Want a Cybertruck? You're stuck with it for a year, says Tesla
Waiting buyers could face $50k fine for ignoring updated terms and conditions
Thinking about buying a Cybertruck? Well, be sure you want it: Tesla is threatening to sue anyone who tries to sell theirs within the first year of purchase.
Tesla updated its terms and conditions [PDF] ahead of the Cybertruck's currently planned release date at the end of this month to add several restrictions for new owners, including the possibility the company might demand "liquidated damages" of $50,000 or the resale price, "whichever is greater," for an unauthorized Cybertruck resale.
By agreeing to purchase the Cybertruck, "you agree that you will not sell or otherwise attempt to sell the Vehicle within the first year following your Vehicle's delivery date," Tesla specified.
Of course, that doesn't mean Cybertruck buyers are without any resale recourse - Tesla said that it'll grant permission for Cybertruck buyers to resell their trucks for "unforeseen reasons" that it agrees warrants an exception - but only if the company is asked for permission.
Even then, Tesla has to be given first right to repurchase the Cybertruck "at the purchase price listed on your final price sheet less $0.25/mile driven, reasonable wear and tear, and the cost to repair the vehicle to Tesla's Used Vehicle Cosmetic and Mechanical Standards." Only if Tesla decides not to buy it are Cybertruck owners free to resell their vehicles. Violating those terms can result in the aforementioned $50k fine, as well as injunctive relief to stop the sale. On top of that, Tesla said it "may also refuse to sell you any future vehicles."
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Tesla didn't respond to questions about the restrictions. We were particularly curious about the company's motivation for the one-year resale prohibition, which is only justified in the terms and conditions as due to limited Cybertruck production quantities for its initial run.
During Tesla's Q3 earnings call last month, CEO Elon Musk said that Tesla had "dug our own grave" with the Cybertruck, which has missed multiple scheduled release dates, most recently this past April. The first Cybertruck only rolled off the assembly line in July, and Musk said it will take time for production to reach volume despite supposedly more than one million people reserving the clunky behemoth.
Cybertruck dimensions allegedly leaked
Popular electric vehicle YouTube channel TFLEV claimed last week that the Cybertruck's dimensions were leaked to it by a Tesla insider, including a few updates that contradict what Tesla's still claiming on its website.
Certain things, like its alleged height (70.5 inches or 1.79m ), length (18.6 feet or 5.67m), wheelbase (143 inches or 3.63m) and other details were previously speculated on but unknown. The Cybertruck's tow rating, according to TFLEV's insider source, is 3,000 lbs (1.36 metric tons) lower than Musk's car company is still claiming on its website.
According to Tesla, the Cybertruck will have a tow capacity of 14,000 lbs (6.35 metric tons), but the leaked specs suggest just 11,000 lbs (c 5 metric tons) of towing capacity. That's still more than the Ford F-150 Lightning's tow rating of 7,700 lbs or 10,000 lbs (3.5 or 4.5 metric tons) depending on selected options, but a loss of more than a ton of towing capacity is nothing to sneeze at.
The Cybertruck's range isn't mentioned in the leaks at all, though Tesla has previously claimed it can go 500 miles (804.6km) on a single charge. Tesla was accused of inflating its range estimates in the past, and it is possible that the Cybertruck's range will be far less once it's towing a heavy load.
Tesla didn't respond to requests to confirm the leaked dimensions, either. ®