Gary Zhou 
Key Points
- 🏆 The Tesla Cybertruck received the “Disruptor of the Year” award from Top Gear for 2023.
- 🚚 The all-electric pickup truck, despite initial doubts, is set for delivery in less than two days.
- 🎥 Top Gear filmed footage with the Cybertruck, to be released after the delivery event at Giga Texas.
- 🤔 Top Gear’s history with Tesla includes a past controversy with the original Tesla Roadster, but now they acknowledge the Cybertruck’s production success.
- 📅 The award is particularly noteworthy given the skepticism surrounding the Cybertruck’s production since its unveiling four years ago.
The Tesla Cybertruck has not started its deliveries yet, but the all-electric pickup truck is already gathering some accolades. One of these was granted by British motoring magazine Top Gear, which gave the Tesla Cybertruck its “Disruptor of the Year” award for 2023.
In a recently posted video, Top Gear editor-in-chief Jack Rix admitted that they actually did not think that the Cybertruck would make it to production. But it did, and the all-electric pickup truck is less than two days away from being delivered to its first customers. Top Gear also filmed some footage with the all-electric pickup truck, though the video would likely be released following the Cybertruck delivery event at Giga Texas on Thursday.
Top Gear’s sentiments surrounding the Cybertruck are unsurprising, as many, such as the typical Tesla critic, have assumed that the all-electric pickup truck would not be produced at all. The vehicle just seemed like it was just too different, too strange, to actually bring to production. Yet four years since its unveiling and the Tesla Cybertruck is here, ready for its initial deliveries.
The Cybertruck’s Disruptor of the Year award from Top Gear is particularly interesting considering the motoring publication’s history with Tesla. Back during the time of the original Tesla Roadster, Top Gear ran a segment with presenter Jeremy Clarkson that claimed that the all-electric sports car ran out of range at the track. Tesla sued Top Gear for libel, though the automaker lost the case as the courts noted that no viewers of the show, which is known for its nonserious nature, would be likely to reasonably compare the Roadster’s performance on the segment with its real-world capabilities.
Following the lawsuit, Tesla would stop providing its cars to Top Gear for testing, though presenters such as Richard Hammond did test a Model S in a written article for The Mirror. The Model S, however, was not provided by Tesla. Former Top Gear Jeremy Clarkson, who was behind the Roadster controversy, later reviewed a Tesla Model X for The Grand Tour, though the vehicle was also not provided by Tesla.
Watch Top Gear’s 2023 awards in the video below.
