We’ve heard a lot about the Tesla Cybertruck over the last year. We’ve heard the rumors, we’ve heard David Tracy’s take, and we’ve heard about a number of controversial issues. Now, we’re finally hearing from Captain Slow himself.
James May has been kind enough to throw his review on that most open of video sites, YouTube. There are high production values, that measured delivery honed on Top Gear, and the California coastline as a gorgeous backdrop. It’s good stuff.
The real question is what Mr. May thinks of this most controversial of “trucks.” Believe it or not? He’s a fan.
May takes the Cybertruck for a little drive, hands on the yoke-y wheel as he expounds upon the vehicle’s place in the automotive world. “We’re supposed to think of this car as radical,” says May. “Is this the Countach of the modern era, or maybe the Lagonda, or the DeLorean?” he asks. He notes that a lot of these designs have a “wow” factor, similarly being very angular with lots of flat planes.
“The flatness means that it has to be very very precisely made,” says May. On that note, he points out some of the visible flaws of the example he’s driving. “If you look here very closely, this piece here, on the A-pillar, that doesn’t align absolutely perfectly,” he explains. “It’s only a millimeter or so out, but you can see that, because it’s a straight line and a flat surface.” There’s also the simple fact that it’s quite a pointy machine. “It’s also got quite sharp edges, I wouldn’t want to be hit by it…” he says. In particular, he highlights the pointed corners up front. “You don’t really get corners on the fronts of cars normally but you do there!”
May also notes that sometimes in design, you need to create slightly curved surfaces instead of purely flat ones. “If you make things perfectly flat, especially when they’re shiny, they appear to be slightly shrunken,” he explains. Thus, he suspects the Cybertruck’s panels may indeed be slightly “bulbous” to counteract this visual effect. He inspects the vehicle with a steel rule, quickly determining that the “bonnet” (hood) has “a bit of a curve to it.” He then notes that most of the supposedly flat panels are indeed slightly “convex.”
Does May like the flat-plane futuristic aesthetic, though? He takes a moment to examine the vehicle and contemplate whether he actually likes it or not. “Yes, I do!” he decides. Fair enough, then.
The video also gets a little meta. “If you’re a YouTuber, [it’s] very difficult to film,” he explains. “Pretty much wherever you stand, you can see yourself… it’s like a hall of mirrors.” Obviously, that’s less of a problem when it gets a bit grimy and fingerprinted up—worth considering if you’re filming your own example.
He also tackles enjoyable minutae as well. “It’s got the quietest electric windows I’ve ever encountered!” he says. “I think that’s probably better than an S Class.” He also has some criticisms, including the wide pillars, which harm visibility, and the annoyance of having to change things like the A/C temperature with the touchscreen.
“I suppose technically the most radical thing about the Cybertruck is that it is entirely steer-by-wire,” he notes. “If you sit and think about that a bit, it’s quite alarming.” However, he notes the benefits, including being able to make relatively small inputs to steer the vehicle with the yoke.
Would James own one, though? Not quite. “I’ll be honest with you… I don’t want a Cybertruck,” he says. “It’s too big, [and] I have a slight aversion to pickup trucks. if I’m honest.” But he appreciates it for what it is. “It’s all straight lines, flat surfaces, vertices, but it makes everything look square,” he says. “It is a little bit childish, and a bit incel… but for the most part, it’s like a Tesla.” Fundamentally, though, he sees it as a bold piece of design, and he appreciates it on that basis.
As for the ultimate verdict? “I think the Cybertruck is actually very ballsy, and quite humorous,” he says. “But I am quite glad it exists.” More than that though, it has him contemplating future models. “If I could make a little appeal to Elon Musk, could you make something about the size of the Model Y, or maybe even a little bit smaller… but styled like this?” he asks. “I’d go for that!”
Image credits: James May’s Planet Gin via YouTube Screenshot
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