‘That’s What The Cybertruck Is For’: Man Takes Tesla Off-Roading. Um, Can You Do That?

A Tesla owner posted a tongue-in-cheek video mocking people who don’t think you can take one of these electric vehicles off the pavement. Here’s the reality.

TikTok user Menelik (@_ypkx) posted a video that shows what happened when he took his Tesla Model Y for an off-roading adventure over the weekend. “I’m cooked, man,” he says to start the video. “I tried to take this [expletive] off-road, man. That [expletive] is done.”

However, the caption makes it clear that the video is intended to mock people who don’t believe Tesla can handle difficult terrain. “After five minutes, I got the car unstuck using the slip-start mode that works in snow, sand, and mud,” he wrote. “Anyway, I posted this for the trolls and Tesla haters.”

Viewers React To The Tesla Off-Roading Skit

In the comments section of the video, viewers weighed in on the merits of Tesla ownership, off-roading, and Menelik’s decision to mix the two.

“That’s what the Cybertruck is for,” said one person.

“Don’t take any car off-roading, really,” said a second viewer.

“Dare I say, ‘You can’t park there?’” joked a third viewer. 

Others agreed that Menelik’s solution was the best course of action. “Slip-start and have someone sit in the trunk,” said one Tesla owner.

Tesla’s Traction Control System and Slip Start

Tesla’s Model Y comes with a traction control system and an off-road assist mode that manipulates the vehicle’s front and rear wheel speed. In the event that the Tesla gets stuck and loses traction, the system will change how it distributes the traction across all four tires to allow the Tesla to free itself from those conditions.

However, just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. In fact, InsideEVs explicitly warned Model Y owners five years ago that it would be best to avoid off-roading in the electric vehicle. The author cited the Model Y’s limited ground clearance and wheel articulation, as well as the danger of puncturing the battery pack on obstacles or debris.

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That doesn’t mean no one’s ever modified a Model Y to adapt to off-road conditions. YouTuber i1Tesla shows that it is possible by taking his custom Model Y through a series of trails frequented by dirtbikers. The Model Y holds up surprisingly well, although it does get stuck at one point. The comments section is full of people enthralled with the idea of taking a Model Y out in these conditions. That’s probably why there are businesses that sell the lift kits, fortified skid plates, and reinforced bumpers required to turn a stock Model Y into a proper off-roading vehicle.

When it comes to off-roading as a discipline, there is nothing in the Tesla lineup that compares to the Cybertruck. The electric truck surprised even an off-roading expert, who wrote about the experience for InsideEVs, praising its suspension, powertrain, and traction control system. Of course, as seen in a viral image this summer, your mileage may vary.

InsideEVs contacted Menelik via TikTok comment and direct messages for comment.

 

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