âThey are cool because they look like something out of a video game and portray Kadyrov as a sort of futuristic warlord,â Cancian tells WIRED in an email. âThey are useless because they don’t provide a new capability, except perhaps a bit of stealth.â
Indeed, the Cybertruck is not totally suited for hostile and chaotic environments like the front lines of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. First, the EVâs exoskeleton actually consists of steel panels attached to a standard âunibodyâ frame thatâs more akin to the chassis of a conventional car rather than the âbody-on-frameâ design of most pickup trucks like the Hilux. This design, according to Motor Trend, makes the former a weaker and less resilient vehicle. Second, while the Cybertruck is certainly off-road capable, itâs still significantly heavier than Hilux, which can make maneuverability and traction on rough terrain a challenge. Third, while its armor portends to offer at least some additional coverage compared to the conventional pickup truck-based technical, the vehicleâs bulletproofing only appears to work with subsonic rounds like the .45 ACP ammo used in Teslaâs tests and not the ubiquitous NATO-standard 5.56 mm round or, say, a shot from a .50 caliber rifle. (Though, to be fair, aftermarket armor packages for the vehicle do exist.)
Beyond design and engineering challenges, thereâs also the critical matter of maintenance and logistics, the lifeblood of any motorized conflict. As Tracy points out, the Cybertruckâs unique complexity and software-forward design (like the lack of a physical connection between steering wheel and wheels) means a distinct lack of spare parts and higher potential for catastrophic system failures, challenges that all but guarantee that the vehicle is unable to operate reliably and ensure consistent uptimeânot necessarily ideal for troops whose lives may depend on them.
âSimplicity is everything; simplicity and parts availability,â Tracy says. âIf youâre driving a complex vehicle and thereâs a failure of some sort and you need someone to flash it with a computer, youâre hosed if youâre in the middle of nowhere. The beauty of the Hilux is that theyâre very tough, for one, but they can be repaired with simple tools and fairly ubiquitous parts. The Cybertruck does not really make a whole lot of sense in that regard.â
âItâs great that it is safe in a crash and can take a bullet,â he adds. âBut if you break a control arm and canât get the part, itâs pretty useless.â
Plus, the Cybertruckâs reliance on charging stations would make a fleet of armed vehicles âlikely impossible to supportâ in any sort of protracted conflict like that taking place in Ukraine, according to CSISâs Cancian.
âI doubt there are garages or mechanics near the front lines who can fix these complex devices, which are so unlike the fossil fuel vehicles that the region is accustomed to,â he says. âFurther, I doubt there are many recharging stations in the battle area. Unlike with fossil fuel vehicles, where the fuel can be brought to the vehicle if necessary, the Cybertrucks must go to the recharging point.â
How the Cybertruck will actually perform in a combat situation remains to be seen. But if the Kadyrov video is any indication, itâs only a matter of time before an armed Cybertrucks makes the transition from YouTube sensation to tried-and-true, battle-tested technical.
