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Tesla’s Cybertruck has sparked some interesting
debates around aesthetics and utility versus
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novelty, but the US military just wants a few
of them to blow up.
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The Air Force Test Center submitted a
procurement request for 33 towable target
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vehicles to be used as targets for live missile
fire testing.
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The request mostly focuses on sedans of various
colors, trucks,
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SUVs and bongos, which appears to be the term
used for a Japanese K truck,
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but the list mentions the Cybertrucks
specifically, noting that the vehicle could
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appeal to enemies since they don’t seem to take
the same amount of damage expected upon major
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impact.
The study cited the Cybertruck’s aggressively
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angular and futuristic design paired with its
unpainted stainless steel exoskeleton and 48
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volt electrical architecture as features that
set it apart from other similar
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vehicles on the market.
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It’s all valid reasoning and it could be a good
use for all the unsold Cybertrucks sitting
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around.
In May, an electric report said that Tesla’s
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inventory for its electric pickup had soared
past 10,000 units.
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Still, the Air Force wanting Cybertrucks for
target practice can’t be what Tesla was hoping
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for at this point.
The company last month reported its most recent
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quarterly earnings, marked by the 3rd
consecutive drop in
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profits.
Reports have also suggested that Tesla CEO Elon
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Musk’s political career has taken a toll on the
company’s brand loyalty.
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According to a Reuters report, market research
from June 2024 found that among current Tesla
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owners, 73% were likely to buy another Tesla,
but by March 2025 that figure had
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fallen below 50%.
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I’m Ben Munson, and this is Manufacturing Now.