Tesla Cybertruck: 'wash immediately' pedantic cleaning recommendations spark indignation

As the Tesla Cybertruck ends up in the hands of regular civilians, information about its idiosyncrasies, like its propensity for chopping carrots in tight seams, will be uncovered. The latest oddity comes courtesy of T Sportline, who posted the Cybertruck owner's manual in its entirety to YouTube.

As per the owner's manual, Tesla's official recommendations for maintaining the finish on the Cybertruck's stainless steel body stain-free is to clean stains immediately.

To prevent damage to the exterior, immediately remove corrosive substances (such as grease, oil, bird droppings, tree resin, dead insects, tar spots, road salt, industrial fallout, etc.). Do not wait until Cybertruck is due for a complete wash. If necessary, use denatured alcohol to remove tar spots and stubborn grease stains, then immediately wash the area with water and a mild, non-detergent soap to remove the alcohol.

The cause for this sensitivity to corrosive substances is the result of using raw stainless steel that lacks the protective clear coat that almost every other car on the roads has to safeguard against cosmetic damage.

If you've been following the news and development of the Cybertruck at all, this issue will likely be familiar already. Earlier Cybertruck release candidate prototypes were spotted on test drives with unsightly stains on the stainless steel panels. It was also a common criticism of the electric pickup truck's design leading up to the late November launch.

Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, have also routinely advertised the Cybertruck as an apocalypse-ready EV, claiming the pickup truck is "built for any planet," making the demanding aesthetic upkeep somewhat ironic. Ultimately, the durability of the Cybertruck's stainless steel body panels remains to be seen, but Tesla's expectations of stains and corrosion from everyday hazards doesn't inspire confidence in those posting on X (formerly Twitter).

Others, however, noted that the Cybertruck is meant to be a working truck not meant for those who obsess over having a clean car, and that the EV should wear any stains or corrosion as a badge of honour.

Buy a Cybertruck 1/24 die-cast metal toy car on Amazon, or read about the Cybertruck's development in Walter Isaacson's biography of Elon Musk.