Cybertruck

Make
Tesla
Segment
Sports Car

Tesla CEO Elon Musk promised the production-spec version of the Cybertruck will debut in the very near future as a late 2021 production start remains the target. In the meantime, the California-based carmaker continues final testing for its first-ever truck and it has chosen an extremely high benchmark.

A Tesla enthusiast and drone operator going by the name of Gabeincal on YouTube has posted a new flyover video over the Fremont production plant that shows the facility's test track. And, if you look closely, you'll see the Hellcat-powered Ram 1500 TRX on the track alongside some Model 3s and a Model S. The truck was also fitted with some testing equipment further indicating why it was there.

Chances are it doesn't belong to an employee. And because Cybertruck production, let alone pre-production hasn't begun, the best Tesla can do for now in a live scenario is test the TRX against series production models. Choosing the TRX for this task makes complete sense. It's the fastest and most powerful OEM truck on the market today. This may not last for much longer.

The new Ford F-150 Raptor will reportedly begin production in July but an even more powerful variant, the Shelby GT500-powered Raptor R, is due soon. And those are just the two ICE high-performance trucks. There's also the Rivian R1T and GMC Hummer EV.

Next year, Ford will launch the all-electric F-150 and, not long after that, Chevy's fully-electric Silverado. The fact that Tesla is using a TRX as part of ongoing Cybertruck development is a great sign of things to come. All-electric trucks have a number of benefits over their ICE counterparts. For instance, torque. Instant torque at all four or just the rear wheels enables rapid acceleration. A better center of gravity is also achieved thanks to floor-mounted battery packs.

Tesla knows the competition will be arriving soon and what better way to prepare for it by benchmarking the best? Makes total sense to us.