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It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a tank, it’s a train, it’s Superman!
It’s a cybertruck!
According to Tesla, the company responsible for putting this rugged, tank-like, electric vehicle on the road, cybertruck is one word. But cyber security and cyber app are two words. The editor inside never goes to sleep, but let’s not split hairs.
Like the early Model T of Henry Ford, the cybertruck comes in one color, in this case, natural stainless steel. It weighs 6,843 pounds and can move out to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds with a top speed of 130 mph. It is 18.6 feet long and 7.9 feet wide with the mirrors out. There is seating for five adults, and you can hear a pin drop for the quiet interior.
It comes with a price tag, but for someone like local contractor Alex Adams, it makes sense. “I’ve been driving a Silverado 3500 and spending $1,200 or more a month in gas,” he relates. “Though the price of this cybertruck was close to $100,000, the gas savings and additional benefits work in my favor.”
Adams drives about 4,000 miles a month, which now costs him around $300 in electric charging. The cybertruck was exceptionally useful recently. It has two 120 volt outlets in the cabin and three more in the cargo bed, along with one 240 volt outlet. “During Hurricane Helene when all the power went out, we used the cybertruck on the job site for air compressors, paint sprayers and other power tools. It was work as usual for us.”
His company, Vertex Contracting, is rebuilding Family & Friends Restaurant across from Walmart in Pearisburg. It burned in February of 2023, and the family is committed to rebuild the popular eatery, which opened in 1996. The wait is getting shorter, in part because the cybertruck provided power during the big storm.
The Man in the Driver’s Seat
A native of the New River Valley, Alex Adams graduated from Auburn High School and holds a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering and management from Virginia Tech. He is a commercial and residential class A contractor, licensed electrician and licensed plumber.
His cybertruck beast or beast, also called cyber beast or cyberbeast, sometimes capitalized, sports 845 horsepower and 10,296 pounds-feet of torque. Towing capacity is an impressive 11,000 pounds, and Adams tows small loads like rebar and supplies three or four times a week. His heavy equipment exceeds 11,000 pounds, so the 3500 Silverado is still the go-to truck for that.
One reason Adams, 24, gravitated to the Tesla cybertruck is his personal experience with the Tesla Model Y crossover electric car, which he owns. Consider that not only did the cybertruck power the job site during Helene; but also it powered his house. “I used about 10-15% of the battery in 24 hours. I could go a week or more on a full charge.” He charges the cybertruck and his car at home or at the Tesla superchargers [one word] on South Main Street in Blacksburg at Sheetz.
Additionally, he points out, the range for the Cyberbeast is an impressive 320 miles, and 440 miles with the optional range extender. For the standard Cybertruck variant, range is 340 miles, and 470 with an optional range extender.
Innovations in the Cybertruck
Some folks are challenged with the steering, a first-of-its-kind steer by wire system. “It’s sensitive, responding quickly with little effort. The vehicle has a tri-motor system,” Adams explains, “with the front motor permanent magnet controlling the front tires. Two rear induction motors independently control each back tire. The 4-wheel steering does not have the tension of normal 4-wheel drive because the front axle is not connected to the rear axle.”
Adams especially enjoys the acceleration, which sounds souped up and gains speed quickly. He has ordered new rubber mud flaps to replace the little plastic ones it came with. They ripped off fairly fast. It has no door handles, but the push button springs the doors open comfortably. He doesn’t worry much about flying debris since the armored glass will resist the impact of a baseball at 70 mph or Class 4 hail, which is the highest rating for a roofing product’s ability to withstand hail impact.
Most of the controls are on the screen. According to a review on Edmunds.com: “The Cybertruck’s center touchscreen looks great, and it’s usually easy to find what you want in the various menus once you familiarize yourself. The screen itself is bright and snappy, and it never lags. Finding charging on the go is easier in a Tesla than anything else on the road. And in the cybertruck, you’ll also be treated to a good sound system with plenty of power on its lows and clarity on its highs. On top of that, you get dual wireless phone chargers to go along with a household plug and USB-C port in the center storage bin.”
Adams is a highly-motivated, energetic young contractor with all the right education and credentials for success. He has looked into the commercial clean vehicle tax credit, while savoring the perks of his cybertruck beast or cyberbeast or cyberbeast truck. Whatever. He says it’s the best of both worlds for being electric and a workhorse [one word] of a truck.
Text by Joanne M. Anderson
Photos by Tom and Christy Wallace
Photos by Tom and Christy Wallace
Alex Adams – Vertex Contracting – 540-230-5157
