Tesla Cybertruck Triumphs in Off-Road Challenge, Reveals Enhanced Features

Tesla's Cybertruck recently demonstrated its superior off-road capabilities in a video featuring new adjustments for pitch and angle to boost its performance on challenging terrains.

Cybertruck Outperforms in Rigorous Off-Road Trials

Top Gear's exclusive video on March 28 detailed the Tesla Cybertruck's upcoming off-roading equipment. This includes new features such as additional off-roading modes for different terrains, the ability to adjust pitch and angle settings, and front and rear locking differential controls.

According to Teslarati, the video showcases a head-to-head off-roading test between the Cybertruck and the Rivian R1T in Johnson Valley, California. Both electric trucks are put through their paces in four off-roading tests: a rock crawl, a 'whoops' test, a leap, and a dune crawl. The Cybertruck, with its new capabilities, outshines its competitor.

The new off-road features include four distinct terrain modes: all-purpose, rock, gravel/deep snow, and sand. Drivers can also switch the locking differentials on completely, only in the back, or entirely off.

Since its November debut, the Cybertruck has been sighted during several off-road demonstrations, indicating that Tesla has prioritized off-road capability. While the Cybertruck has received criticism for becoming viral during off-road tests that appeared to go awry, some have stated that novice off-road drivers caused these incidents.

Others may have noticed that Tesla still needs to complete rolling out the entire set of off-road features for the Cybertruck, as demonstrated by the impending feature release. The video also displays the widely anticipated Cybertruck light bar above the vehicle's windshield.

In response to reporter Sawyer Merritt's news story on X, Tesla Cybertruck engineer Wes Morrill commented on the off-road characteristics, implying that there may be even more in the next release than the video shows. It's also unclear when the additional off-roading features will be deployed, but Morrill promises that complete release details for the upgrade will be made available soon.

New Terrain Modes to Boost Cybertruck's Off-Road Adaptability

Tesla's efforts to portray the Cybertruck as a credible off-road vehicle continue with a new video of the all-electric pickup truck tackling Hell's Gate at Hell's Revenge in Moab, Utah. The video shows that the Cybertruck quickly climbed out of Hell's Gate.

Like Tesla's previous promotional videos, the Cybertruck's Hell's Gate climb at Hell's Revenge was not widely publicized. It portrayed the all-electric pickup vehicle, which appeared to be stock, navigating the steep, rough trail expertly. When it reached the top of Hell's Gate, the Cybertruck was met by Tesla's two Baja Cybertruck prototypes, which had already completed the climb.

Tesla Cybertruck Lead Engineer Wes Morill revealed in a post on X, the social media network formerly known as Twitter, that the Cybertruck in the promotional film was a tri-motor Cyberbeast. On the other hand, the two Baja Cybertrucks at the top of the climb were all-electric pickup pickups with dual motors. According to Tesla engineers, the Cyberbeast simplifies off-roading.

"We've been sharpening the pencil for Off-Road controls and that will come to the fleet in an OTA update. The Trimotor (video hero) is like off-roading in easy mode. The two dual-motor Baja trucks at the end also made it up. And it's doable without lockers, though takes more skill," the Cybertruck Lead Engineer noted.

The Tesla engineer's comments are pretty interesting, given Hell's Gate's difficulty. While many stock cars, including the Rivian R1T, have successfully climbed Hell's Gate, many dedicated off-roaders have been involved in rollover accidents. For this alone, the Cybertruck deserves recognition for successfully making it up the steep trail.

Morill also shared a follow-up video of the Cybertruck at Hell's Revenge. This time, the all-electric pickup truck was witnessed driving through Hell's Revenge's notorious Hot Tub. Despite its simple name, the Hot Tub is a challenging region where many vehicles have been stranded. However, as seen in the Cybertruck Lead Engineer's follow-up video, the all-electric pickup truck can easily handle the hot tub.

Photo: Lcaa9, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons