A Tesla Cybertruck pulled up to the glass entrance doors of Trump International Hotel Las Vegas on New Year's Day, began emitting smoke and then exploded, according to authorities.

And then there was the rocky rollout: the viral videos of a Cybertruck getting stuck in snow or sand; the numerous recalls (seven since its launch in December 2023), including one related to a faulty accelerator pedal; and Musk’s emergence as a stalwart supporter of Donald Trump and a purveyor of racist, rightwing conspiracies.