This thing somehow costs $3,000.
Tent Mode
In early marketing materials, Tesla showed off a futuristic-looking tent attachment that would allow Cybertruck owners to turn their pickup into a sporty off-grid camper.
But now that the EV maker has started shipping the accessory, it looks more like a massive, $3,000 disappointment — dare we say ripoff? — that falls far short of those original renders, looking more like something from a homeless encampment than a glitzy camping add-on.
The "Basecamp" tent attachment, which covers the six-foot bed of the pickup truck and extends it with an awning, went on sale just after the carmaker showed off the production version of the Cybertruck late last year.
As spotted by Electrek, one owner over at the Cybertruck Owners Club forum wasn't particularly impressed, showing off pictures that bear almost no resemblance to the original 2019 renders — not even Tesla's updated 2023 visuals.
"FWIW, at this point my overall take on the Basecamp is similar to my take on the CT in general," wrote the user, who goes by TownBiz. "It’s awesome and brilliant in many ways but flawed in a few areas."
Less-Than-Premium
Other than costing just shy of $3,000 and looking like it has very little floor space, Tesla recommends Cybertruck owners bring their vehicles in to have special attachment rails attached to the truck bed.
Then, owners have to fiddle around with loose bolts, requiring them to "blindly reach" into cavities in the truck bed, according to TownBiz.
"After you remove them a few times it’s not terrible, but between removing the bolts and then forcefully popping out the Aeroflap, it just feels like a less than premium experience," they wrote.
Tesla also promised a "Tent Mode," which was rumored to allow the vehicle to self-level itself on a sloped surface, which is "currently MIA," according to TownBiz.
Apart from a painful installation and missing features, the attachment does have at least one advantage over other alternatives.
"Otherwise, as mentioned the design is great because you can store gear under the stowed Basecamp," TownBiz argued.
In short, three grand is a lot of money that could buy Cybertruck owners some serious outdoor equipment — including a much larger and better tent.
But then again, these are people who shelled out up to $100,000 for a "rugged" pickup that seems to get stuck almost everywhere.
More on the Cybertruck: Feeble Cybertruck Shuts Down in Real Towing Contest Against Other Truck
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