A Cybertruck owner attempted to demonstrate the indestructibility of his vehicle in comparison to other trucks. But it backfired after other truck owners upped the ante.
The whole thing started with a Sep. 6 video from TikTok user @tnoperater, who reposted an Instagram video from user @jeremyjudkins. In the Instagram video, the Cybertruck influencer demonstrates what he views as evidence of the Tesla truck’s indestructibility compared to “normal” trucks. And that is slamming the door and tossing a Yeti cooler into the door panel.
@tnoperater decides to up the ante by recording himself throwing a cooler at his 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche. “It’s not Yeti. It’s off-brand. But it’s kind of heavy,” @tnoperater says. The Avalanche sustains the blow.
How does the Cybertruck compare to the Ford Ranger?
On Jan. 26, TikTok user Brennan (@greatvalueghostbuster) posted a stitch of a video with her own spin on the trend. The Ford Ranger owner appears confident that her gas-powered truck can sustain as much (or more) punishment than a Cybertruck.
In Brennan’s video, she throws a cooler at her truck with considerably more force than Judkins did. Although it might have put a small dent in the door panel, the truck is otherwise fine. So she proceeds to bounce a basketball on it, hit it with a stick, and even throw water on it.
Brennan’s video has amassed more than 393,000 views as of Jan. 30. In the comments section, users not only praised the Ranger’s toughness but also cracked plenty of jokes about Judkins’ demonstration.
Viewers react to the Cybertruck trend
One user wrote, “To be fair, he said a normal truck. Ford Ranger is in a class of its own [when it comes to] safety.”
A second user wrote, “You gotta throw as soft as he did. All the strength he has went into lying to himself.” Brennan replied, “You tell me after I dented my door.”
Someone else said, “So what I’m hearing is the Ranger Danger is the Nokia of small pickups.”
Another person chimed in, “Guys don’t be mean to him. That was the hardest throw he could manage.”
How tough is the Cybertruck?
According to the Autopian, “The Cybertruck’s thick stainless steel might be tough, but it’s certainly not indestructible.”
The blog points out that while numerous influencers put their Cybertrucks through even more intensive testing than Judkins, Cybertrucks in real crashes look not unlike other vehicles on the market. So, while the Cybertruck’s steel panels might protect from surface damage better than the Ford Ranger (as we saw in Brennan’s demonstration), it doesn’t necessarily hold up better than other trucks when it comes to collisions. The Cybertruck is still relatively new, however, so that will impact available data.
@greatvalueghostbuster Replying to @Mr. G #tesla #cybertruck #ford #ranger #cars #trucks #truck ♬ original sound – Trey Sparks
The Daily Dot reached out to Brennan via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We also reached out to Judkins via Instagram direct message for comment.
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