The U.S. Air Force plans to use two Tesla Cybertrucks for live-fire missile testing at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, according to documents cited by Stars and Stripes, as reported by The New York Post.
The move is part of a larger Department of Defense contract to acquire 33 vehicles to support U.S. Special Operations Command.
Each Cybertruck, which carries a price tag of roughly $80,000, will be tested in combat simulation environments to assess their performance and durability.
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The decision reflects the military’s assessment that adversaries may incorporate similar electric vehicles in future combat zones.
In its justification for the acquisition, the Air Force noted, “The Cybertruck’s aggressively angular and futuristic design, paired with its unpainted stainless steel exoskeleton, sets it apart from competitors typically using painted steel or aluminum bodies.”
The documents also highlight the Cybertruck’s 48-volt electrical architecture, which the Air Force described as providing “superior power and efficiency, a feature that rivals are only beginning to develop.”
Despite its distinctive appearance and advanced electrical capabilities, the military found that the vehicle does not withstand damage at the level expected from a major impact.
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Tesla’s Cybertruck has faced several high-profile setbacks in both performance and public perception. The company saw a 51% year-over-year drop in Cybertruck sales in the past quarter, according to data published by Cox Automotive.
Since its debut in 2019, the electric truck has been met with both enthusiasm and criticism. CEO Elon Musk’s initial presentation of the truck featured a failed demonstration of its supposedly unbreakable windows.
Tesla’s chief designer threw a metal ball at the truck during the event, shattering two of the windows onstage.
In response, Tesla later released a promotional video showing the Cybertruck withstanding gunfire from multiple weapons, including a tommy gun, a pistol, and a shotgun.
The two Cybertrucks will now join other military-grade test vehicles used in missile launching scenarios, designed to replicate real-world battlefield conditions.
⚡️US Air Force wants Tesla Cybertrucks… for target practice.
The Air Force is buying two Tesla Cybertrucks to use as target vehicles for testing precision munitions.
Why? Because they think future enemies might actually be driving them.
Source: TWZ pic.twitter.com/8dSe3i5DD8
— The Global Monitor (@theglobal4u) August 7, 2025
It remains unclear whether additional Cybertrucks will be evaluated for broader military application, or if their role will be limited to serving as target vehicles in the field.
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