A Tesla Cybertruck Owner Says She Bought a RWD Model Without Realizing It Was the Stripped-Down RWD Version – She Adds, “I Didn’t Know It Lacked So Many Features, Including the Rear Screen”

A discounted Cybertruck listing is supposed to feel like found money. Instead, for one buyer in the Cybertruck Owners Only Facebook group, it became a slow-motion realization that what looked like a great deal was actually a version of the truck they never intended to own. The post, written with equal parts confusion and regret, outlines how an inventory Cybertruck purchased in good faith turned out to be a discontinued, stripped-down configuration that Tesla no longer clearly explains to casual shoppers.

The story begins innocently enough. The owner demoed a Cybertruck in early December and came away impressed. It checked every box for family use, the kids loved it, and the vehicle felt like a clear step forward. 

With limited prior exposure to Tesla’s product structure, the buyer did what many reasonable people would do: learned the broad strokes. Cybertruck versus Cyberbeast. Longer range sounded preferable. Free charging sounded nice, but not essential. Decision made.

“At the risk of sounding like a complete idiot here- I am hoping anyone has some advice.

I went in to demo a Cybertruck early in December. It was great, everything I needed and more! My kids were IN LOVE with it. 

I did not know much of anything about Tesla prior. But, I learned there were only 2 models of the cyber truck- cybertruck and cyberbeast. The cyber beast had a shorter range, which sounded unappealing aside from the free charging. I also looked into the Model Y- I understood it came in standard, premium, and performance, and had a basic understanding of what features came with each. 

I decided I would order a Cybertruck in January. 

I tried to set up a second demo so my spouse could also see the vehicle. I was told they sell off all the demos at the end of the year, and there were no more demos. I was sent an inventory list. I saw several cybertrucks and several cyberbeasts. There was a cyber truck for around $70k in El Paso. I put the deposit on it immediately because, wow, that’s a great deal! 

Tesla said I had to pick it up on Dec 31 or the next would be Jan 8. I could not go on Dec 31, so they said I could send someone else because neither one of us would be able to go after this weekend with school back in, etc. 

Well, once he was about halfway back to San Antonio, he mentioned Google said there should be a USB-C port behind the rear screen, but there’s no rear screen. I was extremely confused as I was told that it was a standard feature. Upon further research on Google- certainly not on the Tesla website- I found out there were about 4 months they made the RWD, which lacks MANY features that were important to me. 

NONE of my paperwork or order confirmation says anything about rear wheel drive or RWD, it just says “cyber truck long range”. I was told the regular Cybertruck had longer range… so… that made sense to me. 

Of course, today was a holiday, so I got no answers, but I really, really want to return this vehicle. Am I totally screwed? If you read this far, thank you.”

When a second demo was requested so a spouse could see the truck, the answer changed. Tesla had sold off its demos for the year-end and instead sent an inventory list. On that list sat a Cybertruck in El Paso priced around $70,000, far lower than expected. The buyer moved quickly, placing a deposit immediately. Pickup logistics were rushed, with Tesla pushing for a December 31 handoff or a delayed January date that would not work. A third party was sent to retrieve the vehicle instead.

Tesla Cybertruck: Interior Design & Rear Wheel Steering

• The stainless steel exterior eliminates paint-related upkeep but constrains body shaping, influencing aerodynamics and panel fit tolerances.
• Steer-by-wire and rear-wheel steering work together to reduce low-speed turning effort, changing how the truck behaves in tight spaces compared with conventional pickups.
• Interior design removes nearly all physical switches, placing core vehicle functions inside a single touchscreen interface.
• The enclosed, powered bed prioritizes cargo security and weather isolation over quick-access usability.

The moment things unraveled came not from Tesla, but from Google. Mid-drive, the person transporting the truck noticed that a rear USB-C port mentioned online did not exist. That led to another realization: there was no rear screen either. Confusion quickly turned into research, and research revealed the missing piece. For a brief window, Tesla produced a rear-wheel-drive Cybertruck marketed as “Long Range” that lacked a long list of features most buyers assumed were standard.

Critically, none of the buyer’s paperwork clearly stated “RWD.” The order confirmation simply read “Cybertruck Long Range.” Given that the buyer had been told the regular Cybertruck had a longer range than the Cyberbeast, that description felt logical rather than suspicious. Only after delivery did it become clear that this “Long Range” model was not just a different drivetrain, but a materially different product.

The community response was split but revealing. Some commenters sympathized, arguing that the trim should never have been sold at its original price, given how much content was removed. Others were more blunt, saying the buyer jumped at a low price without fully researching the specifications. Both reactions point to the same underlying problem: Tesla’s naming and communication left too much room for misunderstanding.

This situation exposes a weakness in Tesla’s inventory sales process. When discontinued or short-run variants remain in circulation, clarity becomes essential. A model that deletes major features like a rear screen, interior tech, and other expected hardware should be labeled unmistakably, especially when the brand otherwise trains customers to think in simplified trim hierarchies.

Whether the buyer has recourse remains unclear. Some commenters suggested contacting Tesla immediately to explore return options, especially if the configuration was not clearly disclosed prior to delivery. Others were less optimistic, noting that Tesla’s sales model offers limited flexibility once a vehicle is accepted. What is clear is that the emotional whiplash was real. The excitement of buying a dream vehicle gave way to the sinking feeling that the wrong truck was now sitting in the driveway.

This is not a story about incompetence or entitlement. It is a reminder that Tesla’s minimalist sales philosophy, while efficient when everything goes right, leaves little margin for error when it does not. Model names matter. Feature disclosures matter. And when a product deviates significantly from customer expectations, the burden should not fall entirely on the buyer to discover it after the fact.

For prospective Cybertruck buyers, the lesson is uncomfortably old-fashioned. Slow down. Read every spec line. Ask directly about drivetrain, features, and deleted content. Inventory deals can be real bargains, but they can also be artifacts of decisions Tesla would rather move past quietly. In this case, one family learned that “Long Range” did not mean what they thought it did, and that realization came far too late.

Image Sources: Tesla Media Center

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.