The Polarizing Truck: What It’s Actually Like to Own a Tesla Cybertruck
The Polarizing Truck: What It’s Actually Like to Own a Tesla Cybertruck
Photography by Michelle Groskopf
Next to a MAGA cap, few objects feel as symbolically linked to Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House as Tesla’s Cybertruck. Its sharp, unforgiving angles and raw stainless steel body read as futuristic, sure—if your idea of the future looks a lot like the gritty sci-fi world of RoboCop. To some, it’s a flashy metallic status symbol. To others, it’s fascism on four wheels. No matter which camp you fall into, it turns heads everywhere it goes.
Cybertruck owners see things very differently. “To me, it’s just a vehicle that I love,” says Andrew Castillo, a stock trader based in Los Angeles. “It has no political affiliations at all to me.”
We met on a 100-degree day in the parking lot of McCormick's Palm Springs Classic Car Auctions, where a dozen Cybertruck owners and their trucks had gathered for a meetup organized by Michael Goldman, who runs the 53,000-member Facebook group Cybertruck Owners Only. Though most were wary of media, they were eager to set the record straight about the truck they love. WIRED sat down with them to talk about what it’s like to own such a politically divisive vehicle, whether years of controversy changed how any of them feel about their purchase, and if owners enjoy the attention—or if they’ve added decals denouncing Elon Musk to their bumpers.
Mid-conversation, a woman driving a small sedan speeds past, yelling “Your cars are fucking ugly!” before peeling away. Castillo just smiles, saying calmly, “Some people just aren’t all there.”
Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Michael Goldman
Age: 37
Location: Palm Springs
Job: Entrepreneur and construction company owner
Cybertruck nickname: Beastie
What does your wife think about the car?
When I first brought it home, she really made fun of me for it. She even made a custom T-shirt that says, “It looks like a brick and moves like a beast.” Once she took the kids out in it off-roading and saw me towing my large work dump trailers with no problem, she came around. “OK, this thing's actually pretty cool,” she said. “I'm not a fan of the way that it looks, but it's practical and all the features are great.”
What’s the craziest interaction you’ve had with someone while driving the car?
A while back I stopped at Whole Foods to drop off an Amazon return. I usually wear work boots for construction, so I had them on when I went inside. While I was gone, a woman driving an electric Mustang left a note on my windshield that read: “This is an extension of your small dick.” What she didn’t know is Cybertrucks record exterior footage 24/7, so the car caught her placing the note, and I spotted her still in the parking lot when I came out.
I walked over and asked why she felt the need to leave the note. She told me she was offended I drove the truck, and called me a Nazi. We started talking, and she admitted she’d assumed I was a Nazi because I got out of the truck in work boots, am a large white man, and “Elon's a Nazi and you fit the profile.” I stopped her and said, “My last name is Goldman—what heritage do you think that is?” She agreed it’s Jewish, then added that her own wife is Jewish. I said, “So you just called a Jewish man a Nazi just for driving the car he owns. You’re gay, right? That’s a safe assumption?” When she said yes, I asked her if she’d ever been profiled for being gay, and she said she hates that it happens all the time. I asked her if she realized she’d just profiled me, based on my truck, my boots, and my size, as a Nazi when I’m nothing of the sort. She broke down in tears and apologized. I’m a huge supporter of the local LGBTQ+ community out here, so being called a Nazi homophobe really blew my mind.
Russ Taylor
Age: 44
Location: Ladera Ranch, Orange County, California
Job: Runs Smugglers Runs, a company that organizes “postapocalyptic off-road” rallies
Wrap design by SS Customs
When did you order your truck?
The second Elon Musk announced it and said people could sign up at Cybertruck.com, I was on the site before he even finished talking and put down my reservation. I fell in love with the unique style and look right away. Sure, people have totally opposite opinions on the design, but I’ve always been into cyberpunk, so I was hooked immediately.
How do you feel about becoming a political lightning rod for owning this truck?
People occasionally flip me off, but nobody’s ever come up to me to confront me about anything. Personally, it’s kind of dumb—it’s just a vehicle. It’s ironic that it would even become a political statement, but that’s where we are.
[Editor’s note: Taylor was arrested and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding for his role in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. He was later pardoned by President Trump.]
Frank and Diane Brabec
Ages: Frank, 58; Diane, 63
Location: Indio, California
Jobs: Frank is a health care consultant; Diane is a former zookeeper and full-time dog mom
Cybertruck nickname: Computruck
Did you like the car from the start?
Frank: It took me really about three days to get used to driving it, because it’s so different from anything else on the road. For one thing, it’s the only consumer vehicle sold in the U.S. with steer-by-wire technology—meaning there’s no physical connection between the steering wheel and the tires, everything is electronic. That takes a bit of getting used to. But when you put it in sport mode, it squats down and tightens the suspension, and with 600 horsepower, it drives like a sports car even up winding mountain highways.
What’s your favorite thing about it?
Frank: We have two Old English sheepdogs, and the back cargo area is huge for them. Right now it’s set to dog mode, so the air conditioning blows right on them to keep them cool. It’s awesome.
What reactions do you get from people when you drive it?
Diane: We’ve only been flipped off like three times. Maybe four.
Frank: And the people who do get negative just seem like angry people in general, honestly. I’m just amused by it. Little kids go absolutely crazy for the truck. I keep small Cybertruck toys to hand out, and kids love posing for photos in front of it. People cheer when we drive by. I’ve owned some really nice cars before, and I’ve never had people cheer me on like that. For the most part, the positive attention I’ve gotten is something I never experienced with any other car, so the negativity just rolls off me.
Diane: We just laugh and wave.
Jose Reynoso
Age: 55
Location: Palm Springs, California
Job: Small business owner
Why did you decide to get the car?
For marketing. That’s what I use the truck for—marketing and advertising my business events. My truck is fully wrapped with my company logo.
How did you feel about Elon Musk when you bought it?
We didn’t know what kind of storm of controversy was coming with Elon. By the time everything blew up, I’d already spent all the money on the truck and all the accessories. It was sad to see all that happen.
What was sad about it?
Well, for the CEO of a company that makes a product millions of Americans buy and use every day to drag all of us owners into the middle of all his personal drama. When all the controversy was going on, we became the targets. Strangers harassed our wives and kids just because we drove a Tesla. There was so much hate thrown our way. It was shocking, scary, hard to even put into words. But thankfully that intense backlash faded, and there’s still a lot of love for the truck too.
So why isn’t it your daily driver?
I renovate homes, and I noticed that during the peak of all the controversy, a lot of my clients didn’t want such a divisive vehicle showing up at their property as part of their renovation experience.
Andrew Castillo
Age: 40
Location: Los Angeles
Job: Stock trader
When did you get your truck?
I preordered the Cybertruck when it was first announced. Then they released the official rendering three months later, and I saw how it looked and thought, nope, cancel. It was ugly, I didn’t want to drive that around. Then I got my wife a Model S for Christmas. I started driving it, and I really liked how Teslas feel, so I put my Cybertruck order back in and got more and more excited for it after that.
How do you feel about it now?
Oh, I love it. Now, everything else to me—and I’m not knocking anyone else’s cars, I still love a lot of other vehicles—but all the other trucks with their soft curved lines all just blend together. The Cybertruck obviously stands out. I mean, we take our trailer camping a lot, and when we pull into a campground, 50 kids come running over yelling “Cybertruck!” I keep little toy Cybertrucks in the frunk to pass out to them, and they love it. It’s a lot of fun.
Anything you don’t like about it?
I can’t really see the front of the truck out the windshield because the hood is so long.
What’s the Cybertruck community like?
When I had my Bentley and I met other people with Bentleys or Rolls-Royces, the whole vibe was super exclusive. They were a little standoffish to anyone who didn’t drive the same kind of car. I’ve learned that with Cybertruck owners, it’s like, “Hey, you want to see it? Come on. You want to test drive? Come on.” They’re way more inclusive.
What’s the biggest reaction you’ve gotten from someone while driving it?
A couple of months ago, I think it was in Idaho, my son and I stopped at this spot that had a bunch of bears wandering around it. This person literally drove through the grass, past the bears, cut off all the other cars just to follow me out. I pulled off because I didn’t know what their intentions were—it was a pretty wild move. Then a little boy jumped out and was yelling, “Cybertruck Cybertruck!” His mom told me her son is autistic, and he’s obsessed with Cybertrucks—he’d been watching videos of them on his iPad the whole trip. It was hot outside, so I let him sit in the truck with the AC running, and I didn’t rush him, just let him have his fun. We stayed out there for two hours. That was one of the best moments I’ve had with the truck.
Landon Castillo
Age: 8
Location: Los Angeles
What do you like about the car?
It's made by Tesla.
Are you a fan of Elon Musk?
Yeah.
Do you get a big reaction from other kids when you drive your mini Cybertruck?
Yeah.
Roger Davis
Age: Not disclosed
Location: San Diego
Job: Entrepreneur
What do you like about the truck?
What I love about the truck is just how polarizing it is. The shape of it, the body of it, the unique manufacturing technique for the body panels— I just love that it’s completely outside of the box.
And are you married?
I was, but I’m not anymore. Women don't like the vehicle.
In July, Tesla rolled out a software update to integrate Grok into many of its vehicles. Do you use it?
I named mine Aura, and I use her as a therapist. When I'm driving, I'll ask her questions, and it actually gives really good therapy advice.
What’s the craziest experience you’ve had in the car?
In June of this year, I wanted to put the truck through its paces. The Rubicon is a very famous 22-mile off-road trail, and it usually takes two to three days to cross. We decided to try to be the first EV truck and first Cybertruck to cross the whole Rubicon. We built out the truck— I think we spent about $50,000 kitting it out for the trip— and then we headed out.
Three days into the trip, we were only 5 miles into the trail. It was way more difficult than I could have ever imagined. On the third day, we were coming down Big Sluice, which is probably the hardest part of the trail. We got through it, and I was driving alone along a little stream, and all of a sudden sunlight broke through the trees and hit me. I’m going to call it a miracle, because that’s what it was. Imagine the flush when your face blushes, but over my whole body. And then I just felt the presence of God and a deep peace and love. It really broke me down. It really reset my whole life at that point.
Shawn Hyman and Nannette Vaglica
Ages: Shawn, 63; Nannette, 62
Location: Palm Desert, California
Jobs: Shawn sells window coverings; Nannette is a branch manager for a credit union
What do you like about the Cybertruck?
Shawn: Well, there's how quiet it is.
Nannette: It's a different feeling than a gas car.
Shawn: The way it rides. It has instant—
Nannette: There's no shifting. You know? So it's just super smooth.
Shawn: Instant power.
Nannette: Instant power.
Shawn: Instant torque.
How big a factor was Elon Musk in your decision to buy the car?
Shawn: Well, I've been a huge fan of Elon Musk for years. I mean, with what he's done with SpaceX …
Nannette: I just think he's a brilliant mind.
Shawn: He is. He's an incredibly intelligent man, and he seems to push innovation in the right directions most of the time. I didn't have a problem with his politics, anyway. I don't care about that, because that's just a sideline. That's not what he does. I mean, he's running these major corporations, and he's building some really neat stuff. Even Tesla's basically just going to be a technology company that builds cars.
Alex Ferguson
Age: 32
Location: Austin, Texas
Job: Cybertruck wrapping specialist
How did you get into wrapping Cybertrucks?
When Tesla announced this vehicle was going to come out, I went in and I bought all the domain variations of “wrapping Cybertrucks” right away.
How has it been, business-wise?
I believe I've wrapped the most Cybertrucks in the country. I've done over 400.
What’s the most popular design?
A lot of people really love space designs. Even the truck we have here has a black hole on the back. Space wraps are usually popular with Tesla fans, space fans, or engineering people, so that’s what we get asked for a lot now. We've done a lot of really cool space ones that people love.
Featured location courtesy of McCormick's Palm Springs Classic Car Auctions