Cybertruck spotted near BYD facility in China raises reverse-engineering speculation

A recently uploaded video is doing the rounds on the internet, and it's easy to see why. The video depicts a Tesla Cybertruck cruising into a BYD facility in China, after being laboriously examined by a group of people, who appear to be BYD employees.

The Cybertruck has been a truly contentious product ever since it was first revealed over 4 years ago. There is no doubt that the electric pickup sports impressive technologies, but it hasn't escaped criticism - there has been major backlash over the vehicle's build quality. Another notable point of criticism is the Cybertruck's range when towing over long distances, which suffers considerably when its maximum towing capacity is approached.

However, the Cybertruck did sell extremely well, which likely made BYD interested in the vehicle. BYD has been locking horns with Tesla in terms of affordability and overall performance for a while now, and a Cybertruck alternative from the Chinese giant will likely iron out many of its eccentricities. Another possibility is that BYD is simply interested in the Cybertruck's technical innovations, such as its widely praised steer-by-wire system, which would be a wonderful addition to its future EVs.

Either way, companies taking inspiration from each other's products is nothing new, and the resulting progress in technology and affordability is almost always a triumph for the consumer. BYD, being the world's largest seller of EVs, clearly does not wish to be left on the sidelines either when it comes to embracing new technologies and product strategies.