News
Tesla’s inexperienced off-road test drivers are doing a disservice to the Cybertruck (Op-ed)
Elon Musk has noted that the Cybertruck has the potential to become Tesla’s magnum opus. The Cybertruck is designed to dominate on the pavement and off-road. With this in mind, the electric vehicle maker should probably deploy test drivers who are very experienced in rough terrain. Otherwise, Tesla runs the risk of giving the Cybertruck a stigma — one which suggests that the vehicle is inadequate when it comes to “real truck” things.
It is no secret that Tesla already gets a lot of negative attention, and this is particularly true for the Cybertruck. The truck’s appearance alone is enough to warrant anger from critics, so any videos featuring the all-electric pickup truck failing in doing “truck things” will undoubtedly be amplified. This could be seen in social media’s reactions to the Cybertruck’s previous outing at Hollister Hills in California.
The Hollister Hills “Steps” Run
Videos of the Cybertruck back then featured the all-electric pickup truck seemingly struggling up Hollister Hills’ “steps.” Such reactions were amplified further when videos of the Rivian R1T and the Ford F-150 Lightning were shared online, showing both electric pickup trucks taking on the Hollister Hills “steps” without as much difficulty as the Cybertruck.
pic.twitter.com/iFwnC98lYw— ⭕️ CyberMike ⭕️ (@CyberMikeOG) November 15, 2023
Cake walk! Tried to copy what the Cybertruck did https://t.co/t9gkJKfBXw pic.twitter.com/pBDnFw7kcw— omg_Tesla/Rivian (@omg_tesla) November 12, 2023
At the time, Tesla watchers noted that the Cybertruck’s difficulties in the “steps” seemed to be due to the capabilities of its driver, who did not seem very experienced in off-road settings. The Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning’s drivers, on the other hand, seemed more familiar with such scenarios. The Cybertruck ultimately received quite a bit of flak from critics for being the “worst” among the three electric pickup trucks that took on the Hollister Hills “steps.”
Cybertruck’s Embarrassing Snowy Mishap
More recently, an even more embarrassing video of the Cybertruck has started making the rounds online. This time around, the Cybertruck could be seen getting stuck on a snowy incline. The all-electric pickup truck, which seemed to be carrying a tree on its bed, was evidently stuck, as the driver could be seen pressing on the throttle to no avail. The Cybertruck was ultimately towed out of the incline by a Ford pickup truck.
This is an example of someone without off-roading experience. There is no reason the Cybertruck couldn’t get up that small incline except for an inexperienced driver or this was done purposely to attempt to make the Cybertruck look bad. pic.twitter.com/DuJP6HE7Kd— Miss Jillybean (@MissJilianne) December 12, 2023
yikes https://t.co/bYVNeip2PB— JerryRigEverything (@ZacksJerryRig) December 12, 2023
Longtime electric vehicle owners, especially those who have experience off-roading, have noted on social media that the Cybertruck’s driver could have done a number of things that could have helped prevent the vehicle getting stuck. The all-electric pickup’s tires were evidently not fit for the terrain, and the driver’s actions with the Cybertruck’s throttle gave the impression that there was a lack of off-road experience at play. Some EV watchers even noted that the Cybertruck’s lousy performance on the snowy incline was so bad that it would not have been surprising if the vehicle was being intentionally sabotaged.
Fostering a Negative Narrative
What’s quite unfortunate is that the group that pulled out the Cybertruck actually provided some context about the incident, noting that the vehicle also had a software issue that caused its rear brakes to not act like “lockers.” The Cybertruck in the video was also a release candidate, so it had no recovery or pickup points. These comments from the group that pulled out the Cybertruck provided a good explanation behind the incident, but they did little to shift the narrative. As far as social media was concerned, the Cybertruck had another epic fail off-road, and that was it.
More info on the Cybertruck stuck on a snowy hill: lockers did work, recovery points missing, and wrong tires.
CT wasn’t their only recovery that day ? pic.twitter.com/cmNa4w0hYD— The Cybertruck Guy (@cybrtrkguy) December 12, 2023
When Tesla started deliveries of the Cybertruck, CEO Elon Musk made it a point to highlight how the all-electric pickup truck is a durable and tough vehicle that could survive whatever the world could throw at it. Unfortunately, the Cybertruck has so far not shocked skeptics with its off-road prowess yet. Instead, the evident lack of off-roading experience of its test drivers is simply giving more ammo to those who only wish to see the Cybertruck fail. Hopefully, Tesla could address such issues soon, especially considering the number of EV community members who are both well-experienced in off-road settings and more than willing to help out the EV maker test out the vehicle.
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SpaceX reached an incredible milestone with its Starlink program with a launch last night, as the 3,000th satellite of the year was launched into low Earth orbit.
On Monday, SpaceX also achieved its 32nd flight with a single Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
The mission was Starlink 6-92, and it utilized the Falcon 9 B1067 for the 32nd time this year, the most-used Falcon booster. The flight delivered SpaceX’s 3000th Starlink satellite of the year, a massive achievement.
There were 29 Starlink satellites launched and deployed into LEO during this particular mission:
Falcon 9 launches 29 @Starlink satellites from Florida pic.twitter.com/utKrXjHzPN
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 9, 2025
SpaceX has a current goal of certifying its Falcon boosters for 40 missions apiece, according to Spaceflight Now.
The flight was the 350th orbital launch from the nearby SLC-40, and the 3,000 satellites that have been successfully launched this year continue to contribute to the company’s goal of having 12,000 satellites contributing to global internet coverage.
There are over five million users of Starlink, the latest data shows.
Following the launch and stage separation, the Falcon 9 booster completed its mission with a perfect landing on the ‘Just Read the Instructions’ droneship.
The mission was the 575th overall Falcon 9 launch, highlighting SpaceX’s operational tempo, which continues to be accelerated. The company averages two missions per week, and underscores CEO Elon Musk’s vision of a multi-planetary future, where reliable connectivity is crucial for remote work, education, and emergency response.
As Starlink expands and works toward that elusive and crucial 12,000 satellite goal, missions like 6-92 pave the way for innovations in telecommunications and enable more internet access to people across the globe.
With regulatory approvals in over 100 countries and millions of current subscribers, SpaceX continues to democratize space, proving that reusability is not just feasible, but it’s also revolutionary.
Tesla expanded its new Full Self-Driving program, which gives people the opportunity to experience the company’s suite, in Europe.
Tesla recently launched an opportunity for Europeans to experience Full Self-Driving, not in their personal vehicles, but through a new ride-along program that initially launched in Italy, France, and Germany back in late November.
People could experience it by booking a reservation with a local Tesla showroom, but timeslots quickly filled up, making it difficult to keep up with demand. Tesla expanded the program and offered some additional times, but it also had its sights set on getting the program out to new markets.
It finally achieved that on December 9, as it launched rides in Denmark and Switzerland, adding the fourth and fifth countries to the program.
Tesla confirmed the arrival of the program to Denmark and Switzerland on X:
Now available in Denmark & Switzerland
🇩🇰 https://t.co/IpCSwHO566 https://t.co/V2N5EarLNX
— Tesla Europe & Middle East (@teslaeurope) December 9, 2025
The program, while a major contributor to Tesla’s butts in seats strategy, is truly another way for the company to leverage its fans in an effort to work through the regulatory hurdles it is facing in Europe.
Tesla has faced significant red tape in the region, and although it has tested the FSD suite and been able to launch this ride-along program, it is still having some tremendous issues convincing regulatory agencies to allow it to give it to customers.
CEO Elon Musk has worked with regulators, but admitted the process has been “insanely painful.”
The most recent development with FSD and its potential use in Europe dealt with the Dutch approval authority, known as the RDW.
Tesla says Europe could finally get FSD in 2026, and Dutch regulator RDW is key
Tesla said it believes some regulations are “outdated and rules-based,” which makes the suite ineligible for use in the European jurisdiction.
The RDW is working with Tesla to gain approval sometime early next year, but there are no guarantees. However, Tesla’s angle with the ride-along program seems to be that if it can push consumers to experience it and have a positive time, it should be easier for it to gain its footing across Europe with regulatory agencies.
News
Tesla ramps hiring for Roadster as latest unveiling approaches
Tesla published three new positions for the Roadster this week, relating to Battery Manufacturing, General Manufacturing, and Vision Engineering.
Tesla is ramping up hiring for positions related to the Roadster program, the company’s ultra-fast supercar that has been teased to potentially hover by CEO Elon Musk.
The company seems to be crossing off its last handful of things before it plans to unveil the vehicle on April Fool’s Day, just about four months away.
Tesla published three new positions for the Roadster this week, relating to Battery Manufacturing, General Manufacturing, and Vision Engineering. All three are located in Northern California, with two being at the Fremont Factory and the other at the company’s Engineering HQ in Palo Alto.
Technical Program Manager, Battery Manufacturing
Located in Fremont, this role specifically caters to the design of the Roadster to factory operations. It appears this role will mostly have to do with developing and engineering the Roadster’s battery pack and establishing the production processes for it:
“You will foster collaboration across design engineering, manufacturing, quality, facilities, and production to align with company priorities. Additionally, you will understand project opportunities, challenges, and dependencies; translate scattered information into concise, complete messages; and communicate them to every team member. As the business process development lead, you will develop, maintain, and implement tools and processes to accelerate battery manufacturing execution, achieve cross-functional alignment, and deliver highly efficient systems.”
Manufacturing Engineer, Roadster
Also located in Fremont, this role also has to deal with the concept development and launch of battery manufacturing equipment. Tesla says:
“In this role, you will take large-scale manufacturing systems for new battery products and architectures from the early concept development stage through equipment launch, optimization, and handover to local operations teams.”
Manufacturing Vision Engineer, Battery Vision
This position is in Palo Alto at Tesla’s Engineering Headquarters, and requires the design and scale of advanced inspection and control systems to next-generation battery products:
“You’ll work on automation processes that directly improve battery performance, quality, and cost, collaborating with world-class engineers in a fast-paced, hands-on environment.”
Developing and deploying 2D and 3D vision and measurement systems from proof-of-concept to deployment on high-volume battery manufacturing lines is part of the job description.
Roadster Unveiling
Tesla plans to unveil the Roadster on April 1, and although it was planned for late this year, it is nice to see the company put out a definitive date.
Musk said on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast in late October:
“Whether it’s good or bad, it will be unforgettable. My friend Peter Thiel once reflected that the future was supposed to have flying cars, but we don’t have flying cars. I think if Peter wants a flying car, he should be able to buy one…I think it has a shot at being the most memorable product unveil ever.”
Production should begin between 12 to 18 months after unveiling, so we could see it sometime in 2027.
SpaceX reaches incredible milestone with Starlink program
Tesla expands new Full Self-Driving program in Europe
