GM Authority‘s spy photographers recently caught GM benchmarking the Tesla Cybertruck at The General’s Milford Proving Ground in Michigan. The Cybertruck was spotted re-entering the Milford Proving Ground after engineers took the divisive all-electric pickup for a run around local public roads in a multi-car test session. During the session, GM engineers were also seen testing a few other all-electric vehicles, including several GM models and a Chinese sedan.
The Cybertruck was spotted entering the Milford Proving Ground as the last vehicle in a multi-vehicle test convoy. The other vehicles in the convoy included the all-electric Chevy Blazer EV, the all-electric Cadillac Optiq crossover, and a BYD Seal EV as well. The inclusion of the BYD sedan is believed to be related to the launch of the Optiq in the Chinese market.
Photographers also captured the Cybertruck testing within the Milford Proving Ground, where it was seen running on a section of track with highly banked corners. The Cybertruck was clearly being tested on a wide variety of surfaces and conditions as part of a benchmarking session against rival products from GM. Several other automakers have been spotted testing the Cybertruck as well, including Ford and Toyota. In fact, GM Authority‘s sister publication, Ford Authority, spotted the Blue Oval testing the Cybertruck this past April.
For reference, the range-topping Cybertruck Cyberbeast produces a maximum of 845 horsepower and 863 pound-feet of torque via a three-motor powertrain. For comparison, the range-topping three-motor GMC Hummer EV produces more than 1,000 horsepower and 1,200 pound-feet of torque. Despite the power deficit, the Cyberbeast has the edge in a drag race.
Of course, this is most definitely not the first Tesla that GM has tested – in fact, General Motors should be intimately familiar with the entirety of Tesla’s lineup at this point. The General recently got behind the wheel of the Tesla Model S sedan (including the high-performance Model S Plaid), the Tesla Model Y crossover, the Tesla Model X crossover, and the Tesla Model 3 sedan as well.
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Why benchmark that silly looking POS?
Unlike many posters on this forum, GM realizes that ignorance is not a virtue.
I'd never want a CT, but I don't have an issue with GM checking one out. They'd be negligent not to.
This is standard industry practice. You get a sample of the competition to study the product and improve your own (without copying and within trademark laws). I remember reading when the original Lexus LS came out, it was so good that Mercedes bought two cars to study the engineering behind it thoroughly. Now this is the norm. Its also why they have a BYD there.
Thank you. Too bad despite all that work checking each other out the manufacturers can't make it so that the windshield wiper controls are the same, or even that the fuel tank filler is on the same side. The wife's Subaru is exactly opposite my GM for turning the wipers on/off/mist and duration of intermittent wiper delay. Very annoying to have to think: "Which vehicle am I in?" just to do basic things.
Well I think things like that is done just to differentiate the car. Its funny because I have a 2016 Rav4 and a 2022 XT5. And the XT5 is the polar opposite of the Rav4 when it comes to controls. I'll give you an example. The wipers in the Rav you tap up for a mist wipe and click down for the consistent operation. On my XT5, you tap down to mist wipe and click up to consistent wipe. Sunroof also. Hold down for a second on the Rav to express open and tap to open by section. On XT5 its tap to express open and hold to open by section. Radio scrolling and operation of the keyless start too. So if I forget how to operate something on the XT5 I have to remember "opposite of Rav4".
Because companies don't benchmark just because they want to build a direct competitor, contrary to what GMAuthority might make you think with all these benchmarking articles. That could be the case, but they could also just be looking at specific attributes of different cars. How they got their cabin so quiet, how they packaged their cooling system, how their suspension is tuned, how they constructed their battery, what their infotainment software performance is, etc etc etc.
Tesla truck is truly ugly in person. My wife couldn't stop laughing at the flying wedgie.
There's one in our apt. complex. It looks like something out of one of those old black and white 1940s sci fi movies. And when it moves at slow speed the bed cover rattles like the lid on an old galvanized garbage can.
Saw one on the road today. 1st time.
What a stupid looking vehicle.
People who buy these have more money than brains and taste.
My take is they really like to draw attention to themselves. Sort of like Musk himself.
It could fit my needs perfectly and I still wouldn't buy one, just because I don't like drawing attention.
Please don’t benchmark the styling on this thing. I remember some influencer saying “you look like a total bad@$$ riding around in this thing.” Uhh no. You look like a farmer hauling around a watering trough for his horse.
Weird analogy. To me it doesn't look like something a farmer would ever touch, or that would ever even visit a farm.
I'd say it looks more like a Nissan Leaf dressed up to go to Comic-Con.
The stainless steel makes it look like a sink or a watering trough. Like picture filling the bed with water and a horse drinking from it.
Thanks for the explanation. It's been a long time since I've been on a farm, but I think more of galvanized for such things.
The perfect car for the sissy dems... No real GOD-FEARING PATRIOT would drive that crap!!
oh Benje, you sound like a real man. You are superior to everyone here and not insecure in the least!
@Benje
I know of two HUGE Trump fans that one already has it in hand and the other just received his email to get ready for his delivery. And at least two more HUGE Trump fans waiting on a NON Foundation Cybertruck.
One more friend who is extremely Liberal has it already and a friend who literally has zero political care has one as well in a different state than me. He lives in TN
Not sure why you correlate a vehicle to a Political ideology but keep thinking that way I guess.
Maybe when EV's came out you could associate the driver as more Liberal but I don't think that matters anymore at all. Some are still stuck in their ways I am sure.
But I know Plenty of Republicans that drive BEV's.....like MANY
Driving the Cybertruck is like driving something like a car company allowed you first access to and the rest of us are driving old Tech Lol
Nothing is too ugly when you have to virtue signal.
Why waste time & effort on what appears to be an over-sized door stop…
GM (or any of the big 3) would give their left nut to have the sales and pre-orders of the CT. I drive a vehicle until it dies and having a truck that's faster, hauls more (short distance), won't rust, dent, or scratch is way higher a priority than looks. You buy a CT because it doesn't look like every other truck made in the last 50 years and because it's more functional. By all means if aesthetics is most important to you and what people think of you, than don't buy it.
@Brad
Exactly
But for sure some owners get it because it looks so futuristic.
Butt Ugly and totally impractical .
I have driven the CT multiple times (Two of my close friends have them) and all I can say is the ride and handling is borderline insane. I have the all new Model 3 and when I got in my car I felt like my car was a decade old.
I cannot begin to explain how amazing the Fly by wire steering is.
Cannot wait for basically all cars to have this.
Absolutely GM should be benchmarking that vehicle!!!
Agree but, granted the CT is very fast, but it's still DRIVE-by-wire. 48v and drive by wire should be in every car/truck from here on out.
Certainly, GM is behind the competition in inverters and drive units, they seem to be ahead in software and battery chem.