Tesla’s Cybertruck has been promoted as an avant-garde electric pickup that can take on any terrain, but the Cybertruck’s recent attempt at California’s Rubicon Trail showed just how brutal actual off-roading can be. What was planned to be a demonstration of capability soon turned into a challenge that saw the truck stranded for three days, dogged by failures, needing assistance from good Samaritans and Tesla employees to get it out.
A Brave Attempt on a Relentless Trail
The Rubicon Trail is legendary in off-road circles. Spanning at least 22 miles in California’s Sierra Nevada, it is frequently regarded as one of the hardest four-wheel drive routes in America. Boulders, narrow drops, and steep hill climbs regularly destroy vehicles – even vehicles specially designed for rock crawling.
With the Cybertruck’s aggressive design, all-electric torque, and marketing ambition for all-terrain abilities, it even achieved a 5-star rating from the NHTSA; it seemed to be a good candidate for the slog. To get ready for the rugged endeavor, the team ran the e-truck with upgraded bumpers, rock sliders, full-length skid plates, and a one-inch suspension lift. The crew was feeling good as they convoyed out of Loon Lake and tried to get to Tahoma at the other end of the trail.
Initial Challenges and Escalating Damage
The perils of the Rubicon trail started early. Despite the mods and armor, the Cybertruck quickly found itself up against the course’s harsh obstacles. Multiple tie rods broke as the truck made its way up and over boulders, and the electric motors experienced repeated overheats. Error codes were flashing on the dashboard, and the cadence of trying to keep the wheels turning became more desperate.
The convoy’s Jeep Wrangler companion was a blessing, yanking the ailing Cybertruck over some of the toughest sections. There were points when the EV was literally tied to a tree in a last-ditch effort to keep it just a stone’s throw from the top of a climb.
The crew’s resolve was put to the test again at Cadillac Hill, which is a notoriously difficult section of the trail, near Rubicon Springs. Here, the Cybertruck’s steering rack cracked, and one of its rear CV axles failed. Without steering and with compromised power going to the drive train, the truck was little more than a two-ton paperweight.
Three Days on the Trail as a Paperweight
For three days, the Cybertruck sat idle, and the promises of the future were fading into the harsh reality of the Rubicon’s unyielding nature. The crew was able to create a charge with the help of a fellow off-roader with a portable generator, but the mechanical failures prevented them from making any progress.
Social media spread information about the stranded vehicle quickly. Eventually, off-roading enthusiasts (who coincidentally were Tesla employees) saw the story and drove a truck and trailer full of spare parts out to the trail where they made on-site repairs. They managed to return the beaten Cybertruck to life, and it was driven the rest of the distance under its own power.
A Cautionary Note
After reflecting on the experience, the driver, Roger Davis, did not sugarcoat things: “I don’t recommend that any person try the Rubicon with a Cybertruck unless you are extremely prepared,” he told The Drive. Davis also observed that the Rubicon is hard on everyone, pointing to the fact that several other vehicles were broken along the way that same week.
The Cybertruck’s attempt was not a complete failure. It made it to the end of the trail despite the odds. But the damage it received in the process—and the extensive support effort to get it moving again—make it clear that Tesla’s pickup has a long way to go if it wants to earn the respect of traditional off-road vehicles. Additionally, the fact that repairs can take up to 4 months, as one owner experienced after his Cybertruck’s frame was damaged by a pothole.
