James May has one request for Elon Musk after taking Tesla Cybertruck for a spin for first time
- Ex-Grand Tour presenter James May drove a Cybertruck in California
- May says the truck is too big
- That’s why he has a specific request for Elon Musk
Published on Sep 17, 2024 at 3:33 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Sep 17, 2024 at 6:05 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
James May recently drove a Cybertruck in California.
He liked it, but he also thinks it’s too big.
That’s why he came up with a very specific request for Elon Musk.
He believes Tesla should build a vehicle the size of a Model 3, but styled like Cybertruck.
The truck is simply too big, according to James May
After wrapping up The Grand Tour, May is now busy promoting his new gin, and he even launched a YouTube channel to do it.
Interestingly, he’s also still using his channel to talk about other things, including cars.
After exploring Jay Leno’s vast collection, May posted another car-themed video, this time with a Cybertruck.
May begins his review with the sort of observation that’s guaranteed to start a debate in the comments.
He believes that, from a design perspective, Cybertruck is a modern-day equivalent to the Aston Martin Bulldog, or even the Lamborghini Countach, in that it’s supposed to push the envelope a little.
But, he also says that the truck is too big, even by American standards.
Cybertruck is longer than a Rolls-Royce Wraith, and heavier than a Ford F-150.
According to James May, Tesla should build a much smaller vehicle, maybe the size of a Model Y or a Model 3, but with the same design language as the Cybertruck’s.
The future of Cybertruck
Cybertruck is still only available in the US.
It may become available in China in the near future, but things aren’t looking good for European customers.
Production issues aside, Tesla can barely keep up with US demand as it is, the key problem is homologation.
Those sharp edges and angles collide with the European Union’s idea of pedestrian safety.
Tesla’s VP of Vehicle Engineering explained that it’d impossible to comply with European regulations regarding protruding parts using stainless steel, which is what Cybertruck is made of.
Last summer, Tesla took the truck on a grand tour of Europe for marketing reasons, which gave many people (short-lived) false hope.
The thing is, you can import one individually and privately if you want, but in order for the truck to be legally sold as an official production model in the UK and Europe, it’ll probably have to be redesigned.
Maybe it’ll also be smaller, which would give May another excuse to share a non-gin-related video to his gin YouTube channel.
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