Review: Tesla Cyberquad for Kids is so much more than an electric kids toy

2023-03-08 16:38:20 By : Mr. Kevin Leung

When Tesla rolled out its Cyberquad alongside the grand reveal of its Cybertruck, the small electric four-wheeler somehow seemed almost more far-fetched than the electric pickup truck to its side. And while there’s still no clear date for when Tesla will eventually bring that awesome looking electric ATV to market, there’s a kids’ version that has already hit the ground rolling thanks to a partnership with Radio Flyer.

I had the chance to test out the Tesla Cyberquad for Kids recently, and I’m here to say that it’s so much fun even as an adult rider that it was hard to give up the saddle and let the kids have a turn riding it!

Keep in mind that the Tesla Cyberquad for Kids is ostensibly a kids toy, and so it’s nowhere close to the real thing in terms of size or power.

I’d call it about 1:2 scale or so. It’s large enough that I could still ride it, but I’m also 5’7″ (170 cm), so I’m not that far from kid-sized either. My 6′ (182 cm) brother-in-law managed on it, though I think he’d fit better on the real thing.

But of course, this isn’t really designed for adults anyways, so the size makes sense. My 8 and 10-year old nephews were a perfect match for it, once I finally let them have a go.

You can see the whole family testing it out in my video review below, which I’d recommend checking out to get a true sense of how awesome this little electric ATV really is. Then keep reading for all of the nitty-gritty details about this awesome electric four-wheeler.

This thing is theoretically made for kids, but don’t confuse it with some weak 12V Powerwheels ride on toy.

The Tesla Cyberquad for Kids, which was co-developed by Radio Flyer and Tesla, has some real power. That’s thanks to its 36V electrical system and 500W continuous-rated motor.

There are two speed settings, one for 5 mph (8 km/h) and one for 10 mph (16 km/h). You’ll only ever use the higher speed setting (at least, that’s how we used it). Perhaps if you put a really young child on there or one who doesn’t have the responsibility that 10 mph speeds command, then the low speed limit might be useful.

The say you’ll get 15 miles (25 km) of range from the 288 Wh battery when using the low-speed setting. Considering the battery could last basically all afternoon while we were riding in high-mode, it doesn’t appear to drain the charge that much faster.

I also love that it uses a lithium-ion battery, unlike almost all children’s ride-on electric toys that use lead acid batteries.

There’s a single disc brake on the solid rear axle and it seems work quite well, bringing the quad to a quick stop.

The big ol’ chunky tires work great off-road, even if most people will use the Cyberquad to terrorize their local neighborhood sidewalks. There’s even rear suspension, though it’s not independent suspension due to the single rear swingarm setup. The suspension is at least adjustable, meaning you can play with the pre-load to dial it in for the weight of different kids (or adults).

With a 150 lb rating (68 kg), I was about one sandwich away from being within the limit, so I considered that close enough. That meant it was time for me to get the first experience on the Tesla Cyberquad for Kids. (Hey, I have to make sure its safe before I put the kids on it, right?!)

Immediately upon blipping the throttle on the right handlebar, you realize this isn’t any ordinary kids toy – it has some serious power behind it that gets it up to its 10 mph speed quickly. I’m sure it wants to go even faster, but they’ve got it programmed to not let kids go too wild.

Even at its max weight capacity, it pulled me along effortlessly – it slows down a bit in dirt and tall grass, but not terribly noticeably.

It even has enough power to pull me up a 30% grade, which I created by driving it up a couple 2x6s into the bed of my mini electric pickup truck. There’s nothing like feeling of achieving that perfect fit of a mini Cyberquad in a mini electric truck.

The fact that this “kids toy” can pull an adult through grass and dirt (and up a big ramp) is pretty darn impressive.

When it came time for the kids to try it, the performance seemed even better. They come in at less than half my weight, which means the little electric quad really flies.

Cruising grassy knolls in the local park felt like the native habitat of the Tesla Cyberquad for Kids, and the cushioned seat helped make up for the modest suspension.

Between the spring, the air-filled tires and the seat, there was enough cushion for a pretty decent ride even over small roots and divots.

Anything bigger sent the kids bouncing a bit, but they’re young. They’ll be fine.

The quad is only big enough for one rider, but that doesn’t mean it can’t tow more. We hitched our little red wagon to the back of it and got even more Radio Flyer goodness going as the kids towed each other around the neighborhood. Again, this ain’t no weak Powerwheels. Tesla wasn’t going to put their name on an EV unless it was good. And this thing is great.

The only downside is it also comes with a Tesla price. You’ll want to sit down for this: It’s priced at $1,900. Or at least, it was.

Tesla started listing some products for sale in the cryptocurrency DOGE, meaning now the Cyberquad for Kids costs 14135 DOGE, or approximately US $2,100.

The only other wrinkle is that these things are now sold out and have turned into unobtainium. The only place you can find one, if you’re lucky, is for resale on sites like eBay. They’re also commanding several thousand dollars over MSRP, so its probably better to just wait for Radio Flyer to make more of these.

In the meantime, you can at least put your kids in a little red wagon and make Cyberquad whirring noises while they fly downhill.

It’s a lot cheaper, though not nearly as radical-looking.

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Micah Toll is a personal electric vehicle enthusiast, battery nerd, and author of the Amazon #1 bestselling books DIY Lithium Batteries, DIY Solar Power, The Ultimate DIY Ebike Guide and The Electric Bike Manifesto.

The e-bikes that make up Micah’s current daily drivers are the $999 Lectric XP 2.0, the $1,095 Ride1Up Roadster V2, the $1,199 Rad Power Bikes RadMission, and the $3,299 Priority Current. But it’s a pretty evolving list these days.

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