There's an Uptick in Anti-Tesla Cybertruck Sentiment since Elon Musk Announced Deliveries Will Start in Q3
Elon Musk announced during the Q1 2023 earnings call that Tesla plans to make the first deliveries of the Cybertruck in the third quarter of this year, specifically at the end of Q3 meaning this September.
This news was exciting for those of us who have been waiting impatiently to see the futuristic truck out on the roads and undoubtedly for the over 1.5 million Cybertruck reservation holders who have been waiting since 2019.
At least I assumed that the Cybertruck nearing production will increase the excitement for the truck, however, as they say, there appears to be something rotten in the state of Denmark.
Currently, Tesla is in the final stages of testing the Cybertruck before the start of production. As a result, it has been rather a commonplace occurrence to receive new Cybertruck sighting footage on a daily basis.
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And usually, these Cybertruck spy shots get posted all over the internet where keen-eyed Cybertruck watchers try to discern the latest minor change Tesla has made to the vehicle.
Comments on such Cybertruck footage are usually by uber-Tesla fans fawning over the vehicle with a healthy disagreement on the small feature changes Tesla has made on the particular prototype.
However, since Elon Musk made the announcement that Tesla is looking toward the end of Q3 to start the first Cybertruck deliveries, there has been a palpable uptick in anti-Cybertruck sentiment.
The anti-Cybertruck sentiment appears to be directed towards the latest Cybertruck prototype sightings and is usually along the lines of – the design of the truck is ugly and will be a big flop for Tesla as it will not be purchased by anyone except ardent Tesla fans.
Yes, the design of the Cybertruck with its triangular silhouette and stainless steel exterior, is no stranger to controversy, however, the magnitude of negative Cybertruck comments and the places those comments are being shared gives us a pause.
It might be normal to see the anti Cybertruck comments especially when it comes to its design in more neutral areas of the internet, however, the avalanche of negative Cybertruck comments now appears to be concentrated on sites where Tesla enthusiasts meet such as Tesla-focused subreddits, comment sections of EV and Tesla focused YouTube channels, news sites, and Twitter pages.
This on its own might not be particularly noteworthy, however, what is more concerting is that this negative Cybertruck sentiment is starting to slowly seep into the Cybertruck conversion even amongst the most ardent Tesla fans.
A few examples of such sentiment can be seen in an Electrek article dated April 26, titled “Tesla Cybertruck sighting brings doubt about design – what do you think?” A Teslarati article titled “Tesla Cybertruck gets stern take from Jim Cramer: “the Ugliest truck”
And here are a bunch of YouTube videos from pro-EV sites that have also noticed this negative Cybertruck sentiment…
To be extra clear, I’m not suggesting any of these sites are trying to push an anti-Cybertruck narrative but I have rather pointed to those articles and videos as a reference to where anti-Cybertruck sentiment has also been noticed and reported.
If we get that out the way, now let’s ask the bigger question – how and why are Tesla message boards all of a sudden getting bombarded by anti-Cybertruck sentiment? and is there a concerted effort by Tesla shorts or legacy automakers to tank the Cybertruck now that the vehicle is nearing production?
If there is a concerted effort to attack Tesla, this wouldn’t be the first time in Tesla’s history that the EV maker has been subjected to such tactics. Be it from shorts sellers or environmental groups with dubious ties to legacy automakers, Tesla is no stranger to foul play.
Having said that, given the hidden nature of these sorts of campaigns, it’s nearly impossible to be certain whether the negative Cybertruck comments are due to the latest Cybertruck prototype sightings being from unflattering angles or by bot armies trying to hurt Tesla.
As for me, I’m leaning towards the latter however, we’ll be sure to keep you posted if we get any more information to suggest there is something nefarious going on. Until then, make sure to visit our site torquenews.com/Tesla regularly for the latest updates.
So what do you think? Have you also felt the negative Cybertruck sentiment this past week? Also, do you think there is a concerted effort to make sure the Cybertruck is not a success now that the vehicle is close to production? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Image: Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
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Tinsae Aregay has been following Tesla and The evolution of the EV space on a daily basis for several years. He covers everything about Tesla from the cars to Elon Musk, the energy business, and autonomy. Follow Tinsae on Twitter at @TinsaeAregay for daily Tesla news.