Most pickup owners take years to cross 86,000 miles. Rafael, known online as TesLatino, reached that mark in about a year and a half.
According to Rafael, he took delivery of his Foundation Series Cybertruck on March 4, 2024. As VIN 1110, the vehicle was among the first 500 customer-delivered units. Just three days after taking possession, he swapped the factory tires for all-terrain rubber and pointed the truck toward Moab.
From that point forward, the truck functioned as an expedition platform rather than a daily commuter. It traversed Canada, reached the Arctic Ocean, and evolved into a dedicated overlanding rig fitted with an adventure rack, rooftop tent, Starlink satellite gear, auxiliary freezers, and off-road lighting. Rafael notes that after leaving on an extended road trip in June 2024, he effectively never returned home.
“The truck has been perfectly fine,” Rafael wrote while discussing the remote trails and destinations he has visited with the Cybertruck.
What 80,000 Miles Revealed About Cybertruck Range and Energy Use
Battery degradation remains a central concern for EV
Battery degradation remains a central concern for EV buyers, especially those relying heavily on DC fast chargers.
Over more than 86,000 miles, Rafael logged roughly 49,100 kWh of total charging, with 90% of sessions occurring at Tesla Superchargers. Despite heavy fast charging, he reported relatively stable displayed range during the truck’s first 80,000 miles.
- Estimated range when new: 318 miles
- Estimated range at 50,000 miles: 309 miles
- Estimated range near 80,000 miles: 305 miles
Rafael attributes much of the efficiency loss to physical modifications rather than battery degradation alone. Average energy consumption increased from approximately 471 Wh/mile in stock form to roughly 525 Wh/mile after adding off-road tires, an adventure rack, and camping gear.
Real-world range varied sharply depending on driving conditions:
- Towing or mountain climbs: 120 to 163 miles of total range
- Highway cruising at 75 mph: Approximately 230 miles
- Low-speed remote expeditions: Up to nine hours of continuous driving on routes like the Dempster Highway
| Cybertruck Ownership Overview | Details |
|---|---|
| Delivery Date | March 4, 2024 |
| Model & VIN | Foundation Series Dual-Motor |
| Production Standing | One of the first 500 customer deliveries |
| Mileage at Long-Term Review | 86,000+ miles (logged in 18 months) |
| Current Reported Mileage | 135,726 miles |
| PCS Failure & Tow | ~80,000 miles in July 2025; 90-mile flatbed tow |
| Battery Replacement | Las Vegas Tesla Service Center (August 2025) |
| Hardware Replaced to Date | Tonneau parts, rear drive unit (evaluation), front inverter, PCS, HV battery |
| Supercharger Usage | Approximately 90% DC fast charging |
A Desert Breakdown and the Warranty Coverage Debate
The first major mechanical setback occurred around July 2025 at approximately 80,000 miles.
While traveling through the California desert, Rafael says
While traveling through the California desert, Rafael says the truck suffered a sudden Power Conversion System (PCS) failure. The breakdown required a 90-mile flatbed tow to Tesla’s service center in Upland, California.
Because the PCS handles high-voltage power routing and charging functions, failures involving the component have received considerable attention within Cybertruck owner communities.
According to Rafael, Tesla initially classified the Power Conversion System (PCS) repair under the vehicle’s 4-year/50,000-mile Basic Limited Warranty rather than its longer 8-year/150,000-mile Powertrain Warranty.
Because the truck had already surpassed 50,000 miles
Because the truck had already surpassed 50,000 miles at the time of the desert breakdown, Tesla’s initial warranty classification meant the failure fell outside the active coverage window, leading to an initial dispute over out-of-pocket repair costs before Tesla later issued a refund.
He says Tesla ultimately refunded the repair cost, but the classification became a point of disagreement during the repair process. For owners following Cybertruck reliability and warranty coverage discussions, the classification was notable because the PCS sits at the intersection of charging and high-voltage power systems, two areas many drivers naturally associate with powertrain coverage.
Compromised Seals Led to a Battery Replacement
Weeks after the PCS repair, while visiting Moab, Utah, recurring high-voltage fault messages began interrupting Supercharging sessions. As charging errors escalated during his drive toward Nevada, Rafael diverted the truck to the Las Vegas Tesla Service Center.
According to Rafael, Tesla later told him technicians
According to Rafael, Tesla later told him technicians traced the issue back to the earlier PCS repair. He says Tesla informed him that seals reused during that repair allowed dust intrusion into the enclosure during thousands of subsequent miles of off-road travel. According to his account, that contamination caused intermittent electrical shorts that ultimately damaged the high-voltage battery system.
Tesla subsequently approved and installed a brand-new high-voltage battery pack under warranty.
Most ownership stories would end there.
Instead, Rafael went on to add roughly another 50,000 miles after the battery replacement and eventually reached 135,726 miles.
Range and Charging Performance After the Battery Swap
Rather than retiring the vehicle after a major component replacement, Rafael continued accumulating miles.
Rafael says the replacement battery improved baseline performance:
- Estimated range restored to approximately 319 miles, slightly above the 318-mile figure he originally recorded when the truck was new
- Improved charging behavior with a stronger charging curve than the original battery pack
“Range is possibly the only thing I wish was better,” Rafael later wrote, while also noting that aerodynamic drag and overlanding equipment remain the truck’s biggest range limitations.
Reliability After 135,726 Miles: Hardware Updates vs. Real-World Use
Long-term ownership stories often fall into one of two categories: flawless operation or endless repairs.
This case lands somewhere in between.
The truck accumulated more than 86,000 miles
The truck accumulated more than 86,000 miles in about 18 months, crossed Canada, reached the Arctic Ocean, tackled Moab trails, and served as a full-time adventure vehicle. Yet it also experienced a PCS failure, required a 90-mile tow, became the subject of a warranty coverage disagreement, and ultimately received a battery replacement.
Rafael has also described other service visits over the truck’s life, including tonneau-cover work, a rear drive unit evaluation and swap by Tesla engineers, and a front inverter replacement.
At 135,726 miles, this Cybertruck stands among the highest-mileage examples publicly documented.
How This Cybertruck Compares to Typical Truck Ownership
Most truck owners spend years learning how their vehicle holds up over time. Rafael compressed that experience into about two and a half years, accumulating 135,726 miles while using the Cybertruck for cross-country travel, Arctic expeditions, off-road adventures, and extended overlanding trips.
That level of use helps explain why
That level of use helps explain why his ownership story is so unusual. Rather than testing the Cybertruck through routine commuting, he effectively turned it into a full-time adventure vehicle and exposed it to the kind of long-distance, high-demand use many owners never experience.
More Than 135,000 Miles Later, He’d Still Buy Another One
For many owners, a breakdown at roughly 80,000 miles followed by a battery replacement might be enough to move on.
Yet Rafael kept driving.
The most interesting part of Rafael’s story isn’t the PCS failure, the tow truck ride, or even the battery replacement. After all those setbacks, he added roughly another 50,000 miles and kept using the Cybertruck for the kind of long-distance adventures that created those miles in the first place. More than two and a half years after taking delivery, he says he would still make the same purchase again.
Does the Tesla Cybertruck powertrain warranty cover the PCS?
According to Rafael’s account, Tesla initially classified
According to Rafael’s account, Tesla initially classified his PCS repair under the 50,000-mile Basic Limited Warranty rather than the 8-year/150,000-mile Powertrain Warranty. His individual case does not necessarily establish Tesla policy for all PCS repairs.
How much range did this Cybertruck lose during its first 80,000 miles?
According to Rafael, displayed range declined from 318 miles when new to roughly 305 miles near 80,000 miles. He believes modifications and overlanding equipment contributed significantly to that change.
What caused the battery replacement in this Cybertruck?
According to Rafael, Tesla technicians told him that reused seals from an earlier PCS repair let dust contaminate the enclosure, causing intermittent electrical shorts that ultimately damaged the battery system.
Would a PCS breakdown and battery replacement before
Would a PCS breakdown and battery replacement before 100,000 miles be a deal-breaker for you, or does adding another 50,000 miles afterward suggest the repairs ultimately held up to real-world use?
Blake Lowry is a tech forward automotive enthusiast with a background in software development and animation working with clients such as Car & Driver, Hot Wheels, Google, Microsoft and the History Channel where he contributed on various interactive experiences. Blake’s automotive passion is centered around his hands-on experience with electric cars and trucks, alternative/green energy and practical applications in the real world. At Torque News, Blake’s articles focus on Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, Rivian R1T, Ford F-150 PowerBoost, Ford Maverick hybrid, Chevy Bolt and Slate Truck coverage.
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Render and images by Blake Lowry.
