Here's how many Tesla Cybertrucks are registered in Illinois
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A Cybertruck in the Gold Coast. Photo: Carrie Shepherd/Axios
Tank-like, straight out of "Dune" electric Cybertrucks are becoming more visible on Chicago streets.
The big picture: Tesla's electric pickup truck ranks third (out of four) on Car and Driver's list of "Best EV Pickup Trucks" behind trucks from Ford and Rivian, the latter of which is manufactured in Illinois.
- The Cybertruck is considered the fastest EV pickup by Car and Driver.
By the numbers: 575 Tesla Cybertrucks are registered in Illinois, according to the secretary of state's office.
- 72 are registered in Chicago and 160 in Cook County, followed by 104 in DuPage and 59 in Lake.
- A total of 19,878 EVs were registered in Chicago as of mid-September.
Reality check: Tesla recalled more than 25,000 Cybertrucks on Thursday for delayed rear view camera images.
- That's the EV's fifth recall in less than a year, which also included trim pieces falling off and faulty windshield wipers.
Zoom in: Tesla's sales had been lagging earlier this year because of its conservative and controversial founder Elon Musk, the Times reported.
- Musk came under fire last year for backing an antisemitic post on X and endorsed former President Trump for president in July.
The latest: Tesla this week reported its first sales bump in 2024, which could be attributed to falling interest rates, the New York Times reported.
State of play: Fewer people are ordering the Cybertruck than Tesla predicted partly because of the recalls, Consumer Guide Automotive publisher Tom Appel tells Axios.
- A problem for anyone actually using it as a pickup truck is that the mileage is cut in half when towing, Appel says.
- The Cybertruck starts at $99,900, but Tesla predicts $6,000 in gas savings over five years.
- Musk had promised to release a cheaper version of the truck, but that didn't happen.
What they're saying: "It could perform as a regular truck, [it's] not doing that, though. There's profound anecdotal evidence to suggest that people are just buying these as showpieces," Appel says.
💠Carrie's thought bubble: I had been noticing more of these around Gold Coast, but when I saw one while visiting family in Rockford, I realized these aren't just a gimmick. Is this what Marty McFly would drive?!