The moment Cybertruck reservations holders have been waiting for has finally happened. On Thursday Tesla delivered the first Cybertruck to a non-employee, marking a milestone over four years in the making. However, despite the anticipation and all eyes being on the Cybertruck, the first known unit delivered to a non-employee had some build quality issues.
The delivery took place in Sunnyvale, California, where Cybertruck Owners Club member susu2142 took home a Cybertruck All-Wheel Drive (AWD). According to the new owner his reservation number was RN11280XXX, and finalized his order for his Foundation Series Cybertruck on December 9, 2023.
The new owner didn’t provide many details about the delivery experience itself, but shared a number of photos of his new truck, saying that it drew far more attention from others than he had anticipated. He also noted the ride quality was superior than that of a Model X, and that thanks to the four-wheel steering, the turning radius “blew my 22 [Toyota] Tundra out the water.”
However, it wasn’t all positive, as the owner also noted some build quality issues with this Cybertruck, sharing photos of the rear quarter panel seemingly separating from the frame of the Cybertruck, as well as some door alignment issues.
Credit: susu2142 | CybertruckOwnersClub
Credit: susu2142 | CybertruckOwnersClub
Credit: susu2142 | CybertruckOwnersClubThe good news is that these particular issues should be a relatively easy fix, but it will require a service visit, either in-person or through mobile ranger.
Even though they are easy fixes, it still begs the question of how the very first Cybertruck delivery to a non-employee could have been taken place with such issues. Tesla has been known for delivering cars in conditions similar to this, or worse, particularly as the company ramped Model 3 production in 2018. Hopefully the lessons learned from that, and the subsequent Model Y ramp, will mean a smoother ramp for the Cybertruck, and that these issues will be quickly addressed.
Elon Musk was wary this might happen, sending an email last year saying any build quality issues will be exacerbated by the Cybertruck’s “bright metal with mostly straight edges.” In that email he said employees should aim to build the Cybertruck with “sub 10 micron accuracy,” adding that “precision predicates perfectionism.”
It could also be that this was an isolated incident, and that other Cybertrucks will have better build quality. We won’t have to wait long to find out, as more deliveries are expected to take place this weekend.
