Tesla helped pioneer over-the-air software updates, introducing new features without owners ever having to visit a dealership or service center. It was a move that set the brand apart, positioning its cars as tech products that could evolve long after leaving the factory floor.

Of course, there’s always a “but” with progress, and Tesla’s latest update is no exception.

Read: Elon Musk Tells Companies That Pulled Ads From X To “Go (Explicit) Yourself”

And this time, Tesla’s latest software update has landed with a thud among owners, as it’s essentially an advertisement for the upcoming film Tron: Ares. Welcome to 2025, where your car can double as a mobile billboard.

The update transforms the on-board visualizations found on the central display of the Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck. Normally, one of Tesla’s vehicles is displayed here, but after installing the update, that image is replaced with an Tron bike, just like the ones featured in the film.

Owners can access the new animations by heading into the App Launcher, opening Toybox, and enabling it. Admittedly, the Tron bike does look quite cool, particularly since it leaves a trail of red light behind it.

However, it somewhat reeks of desperation for the company to add a feature like this, and has raised questions whether Disney is compensating Tesla for featuring its latest blockbuster so prominently inside customer vehicles.

The grid has expanded to your Tesla — Tron: Ares update rolling out now pic.twitter.com/oQvYSAFuLM

— Tesla (@Tesla) October 10, 2025

Tesla vs Disney

Tesla boss Elon Musk has had a strained relationship with Disney over the past few years. In late 2023, he decried Disney’s decision to stop advertising on X after he supported an antisemitic post. He also called for Disney chief executive Bob Iger to be fired, and soon after, had Tesla remove the Disney+ app from its infotainment system.

Evidently, Tesla’s relationship with Disney has improved over the past couple of years, or else this wouldn’t be happening.

Had someone asked Musk in late 2023 whether Tesla cars would one day promote a Disney movie, he likely would have laughed off the idea. Yet here we are, two years later, watching the worlds of Silicon Valley and Hollywood collide once again, this time on your dashboard.

A 2024 Tesla Cybertruck Foundation Series has just sold for $70,000 on Cars&Bids, showing just 5,200 miles (8,400 km) on the clock. If that sounds like a great price for one of the most hyped vehicles of the decade, it is – but not if you’re the one selling it.

The same Cybertruck sold on the same auction site last year for $146,500 when it had covered a mere 600 miles (970 km), meaning it’s lost more than half its value in less than 18 months.

It’s unclear whether that original owner paid the standard price or a $50,000 markup, as some commentators suggested at the time, but the MSRP stood at $101,995.

Related: Families Claim Tesla Door Handles Trapped Teens In Burning Cybertruck

The Foundation Series was Tesla’s launch-edition Cybertruck, the limited-run version that kicked off production late in 2023. It came loaded with luxury features, plus various unique badges and trim parts, such as sill inserts.

The first examples were offered only to early reservation holders and were supposed to be collector material. Well, that was the idea anyway. Fast forward to today and the tables have obviously turned. The new owner of this particular dual-motor, 600 hp (608 PS / 447 kW) truck just scored one of the biggest bargains in recent EV history.

The $70,000 sale price (listing here) undercuts Tesla’s own base MSRP of $79,990 for a new dual-motor AWD Cybertruck and shows just how far values have tumbled since the frenzy that greeted the electric truck’s debut. And this price fall is no freak event; used Cybertruck values have fallen across the board during 2025.

When the Hype Runs Out

Cars&Bids

There are a few reasons behind the collapse. Early buyers paid sky-high prices to be first, banking on exclusivity and hype, but that buzz has cooled fast as more Cybertrucks hit the road and social media fills with real-world impressions.

The initial scarcity that drove those six-figure auction results has faded as production ramped up and deliveries increased. Add to that a shifting used-EV market and growing competition from the likes of Ford, Rivian, and GM, and it’s easy to see why resale prices have come back down to Earth.

Even the Foundation Series edition isn’t enough to hold depreciation at bay, and neither are the mods the seller added during his ownership, including a pricey black wrap, black painted lower body trim and 24-inch T Sportline CTM Monoblock forged wheels for $10,000, per the invoice.

For all its futuristic design and headline-grabbing performance, the market for Elon Musk’s electric truck is behaving like most others: early excitement followed by a sharp correction. But for anyone still dreaming of owning one, now might finally be the time to get their wallet out. The Cybertruck still turns heads, but its once-shiny resale value has definitely lost its gleam – and that means some great deals for buyers looking to get their hands on one.

Cars&Bids

The hype that once surrounded the Tesla Cybertruck has well and truly died down. It wasn’t long ago that Elon Musk was boasting about more than a million reservations for the angular electric pickup, confidently claiming Tesla would be churning out and selling 250,000 units each year.

Through the first nine months of 2025, though, the numbers tell a very different story. Tesla has sold just 16,097 Cybertrucks so far, a steep 38 percent decline compared with the same January to September period in 2024, when 25,974 were delivered, according to data from Cox Automotive.

Sales Slide Continues

In the first quarter of this year, Tesla delivered 6,406 Cybertrucks, followed by 4,306 in the second quarter. Deliveries climbed slightly to 5,385 in the third quarter, likely spurred by the expiring federal EV tax credit.

While that Q3 bump might look positive at first glance, it’s actually a 62.6 percent decline from Q3 2024, when 14,416 trucks found buyers.

At this pace, the company is expected to finish the year with around 20,000 deliveries, well below the roughly 50,000 units sold in 2024.

Read: Tesla’s Latest Solution To Range Loss Is Full Of Hot Air And That’s Not A Joke

For most car manufacturers, this would be absolutely devastating news. However, Tesla boss Elon Musk also happens to run two other large companies, SpaceX and xAI, and both have started taking deliveries of hundreds of Cybertrucks.

A Convenient Customer Base

Apparently, Tesla now has more Cybertrucks in inventory than it knows what to do with. Reports indicate that hundreds were recently shipped to SpaceX’s Starbase facility, with expectations that hundreds, if not thousands, more could follow to replace the site’s gas-powered work trucks.

Over the weekend, multiple truckloads were also spotted arriving at xAI’s offices, shared widely on X by several users, including Cybertruck lead engineer Wes Morrill, who wrote:

“Love to see the ICE support fleets from Tesla and SpaceX get replaced with Cybertruck. When we were engineering it, this was always part of the dream. Never imagined how hard the fleet photos at starbase would go. Looking forward to more of this.”

Interest Running on Empty

Stopping short of making major price cuts, likely needing to be in the tens of thousands of dollars, it’s hard to envision how Tesla can reinvigorate interest in the Cybertruck. It is no longer the must-have EV in the United States.

Its radical styling, once its greatest talking point, now seems too polarizing for most pickup buyers. Practicality also remains a sticking point, as it lacks some of the everyday utility of traditional gas-powered trucks.

Add to that Musk’s divisive role in American politics, and the Cybertruck’s appeal appears to be narrowing faster than

Love to see the ICE support fleets from Tesla and SpaceX get replaced with Cybertruck. When we were engineering it, this was always part of the dream. Never imagined how hard the fleet photos at starbase would go. Looking forward to more of this https://t.co/M69ImCpamk pic.twitter.com/p1lf4FytY9

— Wes (@wmorrill3) October 7, 2025

If there’s one automaker in America willing to think completely outside of the box, it’s Tesla. In this case, it’s literally thinking outside of the box, or more precisely, from the bed of the Cybertruck.

A new patent application indicates that the company could soon sell an inflatable balloon that acts as a spoiler of sorts. If it works as intended, it could extend towing range by a significant amount.

A Wedge in the Wind

Officially dubbed an “Inflatable Aerodynamic Deflector,” the device uses the same drop-stitch fabric that you’ll find on a paddleboard or life vest. When stowed, it’ll lie flat in the bed of the Cybertruck.

When it’s time to tow, the owner can deploy the contraption, which will take the shape of a wedge. And when we say wedge, we mean a really big one.

More: Cybertruck Nails Crash Tests Until The Lights Go Out

Based on diagrams in the patent application first discovered by Carbuzz, the inflatable will basically extend the body line made by the front hood and windshield section of the truck. It’ll continue on that same plane several feet and end just before the tailgate.

Inflate To Tow Further

In essence, the device should smooth the air out over the truck and then over any trailer that may be in tow. Why make it inflatable? Elementary, dear Watson: weight savings.

Every ounce added to a vehicle has a small penalty in performance. That’s true in all vehicles, no matter their method of propulsion, but since it’s harder to find a charger and slower to charge an EV, it’s more important to keep weight down as much as possible in something like the (already pretty heavy) Cybertruck.

It’s worth noting that towing range is something that Tesla has been trying to sort out for a while. It infamously promised a huge range-extending battery that would’ve sat in the bed.

Despite several customers placing an order, the brand canceled the project and hasn’t really had a backup way to improve range during towing.

This new inflatable could be one small way to claw back some additional range. Now all Tesla has to do is, unlike that range-extending battery, actually put it into production rather than letting it float away like its last big idea.

Sources: Carbuzz, USPO | Lead illustration by John Halas / Carscoops

Tesla is facing renewed scrutiny after another troubling incident involving its vehicles. As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigates owner reports that the company’s electric door handles can become inoperative, preventing occupants from entering or exiting the vehicle, Tesla is now being sued by the parents of two teenagers who died in a Cybertruck crash last November.

The lawsuits allege that safety issues with the electric pickup’s handles prevented the teens from escaping the vehicle.

Also: Fiery Crash Kills Driver Trapped Inside Tesla Model 3

The fatal crash occurred in the early hours of November 27 in Piedmont, California. Four teenagers were in the Tesla when it smashed into a cement wall and became wedged between it and a large tree. Moments later, the vehicle burst into flames, killing three of the four occupants, all of whom were 2023 graduates of Piedmont High School.

Expanding Legal Battle

Carl and Noelle Tsukahara, parents of 18-year-old Krysta Tsukahara, recently added Tesla to an earlier lawsuit initially filed against the estate of the 19-year-old driver, Soren Dixon, and the vehicle owner’s estate. The parents of 20-year-old Jack Nelson, another victim of the crash, have also filed a separate suit against the company.

When Power Fails

As noted by the lawsuits, the door handles of the Cybertruck operate off the 12-volt battery, and if the vehicle loses power after a crash, the electronic door mechanism will fail. The EV does have manual door releases at the front and rear, but they can be hard to find. This is especially true in the second row, where a manual release cable is hidden beneath a rubber mat at the bottom of the door pocket.

Read: Feds Looking Into Fatal Tesla Cybertruck Crash That Killed Three Teens

The lawsuit from the Tsukaharas asserts that their daughter survived the impact and was fully conscious. However, she was unable to escape the Tesla’s second row and died from smoke inhalation and burns. It’s claimed that Tesla has long been aware of issues with the safety of its electric door handles.

“These are not new concepts or ideas and are things vehicle designers should be taking into account,” one of the Nelson family’s attorneys told the San Francisco Chronicle. “It’s a preventable death if you have a vehicle occupant who dies who otherwise could exit a vehicle if their doors were functional, or be rescued.”

More: Crash Victim Trapped In Burning Tesla Sues Over Door Handles

Both lawsuits seek unspecified punitive damages against Tesla. The family attorney of the Tsukaharas, believes he has a “very, very strong case,” against the electric carmaker.

“They will want to blame Mr. Dixon, anybody but themselves, but this vehicle absolutely should not have entombed these individuals and my clients’ daughter. It’s our way of holding the wrongdoer accountable, and correcting bad conduct.”

If you want to get behind the wheel of a Tesla Cybertruck in Germany, you’re out of luck. Not only is the electric pickup not directly sold by Tesla in the country, but it also fails to comply with European Union safety regulations. And based on a recent document shared online, it seems that not even US military personnel will be permitted to drive the Cybertruck on German roads.

The guidance, shared this week by the U.S. Army Customs Agency, sets out the reasons the Cybertruck is officially barred in Germany.

Rules For Imported Vehicles

Under an agreement between the US military and the German Federal Ministry of Transport (FMoT), American service members can bring in personal vehicles from the US and drive them locally without having to meet all European safety standards. That arrangement, however, doesn’t stretch to the Cybertruck.

Watch: Even With Rubber Edges, Critics Want Tesla’s Cybertruck Off Europe’s Roads

According to the agency’s letter, US Forces had asked the FMoT whether military personnel would be allowed to import the truck. The answer was a firm no.

The rejection centers on “significant passive safety concerns.” The Cybertruck lacks EU type-approval because its sharp-edged stainless steel bodywork doesn’t comply with safety standards designed to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. The agency states the truck “deviates significantly” from EU legal requirements and that “safe operation in German public road traffic…is not ensured.”

Attention Not Welcome

Beyond the safety issues, the document also highlights that the Cybertruck would inevitably attract unwanted attention in traffic, which conflicts with the purpose of USAREUR-AF cover plates intended for force protection. As the Customs Agency explained, “For the above reasons, U.S. Army Customs Agency will not issue import certificates for Tesla Cybertrucks.”

The US Army Customs Agency added that any military personnel who do personally import a Cybertruck to Germany risk having to ship it back to the United States at their own expense.

When Tesla started customer deliveries of the Cybertruck in late 2023, it seemed that every man and their dog was trying to buy one. For a brief moment, this demand led to a massive spike in prices on the used market with flippers rushing in to cash out. However, as is so often the case, these prices soon began to crash and can now be so low that it almost beggars belief. Take this 2024 Cybertruck, which recently failed to sell over at Bring a Trailer.

Read: Cybertruck’s Cheapest Version Is Already Dead

The first thing that stands out about this Cybertruck is the Gulf Racing livery. The blue and orange theme is one of the most iconic liveries ever used in motorsport and has previously adorned racing legends like the McLaren F1 GTR, Porsche 917, and Ford GT40. On a supercar, it looks great, but the livery seems totally out of place on a Cybertruck. Then there’s the fact Gulf is an oil company, so slapping its logo on an EV feels about as fitting as a steakhouse sponsoring a vegan festival.

The Depreciation King

While the aftermarket wrap is a little odd, this Cybertruck is a flagship tri-motor Cyberbeast model, carrying a $105,485 sticker price. Given that it has only been driven 2,200 miles (3,540 km) and was offered with a clean Montana title, it’s a little shocking that bidding topped out at a measly $76,500.

Bring a Trailer

That’s an extreme amount of depreciation, even by Tesla’s usual rollercoaster standards. The top bid came in nearly $29,000 under the original MSRP, which works out to around $13 lost for every mile driven. Factor in the $10,000 spent on the wrap, and the seller is staring at close to $40,000 gone in less than a year.

While the Cybertruck is controversial, as is Tesla chief executive Elon Musk, there’s no denying that the Cyberbeast is quick. Thanks to its three electric motors, it delivers an impressive 845 hp, allowing it to hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 2.6 seconds. Evidently, not even the promise of performance like that, or a motorsport-inspired livery, was enough to convince someone to buy this Tesla.

Bring a Trailer

Safety has long been central to Tesla’s identity, and the brand often finds itself defending that reputation. While there might be lingering questions around Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) for years to come, what seems like an open-and-shut book is how these electric cars protect occupants.

More: Family Says Cybertruck Became A Fiery Trap That Killed Driver

Despite many concerns that the Cybertruck would struggle to keep up Tesla’s excellent crash-test rating, it just sailed through IIHS crash testing with flying colors. At the same time, there’s room to improve in terms of headlights and seat belt reminders.

Solid Crash-Test Credentials

Overall, the IIHS gave the Cybertruck a ‘Good’ rating in the updated moderate overlap front test. The rating applies to examples built after April of 2025, when Tesla updated the front underbody structure. The driver dummy showed low risk of injury to the head, chest, and legs. The rear passenger experienced only a moderate risk of chest injury. These results fall in line with the five-star crash-test rating that the NHTSA gave the Cybertruck.

The Cybertruck also aced collision avoidance tests, where it avoided every collision. That includes at 12 and 25 mph during the day and night. It also includes nighttime testing at 25 mph and 37 mph, where the potential obstacle is traveling in parallel with the Cybertruck. Those are great results considering how much concern there was in the past over the way this car might interact with pedestrians.

Lighting Holds It Back

The biggest thing holding the Cybertruck back from a Top Safety Pick award is its headlights. The IIHS says that “systems that create excessive levels of glare on specific road sections do not receive full credit for visibility readings in that scenario.”

Sure enough, the Cybertruck’s lights did create that glare, and they struggled in other areas too. Illumination was found lacking on the left side of the road and when turning left, leaving gaps in coverage. By contrast, the right side met almost every benchmark comfortably, creating an uneven performance overall.

More: Cybertruck Crushes Safety Tests With 5-Star Rating

That all said, this is just one more good mark for EVs when it comes to safety. The Rivian R1T scores even higher than the Cybertruck and earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award in 2024. Last year, it was still a Top Safety Pick as standards became tougher. The only ICE truck to meet that type of score is the Toyota Tundra. If the Cybertruck wants an award, it’ll need to improve its headlight situation, and the IIHS will need to submit it to small overlap and side crash tests. 

Six More EVs Tested

The Cybertruck was not alone in facing the spotlight in this latest round of IIHS safety tests. Six other electric models went through the same moderate overlap front crash test, and most came out well. The BMW i4, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Volkswagen ID.Buzz all earned good ratings, while the Tesla Model 3 was marked ‘acceptable’ due to higher chest-injury risk for rear passengers.

The F-150 Lightning and Ariya fell behind, with the Ford truck posting a poor score after rear dummy readings revealed risks of chest, head and neck injuries, and the Nissan EV receiving a marginal rating for elevated chest injury risk in the back seat.

Beyond crash protection, pedestrian crash prevention and headlight performance played a significant role in the results. The i4, F-150 Lightning, and Model 3 all earned good marks for pedestrian avoidance, with the ID.Buzz rated acceptable and the Blazer holding the same score from earlier testing.

Headlights Prove the Weak Spot Again

Headlights, however, proved to be a universal weak spot. Five of the seven electric models settled at acceptable, while the i4 and Cybertruck were marked down further for glare and poor high-beam illumination. Because of these issues, and the stricter award requirements, none of the seven EVs tested here qualified this time around for a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+.

Credit: IIHS

Tesla has a habit of introducing entry-level versions with relatively affordable sticker prices only to drop them from its line-up without warning. That’s exactly what happened with the Cybertruck, as the company has scrapped the rear-wheel-drive model that once anchored the pickup’s range.

The change appeared on Tesla’s online configurator, where the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive model is now missing. Priced from $69,990, it used to be the most affordable Cybertruck one could buy. With its demise, the range now starts at the $79,990 All-Wheel Drive and tops out with the $114,990 Cyberbeast. It’s worth noting that when it was first unveiled in late 2019, Tesla said its electric pickup truck would start at just $39,900 – something that turned out to be wide off the mark…

Read: Family Says Cybertruck Became A Fiery Trap That Killed Driver

If we had to guess, we’d say that there simply wasn’t enough demand for Tesla to keep building the most basic version of the Cybertruck in it. Not only did it rely on a single electric motor, rather than the dual and tri-motor designs of the All-Wheel Drive and the Cyberbeast, but it also lacked any 120V/240V outlets and a powered tonneau cover.

The omissions didn’t stop there. The Rear-Wheel Drive came with a seven-speaker audio system instead of the 15-speaker setup in other versions, had textile rather than leather seats, and did without a rear touchscreen.

Anyone who had their heart set on buying the single-motor Cybertruck will now have to look at the used car market. Either that, or they will need to be drop an extra $10,000 to get behind the wheel of the All-Wheel Drive.

Interestingly, Tesla only introduced the Cybertruck Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive in April. While it didn’t sport the same off-roading abilities as the All-Wheel Drive and Cyberbeast, it did have the highest driving range of any variant, as it was capable of traveling up to 350 miles (563 km) on a single charge.

The downside was that its towing capacity was reduced from 11,000 lbs (4,989 kg) to 7,500 lbs (3,401 kg), while the payload was reduced from 2,500 lbs (1,133 kg) in the All-Wheel Drive to 2,006 lbs (910 kg). These factors might have played a role in buyers choosing to skip it the entry-level variant in favor of more upscale ones, which ultimately led to its cancellation.

The rumored Tesla CyberSUV might be the talk of the town, but tuners haven’t forgotten the Cybertruck. California-based company Unplugged Performance introduced a new set of alloy wheels for the polarizing truck, aiming to improve its visual appeal.

Dubbed UP Forged Cybrnova, the wheels measure 24 inches across, placing them above Tesla’s standard 20-inch setup but a notch below the oversized 26-inch options some aftermarket shops have showcased. Buyers can pick from three satin finishes, including Bronze, Black, or Titanium.

More: Mexican Tuner Shows Off Widebody Tesla Cybertruck On 26-Inch Wheels

The wheels have nine aerodynamic spokes with an additional reinforcement ring contributing to the rugged looks and the load-bearing capabilities. According to the company, this design was inspired by the blast wave of a supernova and the “straight-edged” styling language of the Cybertruck.

The forged wheels are made of 6061-T6 aluminum and feature pocket-milled relief points behind the spokes for lower weight. The unsprung mass can be further reduced with the optional titanium lug nuts from Unplugged Performance.

Built For Heavy Duty

Each wheel has a load rating of 3,195 lb (1,450 kg), making them suitable for heavy-duty applications. As for the tire fitment, the tuner recommends the 295/45R24 Nitto Recon Grappler for those interested in retaining an adequate EV range, or a wider 315/45R24 set for an even more aggressive stance.

More: Oh Boy, Mansory Tuned The Cybertruck And Named It The Elongation

The 24-inch wheels do not require spacers, as they have been designed to clear the standard brakes and suspension components of the Cybetruck. They are compatible with all trims of the model, including the flagship Cyberbeast.

Premium Price Tag

If you fancy the UP Forged Cybrnova wheels for your Tesla, prepare to dig deep into your pockets. Pricing starts at $7,195 for a set of four, regardless of finish. Add a matching spare, and the bill climbs by another $1,798.75.

The wheels are already available to order through Unplugged Performance’s website, with first deliveries expected in the coming weeks. Buyers can also pair them with the tuner’s body kits and other accessories to create a fully customized Cybertruck.

Unplugged Performance

Tesla might have just dropped its strongest hint yet that a Cybertruck-inspired SUV could very well be on the table. In its new “Sustainable Abundance – Master Plan IV” video, clay models of the upcoming Cybercab were featured in the foreground of some frames. The real surprise, though, was in the background, where scale models sat on a shelf. They appear to be three-row Cybertruck-inspired Tesla SUVs.

More: Tesla’s New Model Y Performance Gets A Feature Once Reserved For Supercars

Elon Musk’s company is typically very secretive about its design process. While we show you leaks from automakers all over the world, it’s rare for Tesla to let something big slip. For example, the Cybertruck and the second-generation Roadster never leaked before their debuts. It’s curious then that it would publish the video below with these models in the background.

From Pickup to Family SUV

A ‘CyberSUV’ has been a point of speculation since the Cybertruck first debuted in 2019. The idea is simple but potentially game-changing. Take the rugged-looking stainless steel wedge aesthetic of the pickup and shape it into a three-row SUV.

It would essentially trade the bed for a more family-friendly interior while keeping the major bones of the Cybertruck itself. The 48-volt system, the steer-by-wire, and adaptive suspension could just carry over.

Such a model would give Tesla something that it has always lacked, a true full-size SUV to rival cars like the Cadillac Escalade IQ, Rivian R1S, and Kia EV9. The Model X is a bit too small and dainty to cover that territory, and the Model Y L is really a different proposition altogether, not to mention it might not end up in America at all. On top of that, rugged off-road vehicles are very popular, but short of the Cybertruck, Tesla doesn’t sell such a car.

That all said, there’s good reason to think the CyberSUV might end up being just a fanciful design study. Teslarati points out the company’s Q4 2024 Shareholder Deck, which explicitly stated that no future vehicles would use a stainless steel exoskeleton like the Cybertruck does.

Of course, if Tesla could find a way to repurpose the vast majority of Cybertruck chassis and structural design, it could allow the brand to better use the production capacity it thought it would need for the truck.

For now, the CyberSUV remains speculative. But if Tesla is truly considering it, the SUV could become the brand’s next breakout hit. It could even signal future design language for the entire lineup.

https://t.co/ZA7KCwX7N9

— Tesla (@Tesla) September 1, 2025

Credit: Tesla

A tragic crash involving a Tesla Cybertruck has now turned into a courtroom battle. More than a year after Michael Sheehan lost his life in a single-vehicle accident, his family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against both Tesla and a Texas bar, arguing that both share responsibility for what happened.

According to the complaint, filed in Harris County District Court, Sheehan owned the Cybertruck for just 102 days when the crash happened. He left the Barn Whiskey Bar in Cypress, Texas, and crashed about seven miles away. The Tesla left the road, hit a culvert, and burst into flames.

More: Witness Says Cybertruck Doors Wouldn’t Open In Fatal California Crash

At the time of the accident, it was unclear what caused the crash. Investigators openly admitted that just identifying the body was difficult due to the heat of the fire. Now, we have a little more insight into potentially contributing factors.

Claims Against The Bar

Sheehan’s family says that the Barn Whiskey Bar over-served Sheehan despite him being “clearly intoxicated.” In fact, the lawsuit goes as far as to say that “it was apparent to the provider that MICHAEL SHEEHAN was obviously intoxicated to the extent that he presented a clear danger to himself and others.”

Interestingly, the family also blames Tesla because it says the Cybertruck itself is dangerous. According to the lawsuit, the “battery cell chemistry used is hyper volatile and susceptible to thermal runaway.” The family says that the automaker could have used “battery cell chemistry with slower thermal propagation readily available, which allows longer time to escape post-crash.”

The family goes on to cite other things it sees as defects, like the battery modules, the packs, the location of the vents in those modules and packs, and even the door handles in the truck that are “unreasonably difficult to locate in an emergency.”

What The Family Seeks

Essentially, the family believes that if the fire had spread more slowly and if egress had been easier, Sheehan would’ve escaped. To that end, it’s seeking damages in excess of $1,000,000. All that said, it’s also worth noting that the Cybertruck has the highest safety rating (five-star) from the NHTSA.

HT: CarComplaints

When Tesla launched the Foundation Series version of the Cybertruck, it promised that it would come with a special roof-mounted LED off-road light bar. However, a newly filed lawsuit in the US contends that many owners did not receive these light bars, and says that some wouldn’t have purchased their trucks had they known the light bar wouldn’t be included.

The lawsuit was filed by plaintiff Eric Schwartz in California. He alleges that he purchased a Tesla Cybertruck Cyberbeast in December 2023 and paid an extra $20,000 for the Foundation Series version. These vehicles were supposed to be equipped with several upgrades, including the light bar positioned just above the windshield.

Read: Tesla’s Big Promise On Self-Driving Just Opened The Door To Lawsuits

However, according to Schwartz, his Cybertruck was delivered without the LED light bar, and while he has repeatedly contacted the automaker, it has apparently refused to give it to him.

The lawsuit contends that the plaintiff suffered an ‘injury in fact’ because Tesla took his money but did not provide the products it had promised. Through the class action, Schwartz aims to represent all Cybertruck purchasers in California who bought a model that was supposed to include the off-road light bar, but was not delivered with one.

The class action also claims that buyers may not have purchased their Cybertrucks had they known Tesla was advertising the light bars without the intention of delivering them with the vehicles.

Just Another Lawsuit

This isn’t the only recent lawsuit to be filed against Tesla in California. Earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin said the automaker must answer to a certified class action that alleges the automaker misled drivers about the self-driving abilities of its vehicles. The lawsuit claims that Tesla failed to live up to the promises made by the company on its website, in blog posts, on social media, and in comments made by boss Elon Musk.