the awkward design decision to utilize a shape for the charging door on the Cybertruck that does not allow the existing CCS adapter to fit. Aftermarket options like those from A2Z do exist, but it seems silly to drop another $120 on an adapter that we know will only be used a handful of times at best over the next 24 months as charging network operators update their cables to NACS.<\/p>\nFast charging at an Electrify America station in Williams, Arizona with A2Z\u2019s CCS Cybertruck adapter. Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOn the flip side, however, Tesla has continued to improve the maximum charging speeds of the Cybertruck in parallel to the rollout of its v4 Superchargers. The version 4 superchargers currently max out at 500 kW for passenger vehicles and as of this week, the fastest charging speed I\u2019ve seen in the Cybertruck is 324 kW. More important than peak charging rate is how fast they can push a ton of kilowatt-hours into the battery.<\/p>\n
Charging speeds continue to be an area Tesla still has work to do on if it\u2019s to maintain not just its dominance in public charging network reliability, but in the overall sustained charging rate. The larger battery and lower efficiency of the Cybertruck compared to Tesla\u2019s more efficient passenger vehicles makes this even more of an opportunity when road tripping.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Durability<\/span><\/h3>\nOne of the key selling points Tesla seemed to be pushing for the Cybertruck was its extremely durable stainless steel exoskeleton and windows made from what it was calling at the time armored glass. While I don\u2019t care if the vehicle itself can\u2019t actually stop bullets, I do love that the stainless steel and double layer laminated glass windows are extremely durable.<\/p>\nPlaying in the Bishop Sandbox. Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis is important when taking the vehicle off-road onto trails where rocks, dirt, mud, snow, sleet, rain, trail, bushes, trees, and the like are all constantly attacking the vehicle. Off-road vehicles do tend to get beat up regardless of the make and model, but it is nice to know that the exterior of the Cybertruck should hold up to the majority of normal use and abuse on the trail.<\/p>\n
Over the first 15,000 miles, I\u2019ve hit it with snow, sleet, hail, sand, gravel, rocks, trees, bushes, thorns, and so much more. Not only has the exterior held up well, but it has become a point of confidence. I\u2019m not worried about scratching paint or hitting a branch that might dent the car. It\u2019s tough, and that\u2019s one less thing to worry about when I\u2019m out enjoying nature.<\/p>\n
Off-roading is one thing, but durability also plays a role in day-to-day practicality. With just about every car I\u2019ve owned, they have sustained a range of nicks and scrapes \u2014 from random buttons on my pants to a knife clip on my pocket, all the way on up to slightly more severe things like dropping an ebike off the rack onto the trunk or a nearby car mirror leaving a mark on the paint.<\/p>\nDispersed camping in the Appalachian Mountains. Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe stainless steel exoskeleton is not impenetrable, but it is much more durable and robust than any other painted vehicle out there. Additionally, the 1.8 mm thick stainless steel door exteriors and the 1.4 mm body panels otherwise are much thicker and more durable than the thin steel and aluminum body panels used by most manufacturers. Again, this isn\u2019t life-changing, but it is just another check on the side of the Tesla Cybertruck compared to other vehicles in its class.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Air Suspension<\/span><\/h3>\nThe Tesla Cybertruck comes equipped with air suspension that\u2019s design for off-roading. What this means is you can go from the low \u201ceasy-entry\u201d profile that sets the vehicle height to something just below an average SUV. The Cybertruck typically cruises around town and on the freeway in the low setting by default. This is where you\u2019re maximizing the balance of aerodynamic efficiency while still providing enough ground clearance so you\u2019re not smashing into things when you\u2019re driving around town.<\/p>\nFast charging at Franklin\u2019s Charging in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBeing able to dynamically adjust the suspension and height of the Cybertruck on the fly is really nice. Running the truck at lower heights optimizes the vehicle for the best aerodynamic performance at a height that\u2019s easy to get into and out of. If you want to go for a quick rip on some trails with the family, you simply toggle the height to high, wait a few seconds, and get to playing. Simple. Easy. Awesome.<\/p>\n
Within each of the driver profiles, you\u2019re able to set the default ride height, allowing you to customize just how much clearance you want for each drive. You\u2019re also able to use the air suspension in tandem with the vehicle\u2019s GPS to automatically raise or lower the suspension. For instance, if there\u2019s a steep driveway or steep speed bump that you need to overcome every time you drive, you\u2019re able to set it once and forget it.<\/p>\n
Those settings are fun, and much like what you get in the Tesla Model S and X, but the real fun comes when you kick it into the higher settings.<\/p>\nOff-roading in Big Bend National Park. Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Tesla Cybertruck also has an off-road mode that raises the vehicle up to the high suspension setting and unlocks some additional driving modes that make it easy to tune the truck to the exact type of terrain you\u2019re expecting. This includes settings for general all-terrain travel, deep snow, rocks, and even a Baja Mode where you can adjust how much power goes to the front and rear motors. It is a ton of fun if you want to loosen up the rear end of the vehicle and throw the tail around a bit on some corners. Even within Baja Mode, there are additional settings for the type of terrain. Each of these comes with a unique profile for how the power is allocated to the motors as well as a different suspension setting.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve put several hundred miles on a Cybertruck on various trails across the country, stretching from muddy trails outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee, to dirty and dusty desert in Big Bend National Park to snowy, rocky trails up near Mammoth, California. In that time, I\u2019ve used many of the different settings in Tesla\u2019s off-road mode, and it only continues to amaze me after 15,000 miles.<\/p>\n
My favorite part of Tesla\u2019s off-road suite \u2014 while not suspension related \u2014 is Trail Assist Mode. It\u2019s like FSD for the dirt. Essentially, you set a speed for the vehicle to travel at and it uses its motors and brakes to maximize traction while keeping the speed as consistent as possible.<\/p>\n