Outrage as Tesla starts shipping $3,000 Cybertruck tent that looks nothing like as advertised

Cybertruck customers are once again outraged over broken promises after Tesla started shipping the first batch of tent attachments that leaves much to be desired.

The Basecamp tent, which comes with the hefty price tag of $3,000, appears to be missing the allure of the company's promotional pictures, including an 'ultra-soft mattress' and 'enhanced camping experience.'

Advertisements of the Basecamp tent boasted that it would evenly attach to the back of the Cybertruck and a video shows two parents and a child fitting comfortably in the tent and screened windows to provide 'a view of the stars.'

But, new owners have shared videos and pictures of what appeared to be a tarp extension on the back of their new EV truck, with some saying it wasn't any different from a traditional tent and could fit a maximum of two people.

Tesla's Cybertruck Basecamp tent looked more like a tarp than the sleek design the company promised when it advertised the attachment

Tesla released photos of its Basecamp tent when it announced the Cybertruck in 2019, promising a unique and comfortable camping experience

The Basecamp tent costs $3,000 in addition to upwards of $90,000 that the Cybertruck costs

'Nothing about the 2019 CyberTruck reveal is meeting expectations,' X user Dangum P.I. posted on the Elon Musk-owned platform.

'The reality is this thing is a monumental failure. Which is unfortunate because it could have been a revolutionary.'

Plump Pixel, a design company, also shared on X that it believes the Basecamp tent is basically an 'unpolished homeless encampment.' 

Tesla revealed its Cybertruck and Basecamp add-on in 2019 and finally started shipping the vehicle to buyers at the end of November 2023 but consumers still couldn't purchase the tent until early last month.

The installation process isn't as simple and straightforward as Tesla advertises, because before the buyer can use the tent, they need to visit a Tesla Service Center to have a professional attach tent brackets to the vehicle's side rails.

The manual pump needed to inflate the tent also makes it a more time-consuming process than buyers were led to believe. 

The tent is also supposed to have an auto leveling feature, called 'Tent Mode,' which works by straightening out the Cybertruck so the person doesn't feel like they're sliding out of the tent if the car is parked on an incline.

The reality of the Basecamp tent (pictured) looks nothing like the expectation in Tesla's pictures

Tesla advertised a comfortable sleeping experience (pictured) with a 'high-quality mattress'

The Basecamp tent can only be installed after visiting the Tesla Service Center to attach the tent brackets

One Cybertruck owner posted their experience on the Cybertruck Owners Club website, calling the supposed 'Tent Mode' feature 'MIA (missing in action).' 

The buyer reported that the lack of 'Tent Mode' feature is 'a bit of a red flag because the rumored self-levelling element is a pretty big deal for roof-top-tent camping.

'Briefly laying on the sleeping mat while parked in my gently sloped driveway I could feel myself rolling downhill.'

READ MORE: New Cybertruck owners are re-selling EVs for more than $200,000 

New Cybertruck owners are bound to a contract that prohibits them from re-selling the EV before one year or face a $50,000 fine. 

While the Cybertruck user said he does does love the new vehicle, he added: 'The jury is still out on the Basecamp because I'm not yet convinced that the brilliant elements outweigh the areas that need improvement.' 

The 'Tent Mode' is an important facet to the Basecamp installation process and is supposed to be accessible through the vehicle's touchscreen.

'It costs three thousand dollars and the instructions tell you to activate 'Tent Mode,' which does not exist in the car,' one person complained on X.

Cybertruck owners previously issued complaints that their $60,000 to $96,000 vehicles were showing signs of rust less than two weeks after purchasing them.

Shortly after the Cybertruck was released, buyers said they noticed orange spots had formed after driving the Cybertruck for two days in the rain.

'The Cybertruck has 381 miles on it, and has spent much of the 11 days in my custody parked in front of my house,' a customer wrote in a Cybertruck Owners Club post.

'Cold weather, rain and some direct sunlight later, I attached a few photos of the corrosion spots and a video.'

While there are some positive reviews about the Cybertruck's smooth ride, design and engineering, the verdict appears to still be out for some who question if the high-dollar price tag and lofty add-on features is worth it.