How the Tesla Cybertruck became the internet’s favorite punching bag

Since its launch in November, the Cybertruck has been picked on. Onlookers have compared the electric truck to a kids’ toy, a glitchy video game rendering, and a refrigerator on wheels. About 10 months later, the Cybertruck remains one of the internet’s favorite punch lines. In the social media stratosphere, that’s meant a seemingly endless line of Cybertruck-related memes, all of which gleefully poke fun at the truck’s head-turning design.

A brief history of Cybertruck memes

When Elon Musk announced the Cybertruck in 2019, he unwittingly unleashed a certified meme parade, with social media users comparing the vehicle to a fifth grade craft and a tank.

The truck finally hit the streets in 2023, and just seeing the vehicle in the wild was enough to launch a viral TikTok or X post. A video poking fun at a soot-covered Cybertruck at the airport in Austin got 4.9 million views; a simple edit bemoaning the trucks’ ugliness now has more than 200,000 likes.

But neither internet mockery nor a litany of design defects have scared away the celebrity class. Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry have touted their own Cybertrucks, while Jay-Z used one as his meet-and-greet getaway vehicle. (Unfounded rumors swirled recently that Kardashian had fallen victim to a design defect that left Cybertruck drivers at risk of chopping off their fingers.) Some on-the-ground Cybertruck shots have turned into instant memes, like Lady Gaga holding a whole tray of coffee while stepping into the passenger seat. Retired NFL player Jason Kelce kick-started a news cycle for his provocative Cybertruck bumper sticker.

Even outside of memes, Cybertrucks have reached a form of internet ubiquity, maintaining high Google search interest. Meanwhile, AI-generated copypasta about Cybertrucks have flooded apps like Instagram and TikTok. There are even Cybertruck cryptocurrencies and NFTs.

Tesla’s fading online prestige

Tesla has long been an online favorite, especially in the meme space. Musk himself is a frequent creator and reposter of memes, garnering a cult-like network of internet support. It’s no surprise that an online company like Tesla would have an equally viral product.

But with Musk’s endorsement of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his overall rightward political shift, that internet idolatry may be fading. Consumer trust and consideration in Tesla are on the decline, with research firm Caliber suggesting Musk’s polarizing persona is a point of blame. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley’s summer intern survey found a striking dip in Tesla’s favorability among young employees.

Still, the Cybertruck memes aren’t going anywhere; the thing is just too goofy looking to die on the internet. The truck’s sales, on the other hand, could fare differently.