The internet can't seem to get enough of Braden Smith's TikTok videos of him using his Tesla Cybertruck to care for his 2,000-acre farm.
Jonathan LimehouseUSA TODAY
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When farmer Braden Smith drives his Tesla Cybertruck around Idaho Falls, Idaho, he either gets a "middle finger or the thumbs up."
"It's insane because I really am a nice guy," Smith, 34, told USA TODAY.
Smith, who is also an online content creator, has gone viral for an unlikely pairing: using the shiny, electric Cybertruck to care for his family-owned 2,000-acre farm full of wheat and potatoes instead of the typical heavy-duty pickup a farmer might typically prefer. His videos on TikTok have amassed millions of views, and he's only had the vehicle since April.
"It's been fun," Smith said of owning the Cybertruck. "A lot of the times when I talk to people they're very skeptical about it ... you could literally weld all day with this thing and still be OK. It's been good for around the farm."
Trading an F-250 for a 'stainless steel fridge'
Before buying the Cybertruck, Smith said he would trade in his pickup trucks quite often. In December 2023, when Smith was planning on trading in his F-250, he received an invite to configure a Cybertruck.
Smith said he justified the purchase due to the 50 amp style plug in the back of the Cybertruck which he uses to power his welder and plasma compressor.
"I think if you itemized down everything I wanted in a pickup for the farm, I mean this fits the majority of those wants and needs," he said. "It was just unfortunate that it kind of looks like a stainless steel fridge."
TikTok of cats singing Queen began Braden Smith's virality
Smith's initial viral TikTok post was shared in May 2021 and involved a wallpaper of cats singing Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." The post has over 16 million views.
"It just kind of blew up," Smith said about the viral TikTok in 2021. "We thought that was interesting so we decided to kind of ride it out and keep making content."
Smith said he considered the video "pretty silly," but when it "took off," he began noticing how lucrative monetizing content could be.
Braden Smith did not buy the Cybertruck to 'go green'
Smith, who drives the Cybertruck every day, said he saves a lot of fuel although he did not really buy the vehicle to "go green" or save on gas.
"I mean everybody's saying it's so wonderful that you're going green and everything, and then they see that my license plate reads 'Coal Fed,'" Smith said. "They start scratching their heads."
A small drawback Smith has with the Cybertruck is the vehicle's towing capabilities.
While towing things with the truck has not been a huge issue for him because he lives about 40 minutes from his farm in Rexburg, he did acknowledge that the vehicle may not be able to tow heavy stuff for longer than 150 to 200 miles.
What is the Cybertruck?
Introduced by Tesla founder Elon Musk in 2019, the Cybertruck is marketed as an electric pickup truck "built for any adventure," according to the automotive company.
“Finally, the future will look like the future," Musk said when he unveiled the Cybertruck during a demo in 2019.
However, the Cybetruck has had its pitfalls, as Tesla has issued several voluntary recalls since its release. The automaker recalled thousands of the trucks in June due to a windshield wiper malfunction and a trunk bed trim issue.
Other farmers may pick up on the Cybertruck
Despite the minor towing issue and perplexed looks from people in town, Smith said he enjoys the Cybertruck and the vehicle is nothing like he's "ever driven before or had on his farm."
"It's really fast (and) it's fun to drive," he said about the Cybertruck. "I'll be going 60 miles an hour down one of my dirt roads and it's just gliding."
Cyberucks could be appealing to farmers going forward, especially when Tesla comes out with more affordable and readily available models, according to Smith.
"It's funny because you drive down the road and everybody's like 'so much money,' and yet they're also passing King Ranch's, Denali's and other high spec pickups, but nobody blinks an eye," he said. "I think it's totally possible that other people pick up on (Cybertrucks)."
