Comments by "Charles Eye" (@TheCharleseye) on "TFLoffroad" channel.

Raptor owner on the trail: Damn, I'm low on fuel and forgot to fill my cans! Hey, does anyone have a couple gallons to spare? Thanks! Cybertruck owner on the trail: Damn, my batteries are low! Hey, does anyone have a 50 mile extension cord or a 220v generator they can spare? Anyone? No? Could...could you please tow me out of the woods to wait for a tow truck, maybe? Off-road king? More like another 4WD mall crawler.
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"EV trucks absolutely dominate when it comes to towing." I mean, they advertise them as such but let's wait until we actually have EV trucks to test before we just declare them the kings of towing. Right now, all we have is manufacturer claims. We all know how far those can be from reality.
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Gotta love those Mall-Terrain tires and that extreme speed bump clearance...
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That's just an artist rendering. Nobody but GM knows what it will look like, yet.
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@bob15479 Why would I need to? There are always other guys on the trail with extra gas. It'll be a long time until you see two Teslas on the same trail and they'll likely both be suffering from that same issue. As for the solar panels, have fun waiting hours in the sun (you hope) for them to give you that 40 miles. My two, 2 gallon cans give me more than that in the span of five minutes - rain, shine, night, day, in a field, or under trees.
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Who said it would? Nobody is telling you to replace your truck with an SUV. What a weird comment.
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@1guyin10 Truth. Short bed pickups have been used as billy goats for as long as they've existed. I had a '73 GMC that pack-muled me into some amazing camping spots, far off the beaten path. Durable, capable, and cheap/easy to fix. Nothing better for an offroad beater than an old short box.
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The estimate on the solar charger is 5-10 miles of (on-road) range for 12 hours of charging. Figure that's 1-3 miles worth of real off-roading. It would take days and days to get off of a difficult trail using that as your power source.
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You shouldn't be that proud. I drive through worse to get to my hunting spot, in a "97 Suburban.
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@SaltyDog69 Yeah but it still just looks like someone slapped a different grill on a Silverado. Reminds me of the guys who shoehorn Cadillac front clips onto them. It just looks stupid. If they want to use the Hummer name to sell EVs, they need to bring something that actually looks like a Hummer.
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@ibchuckd "All the guys!" Yes, there have been sooo many cases of that happening each year, right? Oh, it's not that many? And you'll be in the same situation when your Tesla dies under trees, or in Winter? Oh, that's right! You won't get nearly as much sun in the Winter, so you'll be out there for at least two days and you're not going to get nearly as far on a charge when you have to drive through thick snow. More than enough time to freeze to death, too. You really haven't thought this out, have you? That's okay. Most people who are looking at the Cybertruck haven't even driven in dirt, let alone a hard trail. It's just not in your wheelhouse, so you have no prior knowledge to pull from. Meanwhile, you don't have to worry about me if I get stuck without a way out (anything's possible, I suppose). I grew up hunting, hiking, camping, and wheeling these woods. I can survive out here as long as I need to. If I see you scraping Ice off your solar panels, I'll be sure to drop you off some rabbit. It's delicious, if you know how to cook it...and are capable of building a fire. Can you build a fire without charcoal and lighter fluid? Maybe I'll go ahead and cook it for you, just in case. See you on the trails!
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Probably those of us with a wife and two kids, who might occasionally want a third row when taking a few extra people somewhere. You know...one of the key market demographics for this vehicle. My sons love having their own bucket seats.
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Until they can prove to the powers that be, that it will crumple in all the right places to be DOT approved, I'm not holding my breath for this "ultra-durable" shell. Car companies bring out all kinds of outlandish things on their prototypes but most of them never make it to production.
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@stevenpeterson7234 Because they didn't say it can replace a truck, van, and SUV. One would have to be pretty simple-minded to think they meant that something without a bed could perform all of the tasks of something with a bed.
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The solar cover won't work with the tent in place. Oops. Still doesn't make sense to get this over a traditional 4x4.
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@spencereyes235 Because it doesn't matter how many gas cans you bring, when this thing runs out of juice in the woods, you're screwed. It's that simple. Even the solar cover will only net about 5-10 miles (on road) worth of electricity per day. So, you get to spend all day (hopefully) sitting in a sunny spot, so you can maybe make it out of the woods...if you camp close to roads. However, we're talking about comparing it to real 4x4s, not AWD crossovers with 6" of ground clearance. In which case, we're talking about doing long, difficult trails to get to your destination. Again, when a normal 4x4 runs low on gas, you grab a gas can and add fuel. Worst case scenario, you can borrow some from someone else on the trail. Nobody carries a spare Tesla charger or a 50 mile extension cord in their gear. I suppose you could carry a generator and fuel and enjoy your 8-12 hour "charge break" wherever your truck dies. Personally, I'd rather just pour that fuel in my tank and hit the trail. I'm weird like that.
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Your Bronco is good to go. I've done much crazier things than the trail in this video, in a '96 Bronco. Nothin' to it but to do it.
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Until it runs out of juice halfway up a difficult trail. Fill the bed with all the gas cans it can hold and you'll still be stuck in the woods, getting laughed at and towed out by a proper off-road vehicle.
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@starshipdriver8536 That's adorable but clearly, you've A) never driven off-road and B) never seen how drastically the range of EVs is reduced while towing (which is much closer to the mileage you get off-roading). Also, I hope you're bringing quite a few panels if you're hoping to charge up to 40 miles worth per day. Pack them well, so the glass doesn't break on the trail. Those of us who actually wheel never pack anything glass, if we can help it. Far too fragile for real trails.
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@starshipdriver8536 We'll see about the body panels and glass once they've actually passed testing for street use. Until then, they're a fantasy. The solar panels might handle some hail but hail isn't a normal trail condition. Being slammed around in the bed or up against a tree is a normal trail condition. Who is trying to talk about hail? As for range, that's where the ability to carry gas cans gives ICE vehicles the advantage. No waiting for your panels to eventually give you more range. Pour it in and go. Air bags that give you 16" of ground clearance are a cute gimmick but at that extension, they don't give you even as much flex as a cheap, aftermarket lift kit (oops). And you'd better hope those skid plates are indestructible. Come down hard on a rock with an ICE and you might break a pan or a driveshaft. Come down hard on a rock in an EV and you could start a 1000° battery fire that can't be put out with an extinguisher and potentially burn down thousands of acres of forest (again, oops). Go ahead and get your Tesla. Just try to roll it off the trail when it dies. The rest of us need to get by.
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@starshipdriver8536 You really don't know how any of this works, do you? The reason street legal vehicles are as fragile as they are is because it's required by law. Either Tesla's truck isn't as tough as they claim or they're going to have to make it far less tough to be legal for use on the highway. Either way, you're not getting an indestructible Tesla. It's that simple. The rest is mostly just you talking crap about a Ford, which really doesn't bother me. I'm just here to burst your bubble about the Cybertruck. I couldn't care less about a Ford truck. Hammer away. I'm not the one living in a fantasy land.
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@starshipdriver8536 No, genius. It won't be built like an APC. It will be mass produced with the same minimum number of crumple zones as any other modern street vehicle, or it won't be certified as legal for highway use. It's not complicated. You and Elon aren't going to hold hands and cruise down the road in an illegal vehicle. Either Tesla will abide by the law or their "super tough" truck will have to be towed to the trails. There is no argument to be had.
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@Carlosrey3 If nothing else, all those dead Teslas will make great anchors for winching. Actually, those angles make me think they'll be fun obstacles to climb, too!
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@Carlosrey3 Not to mention the loading ramp tailgate. So convenient for those of us with less than stellar departure angles.
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Yep. No computer modulation or any of that. Carburetors, crappy brakes, wide ratio trannies, and whatever tires we could afford. We still got it done, though.
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40k gets you the base model. One engine, 2wd (Iirc), and the shortest range. I don't see it making it too far down the trail.
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@Renduevenstar No, those are called dirt roads. Sorry but if you're not using 4WD, you're not overlanding - merely car camping.
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@Cornelius87 I was gonna say, my '97 Suburban hunting rig does more than that, and its only "mod" is tires.
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Seems like an expensive solution. I think I'll save $40,000+ by simply loading the quad I already have into the truck I already have. Even if I didn't have ramps (which I do), they're much less expensive than buying a whole new truck.
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@OneNationUnderGod. That's kind of my point. Figures on towing capacity mean little to me without the whole package. I'm sure they could make an EV that could tow an ocean liner...a few feet. I'm interested in real world usage.
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Drive an old Suburban on the trails for a month. You'll get over the Gladiator's overhang in no time.
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Given what I've seen, they'll do great in the used market...eventually. They'll be great for towing a double-wide from one trailer park to the next! 😂
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@motobator1895 It's settled? Because vehicle manufacturers use the same motors in their trucks as those found in forklifts? That's as dumb as saying that IC cars are faster than EVs because my gas powered RC car is faster than my son's electric. Completely ridiculous. Or because gas powered planes have broken the sound barrier and electric planes haven't. Final implementation is the only thing that decides the outcome. Not some nonsense comparisons of completely different categories.
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@mowcowbell Which is still about $20,000 too much and I say that as a lifelong Chevy guy. All of these manufacturers are out of their minds. That's obvious when you see how many car lots are out there, packed to the brim with these overpriced trucks and SUVs. It's insane. At this rate, I have no plans of ever buying another new vehicle.
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@ibchuckd Tell me where I said anything about deserts filled with trees or trails open during blizzards. Oh, I didn't? It's just more stuffing for your strawman? Got it, thanks. And the news is "always" reporting about that, huh? How many times per year? 3? 5? People die slipping in a wet tub more often than out on the trail, even when accounting for the discrepancy between the demographics. That will probably change once you and yours are out there with your Cybertrucks, though. Hopefully when you cause even more overreaching legislation to protect people from themselves, they'll just ban EVs from the trails and not close them entirely. Fingers crossed!
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@ibchuckd Still doesn't make any sense, unless you're implying that you're only going Summer and/or desert wheeling. Actually, that makes a lot of sense. That's exactly the kind of wheeler I expect you to be. A fair weather weekender. I see guys like you every year when it stops being "too cold" and the trails stop being "too muddy." Maybe you can all get together and start a 4x4 club. You an call yourselves the Goldilocks Guys! Your slogan can be "We Only Wheel When It's Just Right!" Ha! The rest of your comment was just a really lame attempt to turn an insult around. I mean, really? You might as well have said "Nuh uh, that's you!" Come on, Goldie. Have some dignity.
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@ibchuckd Just went back through it. I never said anything about extreme conditions. I spoke of Winter but not blizzards and trees but not deserts. Seems I'm not the one who needs to learn how to read. The rest is just you wasting more keystrokes trying (and failing) to get in a good insult. You're zombies! You don't think CURRENT EVs are superior, so that means you hate the whole concept! Aargh! Too funny. Keep trying. You'll get there some day.
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That's the way alot of us have always done it. 80s era 4WD trucks are great for playing around on the trails.
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$40,000 is still way too much for what you're getting.
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@bob15479 I'll agree with that. It's certainly an option for someone who wants its specific features. Of course, we'll have to see what the electric F-150 has to offer. Personally, I'm not much of a Ford guy but if they're really working with Rivian, it could be a great truck (that probably won't look like a doorstop).
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In a shocking turn of events, Ford makes better vehicles for off-roading than Hyundai.
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Now? I've got a '97 Suburban that I use as a hunting/camping rig. It's bone stock, except for Discoverer AT4 tires. I drive on worse than this with it, all season long. My buddy uses a' 78 Dodge pickup and it gets it all day. Stock 4x4s never had a problem offroad. The problem is almost always the wingnut behind the wheel.
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Six inches longer wheelbase than a 90s Suburban.
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There are in-coil airbags you can get to help beef the rear suspension back up, to get the payload back to 1500.
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@motobator1895 And many electric motors lose most of their torque as they reach peak RPMs. We can do this all day and it's still just speculation until we have actual vehicles to test.
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So, as usual, if you want a good compact truck, buy a used one, spend a little money on making it like new, spend a little more to add lockers front and rear, save a total of probably $10,000+, and end up with a better truck all-around. I liked the Maverick a lot when it came out. It was a good deal when it came out. Ford rapidly upped the price, so that the only way to call it a good deal now is by comparing it to all of the other massively inflated new truck prices out there. It's nonsense that relies on the general population being ignorant. Sadly...they seem to be.
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