Did Tesla Bend the Truth About the Cybertruck’s Drag Race With Porsche?

A new analysis by Engineering Explained casts doubt on Tesla’s coolest Cybertruck promotional video. 

The new Tesla Cytbertruck has started to trickle into owners’ driveways following its second launch in four years. During the newest launch event, Elon Musk made some bold claims about the Cybertruck backed up by what seemed like a pretty straightforward video. But was it all what it seemed?

Before we go too far, we should tell you up front that according to Engineering Explained, Cybertruck's lead engineer, Wes Morril has admitted that Tesla never made a quarter mile run towing the Porsche. So technically, what Tesla said appears to be speculation, not fact. And what it showed was not a quarter mile run. You can read Mr. Morril's full statement in the comments at the link.

In the video and in the comments, Tesla claims that the Cybertruck can beat a Porsche 911 in a drag race - while it tows a Porsche 911! That is an exciting claim, and if true, easy proof that the Cybertruck is a performance vehicle the likes of which the world has never seen. 

The problem is, the video doesn’t seem to show a quarter-mile race. Rather, the video appears to be edited to show only a 1/8th sprint. The video is discontinued before the viewers can see what the end-of-the-quarter mile result is. Hmm.

Now, before we go too much farther, a Tesla Cybertruck towing a Porsche while racing a Porsche and edging it out in the 1/8th mile is still astounding. So why the possible fib? And was there a fib after all, or did Tesla really pull it off? If you are a person who pulls a trailer, you may also have asked yourself, “I wonder where Tesla got that special trailer?” Are most trailers, wheels, bearings, axles, and brakes rated for speeds of up to 100 MPH?

In the video by Engineering Explained, the host breaks down in fine detail why he believes the video to be less than 100% honest. He bases his findings on a few different assumptions and on a few key facts. Watch it yourself and let us know if you feel his analysis is accurate.

Whether the video and comments made by Elon Musk are completely what they seem, the Cybertruck certainly offers outstanding straight-line performance. So why exaggerate? One reason battery-electric fans are sensitive to the issue of less-than-truthful videos has to do with Nikola. You can read more about the Nikola video that landed its company leader in hot water here. 

Note: Engineering Explained has an update to the video posted in its comments section Be sure to check it out. 
 

John Goreham is an experienced New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can follow John on Twitter, and connect with him at Linkedin.

Media image of Cybertruck courtesy of Tesla, Inc..