Milford man arrested for stealing Tesla Cybertruck. Wait, what is a Cybertruck?

Last week a Milford man was arrested for stealing a 2024 Tesla Cybertruck from a home in Lincoln.

Using the vehicle's tracking technology, police caught the driver and recovered the truck. The reason behind the theft of the Cybertruck is unknown, but the futuristic vehicle fascinates many.

Despite questions about the Cybertruck's quality — beginning with a botched demonstration aiming to highlight the truck's design which went awry when a metal ball thrown at the vehicle shattered a window on stage — the vehicle has managed to become one of the best-selling electric trucks this year.

For those unfamiliar with the Tesla Cybertruck, here are some key points to quickly get you up to speed.

What is a Tesla Cybertruck?

First unveiled in November 2019, the Tesla Cybertruck marks the company's entrance into the truck market. With an upper body with a distinctive triangular shape, it's an electric vehicle that looks like something inspired by Roblox. It features a "bullet tough" stainless-steel frame and armored glass described by Elon Musk as "rock-proof." Industry analysts swiftly determined that the Cybertruck's appeal is more of a niche market model rather than a mass-market vehicle.

According to Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds’ executive director of insights, who was quoted in a USA Today article, the initial buyers of the Cybertruck will probably be early adopters “who care more about being first to flash the shiny-new, angular toy than the price.”

Other features that set the Cybertruck apart from anything else on the market, include:

• Up to 11,000 pounds in towing capacity.

• Up to 2,500 pounds payload capacity.

• A 6-foot-by-4-foot bed.

• 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.6 seconds.

How much does a Cybertruck cost?

Updated pricing posted online shows that Tesla's new model will start at $49,890.

• The rear-wheel drive Cybertruck starts at $57,390 and will be available in 2025. The vehicle will have an estimated 250-mile range and can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds, according to Tesla.

• The all-wheel drive model starts at $76,390 with deliveries in 2025. This model has an estimated 340-mile range and can go from 0 to 60 in 4.1 seconds with a top speed of 112 miles per hour.

• The "Cyberbeast" version starts at $96,390 with deliveries starting next year. The model has an estimated 320-mile range and can go from 0 to 60 in 2.6 seconds, according to Tesla, with top speeds of 130 miles per hour.

Tesla's website says these prices assume the buyer will receive federal tax credits and $3,600 of gas savings over three years.

Insideve.com reported that the cheapest MSRP in the full-size truck segment is $49,590 for a Ford F-150 Lightning Pro with Standard Range (SR) battery. One of the most expensive is GMC's Hummer EV Pickup $126,935 which still comes in lower than Tesla's Cyberbeast's MSRP of $138,235.

As of July 2023, the website's unofficial reservation tracker indicated that around 1.9 million reservations for the Cybertruck had been made. Refundable reservations initially cost $100 then in December, the company upped the deposit to $1,000 for a reservation to order the truck. It has now been reduced to $250. The deposit is refundable if the customer changes their mind.

Tesla does not provide a breakdown of vehicle sales by model in its quarterly reports. Due to a recent recall, it is now known that nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks have been sold.

Recall of all Cybertrucks issued in April

In April, the company recalled 3,878 Cybertrucks following a warning issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding a potential issue with the accelerator pedal getting stuck when pressed.

While Tesla can usually address issues through over-the-air updates, this particular problem, requires owners to bring their vehicles in for a physical repair.

According to the agency, the accelerator pedal could get stuck when pressed, leading to unintended acceleration and a higher risk of accidents. The accelerator pedal pad may "dislodge and cause the pedal to become trapped by the interior trim," the NHTSA said.

"An unapproved change introduced lubricant (soap) to aid in the component assembly of the pad onto the accelerator pedal," the NHTSA wrote in a recall document. "Residual lubricant reduced the retention of the pad to the pedal."

In the recall notice, Tesla stated that it was not aware of any collisions, injuries or deaths relating to this issue. The recall applies to every 2024 Cybertruck produced between November 13, 2023 and April 4, 2024.

Tesla service will replace or repair the accelerator pedal assembly free of charge, according to the NHTSA. Owner notification letters are scheduled to be sent out in June 2024. For assistance, owners can reach Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3751. Tesla's recall number is SB-24-33-003.

You can contact Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware man arrested for stealing Cybertruck as recall nears