I think once they start hitting the streets and getting a lot of looks, people that don't even know about them will consider ordering one if they are interested. It will certainly get people talking. And that is how Tesla sells so many cars, word of mouth.
Unfortunately when it comes to trucks, especially big ones, "word of mouth" isn't what sells them. Nobody is just sort of bobbing around from dealer to dealer, brand to brand, stumbling upon a massive full-size truck they think is cute and just buys it because they like it. Truck buyers almost universally know exactly what they're looking for, even if they're looking for luxury, and they know exactly what their vehicle needs to be able to do if they decide to do that thing. They have high expectations for
potential capability whether they do it or not, including things like range while towing which is something maybe 20% of full size truck owners actually do. Even the people who buy the Platinums and drive them to work everyday bought their truck knowing that it
could do many other things if they needed or wanted. Expectations of untapped potential simply doesn't exist with sedans and other small daily drivers because there is just no untapped potential to be had. You buy a car because you can put a few people and some things in it, and that's literally all it can do, and you do it all the time, and it's good enough. That train of thought isn't how truck buyers think. They need their truck to be able to do anything at any given time and they won't compromise.
My point is that if the Cybertruck can't do anything at any given time at least as well as a Ram Ecodiesel, or Silverado Trailboss, or F-150 Lightning, then it's simply not going to sell to anybody except early adopters and Tesla fanboys. The Model 3
can be a better sedan than gas ones but that's not saying a lot because there isn't much to being a sedan. But there is a lot involved with being a good truck. Even the Rivian, while being a glorious thing, has some oversights that are 100% expected and available on a Tacoma or Ranger and are going to make people think twice even if they can afford the Rivian. And the bigger the truck, the higher the expectations of its potential buyers are, so the Cybertruck is going to be working a really tough crowd.
While I think the Semi will be a resounding success, I think the Cybertruck as presented is a bad idea from start to end. Rivian got it 98% right, Tesla did not. Wrong market. It's sort of like how Hyundai debuted the Santa Cruz and everybody was like woah, that's cool looking, and then Ford debuted the Maverick and everybody was like oof, Hyundai screwed up lol. Now, if Tesla had debuted an EV Maverick competitor we'd be having a completely different conversation buuuuut Tesla doesn't know the truck market and Ford does.
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