The EVs perform poorly on the front line compared to cheaper petrol machinery, Ramzan Kadyrov has said
Tesla Cybertrucks have proven unfit for use in warfare, the leader of Russia’s Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, said on Thursday.
Speaking in a TV broadcast, Kadyrov noted that while he did have the luxury electric car tested in the Ukraine conflict, it performed poorly compared to Russia’s UAZ Patriot.
“We sent it to war, installed a machine gun, but it was useless for war. Our Patriot is better in the war than this car,” he said.
Kadyrov added that he likes to joke around with Musk online.
“I like his character, his way of life, his conduct, his position in life. I like to banter with him on social media,” the Chechen leader said.
The regional leader’s earlier “banter” posted online included claims that Musk remotely deactivated Kadyrov’s Cybertruck.
“It wasn’t even my car,” the Chechen leader said, adding that he is sorry if his jokes caused any offense.
Kadyrov’s previous videos claiming that Musk gifted him one of the electric cars were a joke, he admitted.
In September, Kadyrov published a video of two Cybertrucks with machine guns mounted on them, driving through a wooded area and firing at a drone.
The Tesla Cybertruck is a luxury electric vehicle with a durable metal exterior – with the doors allegedly rated to withstand shots from .45 and 9mm handgun rounds – but was never designed for military use.
One of Kadyrov’s early videos claiming Musk donated him one of Tesla’s electric cars prompted accusations in the media that the billionaire was aiding Russia in the Ukraine conflict. The Tesla CEO denied the claims.
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