Ford boss says viral Tesla Cybertruck rescue video “not an ad’

Ford CEO Jim Farley has responded to footage of a Ford F-Series seemingly rescuing a Tesla Cybertruck after it became stuck on a snow-covered hill.

The clip – posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter – shows an electric Cybertruck loaded with a pine tree being pulled up the rough snowy incline by a Ford F-Series pick-up, a towing strap clearly visible between the two vehicles.

Following heated debates below the post – including suggestions by some Tesla fans that the incident was staged – Mr Farley reposted the video with the caption:

“Just to be clear… this is a Super Duty and NOT advertising. Glad a Ford owner was there to help.”

Replying to another commenter under the video, he said: “If you spend enough time on trails, it happens to everyone at some point.”

Despite the Ford CEO’s post, some users were seemingly not convinced, one writing: “This is 10/10 advertising”.

Ford has an electric pick-up of its own, the F-150 Lightning, which went on sale in 2022, but has seen sales slump after a series of price rises, and production reduced as a result.

Others on X speculate the Cybertruck footage was taken during prior to the start of customer deliveries on November 30 – despite the seasonal Christmas tree cargo – with claims it was a pre-production version being deliberately stretched to its limits, and on different, road-focused tyres to the showroom model.

The first examples of the Cybertruck were delivered to owners at a special event in November 2023, where Musk reiterated bold claims about the electric pick-up’s performance, including its off-road capability.

Mr Farley also posted on X – owned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk – he had received documents from Musk on how to design a vehicle with a 48-volt electrical architecture as used by the Cybertruck, with Ford working on a similar system.