Tesla reversed its policy prohibiting Cybertruck resales in direct response to the difficulties of a single Salt Lake City man who couldn’t fit the angular electric pickup in his parking space. Blaine Raddon, a retired CEO, happily reserved a Cybertruck after watching the vehicle’s launch online. However, Raddon and his wife divorced after he placed the order and his living situation changed.
The Cybertrtuck owner moved out of his home and into an apartment complex. As a result, Raddon lost access to a driveway and had to fit his massive pickup into a parking spot. He saw no other option but to sell the Cybertruck, which measures over 18 feet long and nearly 8 feet wide. There was only one problem: Selling the jagged truck within the first year of ownership would violate the Tesla Vehicle Order Agreement, carrying the penalty of a $50,000 fine and a lifetime ban from buying the brand’s cars.
Raddon then took to social media to share his dilemma. He claims to the New York Post that the attention garnered provoked a response from Tesla:
“I got a call from the executive office,” Raddon explained. “It was a response to the article, and she said, ‘We changed those terms and conditions. You are free to sell your truck. We just haven’t published it yet.’ I made her send me an email, to make sure I had it in writing that I was okay to sell.” He shared the email with The Post.
The Cybertruck sold within a week, Raddon said, for $109,000.
The retired executive actually made a $2,000 profit on the sale. Raddon went on to purchase a Model 3 Performance, his sixth Tesla, to replace the stainless steel pickup. The automaker has yet to publish an updated version of the Vehicle Order Agreement so only time will tell if this is a genuine change of course or an attempt to publicly save face with a loyal customer.
The Cybertruck hasn’t been helping its own case with the public. All of the trucks—some 11,600 vehicles–were recalled because the wiper motor would fail due to excessive voltage. Last week, Tesla began telling owners that they were eligible for a free drive motor upgrade that sounded a lot like a covert recall. A suspicion supported by accounts of Cybertrucks unexpectedly accelerating despite the brakes being pinned to the floor.
