Lifestyle
Tesla’s Cybertruck and its ‘nutty’ inspirations are merchandising gold (or silver, rather)
Welcome to a FREE preview of our weekly exclusive! Each week our team goes ‘Beyond the News’ and handcrafts a special edition that includes our thoughts on the biggest stories, why it matters, and how it could impact the future.
You can receive this newsletter along with all of our other members-exclusive newsletters, become a premium member for just $3/month. Your support goes a long way for us behind the scenes! Thank you.
—
If you’re not ‘in the know’ on Twitter (as I was not before sitting down to discuss this topic), a Tesla Cybertruck fan has begun capitalizing on the unique design of Elon Musk’s answer to the pickup in the form of 3D printed merchandise. Specifically, this guy is taking preorders for digitized testicles to hang off of Cybertruck’s tow hitch. The effort includes a website with high resolution images of the CAD file design, a Kickstarter campaign, and he’s even caught a full article’s worth of attention of a some online auto publications with the idea including Motor1 and Drivetribe.
The site Tesletter, on the other hand, simply featured the yet-to-be-produced product as a Black Friday gift idea for Tesla owners. Unlike the Cybertruck Nuts item itself, which made me simply gawk and chuckle, the gift list got me thinking. Will the Cybertruck be the design that inspires Tesla’s merchandise to go mainstream?
I mean, most Tesla products that are available are actual items to use on or with your vehicle, not so much deck out the rest of your living space. Everyone has mugs and t-shirts (seriously, everyone with a brand), but you’d hardly consider that level of merchandising in the same realm as something like…say…Harley Davidson. Tesla has done a bit of expansion here with their kid-sized car and die cast models, plus the Starman-Tesla crossover inspired some cool fan-created designs. Yet, still… Something about Harley Davidson has inspired even the most non-biker types to buy items with the branding even though the brand wasn’t “them” at all.
As I write this, I’m suddenly remembering that my friend’s preschooler was at our house yesterday sporting a Harley logo shirt despite her parents being the types to drive an SUV and minivan, work in corporate settings, and wouldn’t dream of ever owning a motorcycle, much less visit biker bars for fun. I’ve personally outfitted my oldest in a Harley-logoed leather jacket as a kid because it was cute, and as a tween, she had a pair of Harley boots that were her prized possession. Other than liking the bikes for 5 minutes as a middle schooler, neither of us have ever even considered owning V-twin-engined transportation, yet we still liked the merchandise.
I wonder if the Cybertruck could have that same sort of effect. I’ve said before that it’s not a truck I’d buy personally because it doesn’t fit my day-to-day lifestyle. However, there are a lot of branded things I buy because they’re cool to me or fit something else in my life (music, other form of entertainment, etc.). I buy my kids stuff featuring the Ninja Turtles frequently, and I even own things with Jem and the Holograms and the Power Rangers on them. I wouldn’t buy a car that was outfitted like April O’Neil’s news van or a truck styled like Megazord, but I would obviously purchase some spinoff merchandise.
The comparison is fair, I think, given the Hollywood inspiration for Cybertruck. Stylish merchandise is only the beginning, too. The tech behind Musk’s brainchild could also go into other products that I and others like me (etc., etc.) might buy. And it’s all in support of Tesla’s brand and mission, still bringing in income to the company to further it, and beyond.
What are your spinoff merch ideas? And…if you’re going to buy a Cybertruck…will you buy Cybertruck Nuts some day?
Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.
If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.
FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:
- But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
- This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
- As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
- For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States.
This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
— JC Christopher (@JohnChr08117285) January 29, 2025
The convenience of…
FSD user’s tale:
- As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
- During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
- In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous.
- “This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
- “The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products.
The video:
- Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver.
- The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
- While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
- Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.
Future Robo-cop @Tesla_Optimus
— SOKRISPYMEDIA (@sokrispymedia) January 12, 2025
full video: https://t.co/TXpSRhcP5K pic.twitter.com/YFHZ7siAP7
Cool inside jokes:
- The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it.
- From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
- The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
- The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.
Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Tesla definitely seems to be determined to release the coolest lineup of accessories for its coolest vehicle. As could be seen in an update to the Tesla Shop, the electric vehicle maker has now launched a metal key card for the Cybertruck—because why not?
Cybertruck keys:
- The Cybertruck, similar to Tesla’s other vehicles, is shipped with a regular key card.
- The vehicle could also be accessed and locked through a phone key.
- As per the Cybertruck’s Owner’s Manual, the all-electric pickup truck is capable of supporting a total of 19 keys.
The Cybertruck’s Metal Key Card:
- Tesla’s Cybertruck Metal Key Card functions much like the vehicle’s regular key card, but it is finished using premium stainless steel
- As per Tesla’s description of the item:
- “Convenient, durable, versatile. The Cybertruck Metal Key Card is a premium stainless-steel alternative to our traditional plastic key cards, making it easy to access your Cybertruck without your Phone Key. Ideal for when your phone is unavailable or when sharing your vehicle with a friend or valet.”
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card costs $60.
- In comparison, the Cybertruck’s regular key card is sold for $40.
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card comes with the metal key card itself, as well as a bifold key card wallet.
Tesla Cybertruck merch push:
- Being the company’s most eye-catching vehicle, it is no surprise that that Tesla has been releasing quite a lot of merchandise inspired by the all-electric pickup truck.
- These include a $250 levitating Cybertruck model, as well as a $35 Cybertruck wind-up racer, both of which are out of stock.
- Tesla also sells the $35 “CyberMug,” a $40 “CyberStein,” and a $50 “CyberVessel.”
- Other Cybertruck-inspired merchandise are the $60 Cyberwhistle Stealth, and the $50 CyberOpener.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Armored Tesla Cybertruck “War Machine” debuts at Defense Expo 2025
Tesla Megapacks chosen for 548 MWh energy storage project in Japan
