Remember when Elon Musk went on Joe Rogan’s dumb podcast for nearly three hours and bragged about his impenetrable stainless steel Cybertruck? And then Rogan proved how cool he was by shooting at it with a bow and arrow? Good times. So, a few weeks ago, Elno finally launched that arrow (and bullet) proof monstrosity, calling it the “finest in apocalypse technology.” Well, let’s hope the apocalypse doesn’t involve a snowstorm. Last week, the truck that’s described as being “durable and rugged enough to go anywhere,” got stuck in the snow and had to be towed out by a Ford pickup truck. And yes, there’s video.
Elon Musk touted the Tesla Cybertruck as the perfect vehicle for an apocalypse at a launch event in Texas a few weeks ago. And on its website, Tesla claims the futuristic electric vehicle is “built for any planet,” being “durable and rugged enough to go anywhere.”
Many recalled such boasts when a video went viral this week showing a Cybertruck, with a single harvested Christmas tree, struggling to navigate a snowy off-road hill in California’s Stanislaus National Forest. In the video, a Ford pickup truck on a road wrenches the Tesla vehicle up the slope.
The phrase “sport futility vehicle” spread on social media as the video went viral, with one X user posting, “Ok, seeing the Cybertruck called a ‘sport futility vehicle’ after having to be rescued by a Ford made my day.”
Others argued the problem was more about an inexperienced driver and less about the Cybertruck itself, noting other trucks also get stuck on snowy hills. But there may have been an issue with that particular Cybertruck, too, which as one Tesla follower noted appeared to be a prototype with some equipment issues.
Ford CEO Jim Farley, for his part, posted to X: “Just to be clear… this is a Super Duty and NOT advertising. Glad a Ford owner was there to help.”
Yesterday, the National Forest Service released a press release cheekily offering to partner with Tesla on “an education campaign regarding off-road vehicle use on public lands.”
It posted the press release on Facebook, where a user commented that they thought the video “was a spoof.” The Forest Service replied, “while we may have been a touch cheeky in our response, our offer to Tesla is real and this really happened out on Corral Hollows on the Calaveras side.”
Stanislaus National Forest Supervisor Jason Kuiken said in the release, “We are always thrilled when new opportunities to explore our public lands become available, but feel there may be work to be done in educating users about our Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM).”
He added, “You never have to worry about a software update at an incredibly awkward moment with one of our MVUM maps.”
The Forest Service continued, “We feel confident that had the driver of the Cybertruck had a better understanding of the topographical feature indicated on our maps, practiced Leave No Trace principles, and generally been more prepared, this whole incident could have been not only avoided, but also provided much-needed education to many new off-road users.”
I don’t know what I love the most about all of this: the fact that it was carrying a Christmas tree, the CEO of Ford trolling Space Karen on his own platform, the nickname “Sport Futility Vehicle,” or the National Forest Service getting in on the fun. And the Tesla website says that it’s built for any planet, lmao. It’s all just so funny. Look at Tesla, bringing people together in good cheer during the holidays. Although, and in all seriousness, the Cybertruck’s safety has been called into question. I’m trying to think of the last time a public figure self-destructed their own reputation so thoroughly like Elon has. Hey, at least he’s been successful at doing that all by himself.
A Tesla Cybertruck got stuck in the snow on an off-road trail in California and had to be towed out by a Ford pickup. pic.twitter.com/CFuUTqIAQp
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) December 15, 2023
Just to be clear… this is a Super Duty and NOT advertising. Glad a @Ford owner was there to help. https://t.co/Rr78EY9k2T
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) December 13, 2023
