Beauty and the beast: The strange attraction of Tesla's Cybertruck

Significant time has passed since the official unveiling of the Tesla Cybertruck. Questions have surfaced in the auto industry about Tesla's (ahem) unusual design aesthetic surrounding Cybertruck. With time, the look has strangely grown on even its toughest critics. Let's not mince words though. It's still sorta ugly, but that doesn’t seem to matter.

Above: Illustration inspired by a conflicted sense of "tough love" for Tesla's Cybertruck (Artwork: Manuel Noboa / EVANNEX)

Okay, saying it's ugly is a bit harsh. We love this beast enough to have placed a pre-order. We just can't (sufficiently) explain the attraction. 

Many observers seem to share the same sentiment. Sure, the Cybertruck doesn’t have the same conventional beauty as something like a Ferrari 250 GTO or Toyota 2000GT. But, Tesla's design is bizarrely magnetic enough that it still draws you in. Regardless, the Cybertruck has won the hearts of so many — including, I admit, me.

Was it a good business decision though? Elon Musk acknowledged he was personally invested in the project. He warned people, ahead of time, that the design would be 'out there' — something out of a sci-fi movie like Blade Runner. Still, many wonder if the radical design was the best route to take if Tesla wants to make the Cybertruck a winner. Only time will tell.

Above: With its weird allure, Tesla's Cybertruck looks kinda old-school and future-forward at the same time (YouTube: Rarevision)

Offering my personal opinion on the matter, I feel like Tesla has won over the hearts of many more non-truck people (myself included) with this repelling-yet-intriguing design language. And while there looks to be a nice crop of electric trucks coming soon, I remain doubtful that many diehard truck guys will be tripping over themselves to buy an electric truck anytime soon. Who knows?

On the flip side, I and many others who weren't too keen on pickup trucks have now started considering the Cybertruck mainly because of its cool design. 

Total reservations for the Cybertruck are now said to be over 500,000 which would put the pre-orders over the initial reservation numbers for the Model 3. In the end, it's looking like the Cybertruck might turn out to be Tesla’s top seller, at least in North America. 

In the future, we'll have to see if the novelty of Cybertruck's design wears off. Maybe we’ll look back on this design as something akin to the Pontiac Aztek. Or, perhaps it's a timeless look. Hard to say. The upshot? Maybe the popularity of the Cybertruck will start a trend where other automakers start to get a bit more daring.

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Note: an earlier version of this article appeared on EVBite. EVBite is an electric vehicle specific news site dedicated to keeping consumers up-to-date on any developments in the ever-expanding EV landscape.