American legacy automaker Ford reportedly bought an early Cybertruck unit, but not from Tesla. According to Tesla investor @SawyerMerritt, Ford paid $250,000 to a Cybertruck flipper to obtain the all-electric pickup for testing purposes.
Acquisition
As per the X post, Ford bought a Tesla Cybertruck for a whopping $250,000 in the aftermarket. It must be noted that this resale price indicates a more than twofold increase in the original retail price of the top-tier CyberBeast.
Ford is reportedly currently testing the Tesla Cybertruck in Detroit.
The report gained traction in the social media platform, as Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk responded in the post. According to the American billionaire, the purchase was “worth it.”
Tesla Chief Elon Musk’s comment prompted Cybertruck fans to ask if the no-resale policy is now “out the window.”
How can the Cybertruck aid Ford’s EV development?
Ford’s move to buy a Tesla Cybertruck is not surprising, considering that automakers often do the same to explore their competitors’ vehicle innovations.
Therefore, the Cybetruck purchase will enable Ford to comprehend the pickup truck’s technology, build quality, and distinctive selling points. The insights Ford would gain from the initiative will aid the company in benchmarking its own models against the competition.
In addition, it can also enable Ford to directly compare the performance of its popular F-150 Lightning to the Tesla Cybertruck. As a result, the Tesla rival can learn and identify the areas it needs to improve to compete with the stainless steel electric pickup.
What’s special about Tesla Cybertruck’s technologies?
America’s top 2nd automaker may be interested in learning about Cybertruck’s electric powertrain, battery, and other features like the 48-volt system and steer-by-wire.
For context, the 48-volt system and steer-by-wire are not really new in the electric vehicle industry. However, these technologies remain uncommon in today’s electric vehicle models. Notably, the steer-by-wire technology replaces the conventional steering wheel with electronic controls.
Here are also some of the Tesla Cybertruck’s key specifications:
| Tesla Cybertruck | Rear-Wheel Drive | All-Wheel Drive | CyberBeast |
| Price | $60,990 | $79,990 | $99,990 |
| Range | 250 miles | 340 miles | 320 miles |
| Range with extender??? | Not mentioned | 470+ miles | 440+ miles |
| Acceleration 0-60 mph | 6.5 sec | 3.9 sec | 2.6 sec |
| Top speed | 112 mph | 112 mph | 130 mph |
| Power | – | 600 hp | 845 hp |
| Torque | – | 7,435 pound-feet | 10,296 lb-ft |
| Towing capacity | – | Up to 11,000 lbs | Up to 11,000 lbs |
| Payload | – | Up to 2,500 lbs | Up to 2,500 lbs |
All that said, it seems that Tesla’s no-resale clause for the Cybertruck failed to prevent early owners from flipping their units. The Musk-led company must exert extra effort to monitor such activities to protect its revenues and, most importantly, its customers.
