Tesla Cybertruck Beast is Both Quicker and Slower than Tesla’s Claims in MotorTrend Testing

Tesla has made many claims for its wedge-shaped Cybertruck Beast, including a 0-60-mph time of 2.6 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph—outrageous stats for a pickup truck that tipped our scales at 6,884 pounds. But with three motors making more than 800 horsepower and Tesla’s excellent launch control system, the Cybertruck blasted to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds in our testing before crossing the quarter mile in 11.0 seconds at 113.7 mph. It’s a different story when it comes to the Cyberbeast’s top speed, but we’ll get to that later.

Those numbers make the Tesla Cyberbeast the quickest truck we’ve ever tested by a longshot. The Rivian R1T Quad-Motor comes in at second place and makes similar power with 835 hp and 908 lb-ft of torque (versus the Tesla’s 845 hp and 864 lb-ft), but trails the Cyberbeast with 0-60-mph and quarter-mile times of 3.1 seconds and 11.6 seconds, respectively. We chalk up much of the difference to Tesla’s launch control system. The Cyberbeast launches in a controlled and consistent manner with minimal wheelspin, which is a sharp contrast to the R1T that lacks launch control and seemingly spins all four of its tires off the line.

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The Cyberbeast will also have no issues edging out a long list of supercars—at least to 60 mph. Here, the Tesla beats every C8 Corvette we’ve tested, along with the (992-series) Porsche 911 GT3, McLaren 765LT, and all but one Lamborghini Hurácan. Of course we have to point out that the Tesla falls behind those cars when the contest is stretched to the quarter mile. Some of that can be blamed on our test car’s top speed of 113.7 mph, which it hit almost 200 feet before reaching the quarter mile. A Tesla insider told us that a software update will eventually unlock Tesla’s advertised 130 mph top speed, but when that will happen is anyone's guess.

As with past Teslas like the Model S Plaid, the Cyberbeast is a breeze to launch. After selecting Beast Drive Mode in the Dynamics setting menu, firmly press the brake pedal with your left foot and fully stomp on the accelerator with your right foot. From there, the entire infotainment screen changes to display the Cybertruck in a futuristic black and white triangular tunnel while the front suspension lowers. The owner’s manual instructed us to “wait for a ‘Ready to Launch’ message to appear on the screen,” but that message never came (another item for Tesla to add to its to-do list). Instead, we released the accelerator once the suspension was done adjusting the ride height. The launch isn’t quite as explosive as say a Model S Plaid, but after about 10 feet, the Cyberbeast really digs in with immense acceleration. Just as immense are the tire roar, wind noise at triple-digit speeds, and giggles the Cyberbeast will surely illicit from any passenger experiencing a three and half-ton pickup truck blasting to 60 mph in under 3.0 seconds.