Tesla’s Cybertruck has sparked some interesting debates around aesthetics and utility versus novelty, but the U.S. military just wants a few of them to blow up.
The Air Force Test Center submitted a procurement request for 33 towable target vehicles to be used as targets for live missile fire testing. The request mostly focuses on sedans of various colors, trucks, SUVs and “Bongos,” which appears to be the term they used for a Japanese Kei truck.
But the list mentions the Cybertruck specifically, noting that the vehicle could appeal to enemies since they don’t seem to take the same amount of damage expected upon major impact.
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The study cited the Cybertruck's “aggressively angular and futuristic design, paired with its unpainted stainless steel exoskeleton, and 48V electrical architecture as features set it apart from other similar vehicles on the market.
It’s all valid reasoning and it could be a good use for all the unsold Cybertrucks sitting around. In May, an Electrek report said that Tesla’s inventory for its electric pickup had soared past 10,000 units.
Still, the Air Force wanting Cybertrucks for target practice can’t be what Tesla was hoping for at this point. The company last month reported its most recent quarterly earnings, marked by the third consecutive drop in profits.
Reports have also suggested that Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s political career has taken a toll on the company’s brand loyalty. According to a Reuters report, market research from June 2024 found that among current Tesla owners, 73% were likely to buy another Tesla. But by March 2025, that figure had fallen below 50%.
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Tesla's Cybertruck has sparked some interesting
debates around aesthetics and utility versus
00:05.610 --> 00:09.109
novelty, but the US military just wants a few
of them to blow up.
00:09.319 --> 00:14.439
The Air Force Test Center submitted a
procurement request for 33 towable target
00:14.439 --> 00:18.479
vehicles to be used as targets for live missile
fire testing.
00:18.600 --> 00:22.360
The request mostly focuses on sedans of various
colors, trucks,
00:22.520 --> 00:27.899
SUVs and bongos, which appears to be the term
used for a Japanese K truck,
00:28.079 --> 00:32.159
but the list mentions the Cybertrucks
specifically, noting that the vehicle could
00:32.159 --> 00:37.360
appeal to enemies since they don't seem to take
the same amount of damage expected upon major
00:37.360 --> 00:41.040
impact.
The study cited the Cybertruck's aggressively
00:41.040 --> 00:47.159
angular and futuristic design paired with its
unpainted stainless steel exoskeleton and 48
00:47.159 --> 00:51.520
volt electrical architecture as features that
set it apart from other similar
00:51.610 --> 00:52.669
vehicles on the market.
00:52.880 --> 00:57.360
It's all valid reasoning and it could be a good
use for all the unsold Cybertrucks sitting
00:57.360 --> 01:00.459
around.
In May, an electric report said that Tesla's
01:00.459 --> 01:05.080
inventory for its electric pickup had soared
past 10,000 units.
01:05.370 --> 01:10.230
Still, the Air Force wanting Cybertrucks for
target practice can't be what Tesla was hoping
01:10.230 --> 01:13.949
for at this point.
The company last month reported its most recent
01:13.949 --> 01:17.279
quarterly earnings, marked by the 3rd
consecutive drop in
01:17.410 --> 01:21.360
profits.
Reports have also suggested that Tesla CEO Elon
01:21.360 --> 01:25.830
Musk's political career has taken a toll on the
company's brand loyalty.
01:26.040 --> 01:32.080
According to a Reuters report, market research
from June 2024 found that among current Tesla
01:32.080 --> 01:39.000
owners, 73% were likely to buy another Tesla,
but by March 2025 that figure had
01:39.000 --> 01:40.639
fallen below 50%.
01:40.879 --> 01:43.000
I'm Ben Munson, and this is Manufacturing Now.
