The Tesla Cybertruck is, quite possibly, the most misunderstood vehicle since the Pontiac Aztek, except unlike the Aztek, the Cybertruck is faster than a 911, tougher than a Silverado, and looks like it was forged in a dystopian sci-fi fever dream. It was supposed to be the future. And on a good day, when the build quality is good, it absolutely is. But the Cybertruck hasn’t just become a conversation piece or a marvel of engineering; it’s become a lightning rod in a country too busy arguing to appreciate the machine itself.

If you can find one that isn’t falling apart at the seams, the Cybertruck is legitimately impressive. The tri-motor "Cyberbeast" version hits 60 mph in under 3 seconds and tows boats without breaking a sweat.
Whisper-Quiet But Carry a Big Stick
It’s whisper-quiet on the highway, absurdly powerful off it, and wraps its driver in stainless steel like some post-apocalyptic chariot. It redefines what a truck can be. But that all hinges on a simple “if”: if it’s built properly. Sadly, that’s a big if. Tesla’s build quality continues to echo the worst days of American manufacturing misaligned panels, squeaky trim, glue where there should be welds. And the kicker? It’s not just a Tesla problem anymore. Like GM and Ford, quality control has taken a back seat to volume, velocity, and viral marketing.
Tesla’s Addition To The Economy
- As of the end of 2024, Tesla employed approximately 125,665 individuals globally. This marked a 10.54% decrease from the previous year, reflecting adjustments in response to market dynamics.
- Tesla's operations in California have had a substantial economic impact. Between 2018 and 2021, the company's activities contributed $16.6 billion in economic activity, averaging $44.4 million injected into the state's economy daily.
- Tesla's Gigafactory in Texas has been a significant economic driver. By the end of 2022, the facility supported approximately 15,000 jobs in the state, contributing $2.1 billion in total sales activity in Travis County.
Still, what makes the Cybertruck uniquely volatile isn’t the craftsmanship, or lack thereof, but what it has come to represent. The truck is no longer just a vehicle. It’s a badge. A battle flag. A statement. In 2025 America, to drive a Cybertruck is to announce, willingly or not, where you stand on Elon Musk. One frustrated owner recently took to Facebook with a plea:
"Tesla has over 100k employees. You’re not a fan of one person working there.
Elon’s not the one bolting my Cybertruck together, yet here you are, taking it out on the hardworking folks at Tesla Service centers. Elon Musk is literally protected by Secret Service. What is your goal?"
One commenter, Jim King, didn’t pull punches:
“Ask the Tesla board what their goal is… Musk has been the one working relentlessly to alienate a large share of the Tesla customer base.”
Jeremy van Hagen had this to say:
“Cybertrucks are NOT bolted together – they’re stuck together with glue.”
Meanwhile, Lars Kyhnau Hansen upped the stakes:
“The goal is to bankrupt Tesla so that people can work somewhere else. It will be better for them and the world.”
Of course, not everyone joined the mob. Xtian Merck fired back with:
“You wanna bankrupt a company because you don’t like the CEO? What about the other companies in the world that have CEOs that do terrible things? None of them matter because they aren’t Elon?”
His defense may not have changed many minds, but it did lay bare the real issue here, nobody’s talking about the truck anymore. The conversation around the Cybertruck has evolved beyond engineering and aesthetics and into a referendum on one man, a man who, as the original post pointed out, isn’t even the one bolting or gluing them together.

Many Cybertruck owners have fallen in love with the vehicle and would happily buy it again, but despite this, people who don’t own the vehicle have influenced people to not even consider it.
But even setting aside Musk’s influence and Tesla’s workforce contributions, owning a Cybertruck comes with its own set of unusual financial realities that some prospective buyers might not anticipate. The true cost of Cybertruck ownership can be unexpectedly high over a five-year period—not just due to its sticker price, but because of insurance premiums, maintenance quirks, and depreciation that doesn't always follow the usual EV curve. If you’re thinking about buying a Cybertruck or are just curious how the numbers stack up, you might want to read this detailed cost breakdown: "I Break Down the Real Cost of Tesla Cybertruck Ownership Over 5 Years – Be Prepared to Be Scared, It's That Way". It may suddenly change how you view the truck’s long-term value.
The Average Tesla Owner's Income
- The average Tesla owner in 2025 has a household income of approximately $144,341, significantly higher than the U.S. median. Notably, 97% of Tesla owners own their homes, with a median home value exceeding $500,000, reflecting the brand's appeal to financially established individuals.
- Tesla ownership skews male, with about 74% of owners identifying as male. The median age of a Tesla owner is 48, aligning with Generation X. Model S owners tend to be older, with a median age of 53, while Model Y owners are slightly younger, averaging 48 years.
- A significant portion of Tesla owners hold advanced degrees, with over one-third possessing a master's or doctoral degree. Common professions among Tesla owners include engineers, operations managers, and software engineers, indicating a strong representation of technically inclined individuals.
The fallout? Some owners are being harassed. Their trucks were vandalized. Scratched. Dented. Plug cables yanked. And in a society where disagreement too often turns into destruction, the truck has become a rolling target. Not because it’s ugly (though some think so), but because it means something. And meaning, in this age of social media gladiators and bad-faith discourse, is a dangerous thing.
Rivian Enters The EV Field
And yet, in the midst of all this chaos, there’s Rivian, the quiet counterpoint. The R1T isn’t flashy, but it works. It delivers consistent build quality, thoughtful design, and the same electric muscle without the culture war. Rivian customers don’t return to their trucks to find them keyed or spat on. They don’t argue in the Whole Foods parking lot. They just drive. Quiet competence is winning, one defected Tesla customer at a time.
The Cybertruck is a paradox and a slight parody of society. It’s both revolutionary and regressive. A truck that could change the world, if only it could get out of its own way. Or rather, if the world could separate the metal from the man. Until then, every Cybertruck will roll down the road carrying more than just a battery pack. It carries a nation’s fragmented conversation about tech, politics, wealth, identity, and yes, even glue.
As a Cybertruck owner, have you faced harassment over owning the vehicle? If so, how did you handle it, and do you think it’s fair?
Leave a comment down below with your thoughts.
Image Source: Pexel, Facebook Page (teslacybertruckflorida) used under Fair Use rule.
Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.

Comments
Most of Elon's wealth isn't…
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Most of Elon's wealth isn't even in Tesla...it's in Starlink and SpaceX.
Boycotts are childish.
Tesla is great.
Elon isn't the only traditional Liberal abandoning the Democrat Party.
Tesla's have cameras and cameras send arsonists to jail.
Felons forfeit their right to vote.
Burnt and defaced Teslas feed insurance claim money back into Tesla.
nothing leftists do make…
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nothing leftists do make sense
I personally don't like…
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I personally don't like cybertrucks because they explode. I guess not wanting to be ripped apart is just a political difference?
People seems to be outraged…
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People seems to be outraged about the fact he's disclosing all the FRAUD and EMBEZZLEMENTS going on with Taxpayers money and it doesn't make sense at all! As if they're going to lose their INCOME from USAID and other networks! Any serious person would be worried and supportive of Elon Musk!
It was hideous looking long…
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It was hideous looking long before musk became a trump backer. It's a symbol of excess and it's not even cool
True, Elon isn't doing any…
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True, Elon isn't doing any of the work, but he's the one making most of the money from Tesla. That's the reason everyone should boycott Tesla.
Is anyone bolting the cyber…
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Is anyone bolting the cyber trucks together? From the endless stories of issues with it since it's roll out, I'm not able to remember if they have had problems with the bolts. I definitely remember hearing that the paneling was falling off from using the wrong glue. So it's a fair question.
Stop whining you tiny babies.
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Stop whining you tiny babies.
Understand that those same…
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Understand that those same folks don't even know what gender they are.
Simple, the issue is…
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Simple, the issue is Reputation Risk, even if a product is very good the risk of executive reputations can and will harm the product or business.
It's not hating the company…
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It's not hating the company over "one person that works there", what an absurd thing to say. Musk has been the entire public face of the company for as long as it's been in existence, he's the CEO, he's actively working to ruin the country bit by bit, and it's impossible for me to imagine that such an absurd comment wouldn't have come from the mouth of someone who's MAGA.
Putting politics aside. …
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Putting politics aside. Ignoring the fact Cyber truck is so unreliable. Ignoring the fact it's ugly as truck. Ignoring the fact it is impractical.
I still don't like the cyber truck. (And it's something I dislike about the E Hummer and F150 Lightening too).
These e-trucks are heavy... Some up to 3 tons. They literally put the wear and tear of over three average consumer vehicles on our roads.
Commercial trucks pay taxes by the mile for this. Gas vehicles pay taxes on fuel.
E trucks despite wearing down our roads faster than any consumer vehicles out there pay nada.
There really needs to be a heavy vehicle tax to offset how much extra they wear down our roads compared to normal vehicles. I'm not going to vandalize a Tesla or anything like that but I do resent that Im paying taxes that go to road repairs and these jerks who drive 3 ton e-death traps/pavement destroyers pay none.
The problem with saying it…
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The problem with saying it has nothing to do with Elon is that it just isn't true. Elon spends so much effort making sure he is literally the face of Tesla and SpaceX like a mascot, and it worked great when everyone thought he was just real life jimmy neutron making all these neat inventions. But the cyber truck by far was practically marketed as the Elon mobile, it was his flagship product, he did all the reveals as if he was Steve jobs. So when 99% of people see the cyber truck as the Elon mobile it's like having a billboard with his face on it, that exactly what you want to deface. And on top of that most cyber truck owners are Elon glazers so every cyber truck is that much more likely to be driven by other Nazis.
True, Musk is deeply tied to…
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In reply to The problem with saying it… by Samantha (not verified)
True, Musk is deeply tied to Tesla's image, especially with the Cybertruck. That connection fuels both support and backlash.
Even if the CT was not junk,…
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Even if the CT was not junk, which it is, I will never spend my money to help enrich a Nazi that is destroying my country. I honestly don't know why people are surprised by that.
Even if the CT was not junk,…
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Even if the CT was not junk, which it is, I will never spend my money to help enrich a Nazi that is destroying my country. I honestly don't know why people are surprised by that.
It makes perfect sense. The…
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It makes perfect sense. The fact is everytime you buy or invest in tesla you make money for Elon Musk. Yes others also make money but ultimately Teslas success equates to Musks success. Those workers also can work elsewhere. I am not saying its right or wrong but logically speaking boycotting or hating on tesla makes perfectly logical sense when opposing Musks
This read like how it felt…
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This read like how it felt watching trump advertise tesla at the white house a total joke littered with misinformation.
Really? Cause I think…
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Really? Cause I think buying that ugly ass truck makes no sense. Derp
Globalists on parade in the…
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Globalists on parade in the comments.Elon has done more to advance humanity than 99% of the BLOODLINES on the planet.
With the rate they fall…
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With the rate they fall apart, I doubt anyone is bolting them together
You people are unhinged. It…
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You people are unhinged. It's sad when your talking points are all taken from left wing media outlets. You all sound the same. You say the same. You do the same. The left is violent. You are irresponsible. You are destructive. You are often criminals. All of this for what? So you can get your way. Your childish. You don't think for yourselves. The left is a flock of sheep. Follow the loudest talking head. It's amusing seeing your comments, hair brained, and full of the medias talking points. Your being lied to. Open up you eyes. For those that live in a world where you hate people for who they voted for or what kind of car they drive, we'll pray for you.
Here you can find a wide…
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