Tesla Cybertruck's Payload And Towing Specs Leak: A Let Down Compared To Gas Trucks?

Less than two weeks to go before the first of the Tesla Cybertruck deliveries begins, the vehicle has started arriving at Tesla dealerships. In fact, a handful of dealers in California have already put the Cybertruck on display. While the launch of the Tesla Cybertruck is imminent, Tesla has managed to do an excellent job of keeping the all-important tech specs of the vehicle under wraps. 

At this time, we know virtually nothing about the powertrain the Cybertruck may come equipped with. However, a promotional poster displayed at one of the showrooms showcasing the Cybertruck has inadvertently revealed the vehicle's payload and towing capacities.

The poster, displayed at the Tesla showroom located at UTC Mall in San Diego, highlights several features of the truck that we're already familiar with — including the stainless steel exoskeleton, shatter-resistant glass, and adaptive suspension. What sets this poster apart is the revelation of the Cybertruck's towing and payload capacities, which were previously unannounced. 

These figures — 11,000 pounds for towing and 2,500 pounds for payload — have sparked comparisons between the Cybertruck and established pickup trucks from brands like Ford, Chevrolet, and Ram.

#cybertruck at UTC mall. Sign confirms 2500lb payload / 11,000 lb towing pic.twitter.com/QCgQMqEP1c

— Dylan (@dyldebus) November 20, 2023

Given the possibility of Tesla coming up with at least two variants of the Cybertruck with different powertrains, there is some ambiguity regarding whether the revealed towing and payload capacities are specific to the top-tier, high-performance variant, or the smaller and more affordable, but less powerful variant.

Now that we have some numbers about the payload and towing capacity of the Tesla Cybertruck, we have something to compare its performance against some of its potential rivals.

Starting with its 11,000-pound towing capacity, this number is lower in comparison to the likes of the 2023 Ford F-150 (14,000 pounds), 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (up to 13,300 pounds), and the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado HD (up to 20,000 pounds). In fact, this number looks much lower when compared to the 2024 Ford Super Duty (up to 40,000 pounds), and the 2024 Ram HD (37,090 pounds).

That said, the Tesla Cybertruck's claimed ability to haul heavy payloads tops out at a capacity of 2,500 pounds, which is more than the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (2,260 pounds), Ford F-150 (2,455 pounds), and Ram 1500 (2,300 pounds).

However, when compared to heavy-duty trucks from Chevrolet, Ford, and Ram, the Cybertruck's payload capacity seems rather inadequate. Take the case of the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD, which has a payload capacity of 7,234 pounds; the Ford Super Duty, which claims a payload capacity of 8,000 pounds; and the Ram HD, which can lug around 7,680 pounds of cargo.

When compared to its EV rival — the Rivian R1T — the Cybertruck's towing and payload capacities are almost identical. The Rivian RT1 can tow 11,000 pounds, while its payload capacity — at 1,760 pounds — is lower than that of the Cybertruck's 2,500 pounds.

It remains to be seen whether these leaked payload and towing capacities of the Cybertruck end up being true, but these numbers may be disappointing depending on what potential buyers were expecting of Tesla's angular EV truck.