1776Reporting
Tesla’s much-anticipated Cybertruck has hit the roads, but it seems early adopters are already facing an unexpected hurdle: tire wear. With only a few thousand miles on the odometer, many owners are discovering that their Cybertruck’s tires are wearing down at an alarming rate. While performance cars and electric vehicles are known for heavy tire wear due to their weight and power, this issue has left some Cybertruck owners shocked.
One user of the Cybertruck Owners Club took to the forum to express frustration over his tire wear. He reported that after just three months and 6,251 miles, the tires on his new Cybertruck were already showing signs of excessive tread loss. “The low tread has to be a manufacturing defect,” he wrote, explaining that the tires were specifically designed for the Cybertruck. “These tires are specially made for the Cyberbeast, so for them to be this bad is unforgivable. I have an appointment on Oct 1st to discuss this with Tesla.”
In the United States, tire tread depth is typically measured in 32nds of an inch. For reference, new tires usually start with a tread depth of 10/32 or 11/32. The owner of this particular Cybertruck measured his tires and found a tread depth of just 4/32 in the front and 5/32 in the rear. By comparison, the general guideline is that tires are considered worn out at 2/32. This threshold isn’t unique to the U.S.; it’s a standard followed in most parts of the world.
Tire safety experts at TireRack recommend changing tires even sooner in certain conditions. For instance, if you’re driving in wet or snowy weather, tires should be replaced at 4/32 or 5/32 of remaining tread depth. The Cybertruck owner is based in Colorado, a state that’s known for its variable weather, making the rapid tire wear a cause for concern. Despite only being driven on streets and highways over the summer, the tires lost half their tread, which doesn’t bode well for the colder months ahead.
This problem isn’t exclusive to the Tesla Cybertruck. Rivian, another electric truck manufacturer, has faced similar complaints from owners. Rivian’s “Conserve” mode, which is designed to extend battery range, has been found to cause premature tire wear by putting extra weight on the front wheels, which can eventually affect alignment. Tesla has its own version of this with “Chill Mode,” which softens acceleration to reduce power and torque strain. While this can help with tire preservation, it’s not a guaranteed fix for the underlying issue of weight and balance.
The Cybertruck owner, however, admitted that he had used “Beast Mode” a few times but stressed that the truck has never been off-road or driven aggressively. It’s also worth noting that the Cybertruck weighs nearly 7,000 pounds, putting immense strain on any set of tires, no matter how carefully you drive. Even if you avoid hard braking or stop-and-go traffic, there’s no escaping the fact that the truck’s mass is a major factor in tire wear.
For Tesla Cybertruck owners who were expecting the typical lifespan of 50,000 miles between tire changes, this early wear is a huge disappointment. It’s also a reminder that while electric vehicles offer many benefits, their added weight and power can lead to challenges that traditional vehicles don’t face.
As the owner heads to his appointment with Tesla, it remains to be seen whether this issue is a one-off defect or a larger design flaw. Either way, it’s clear that early Cybertruck owners are in for a bumpy ride when it comes to tire maintenance.
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