[Watch] 82-year-old Ford retiree speechless after Cybertruck test drive
Jenny and Amanda met Kenny in the spring of 2021. He’s a Navy veteran with a chronic lung condition that makes walking long stretches a challenge. So, Kenny uses a scooter to get around. In September of that year, his scooter broke. The neighbors, now close friends, created a TikTok account, @patriotickenny, and quickly raised enough to replace his scooter. The crew didn’t stop there, either. They created a foundation that continues to gift scooters to veterans in need. What’s more, they continue to post their shenanigans. This one involves a Tesla Cybertruck, which Kenny dismissively waved off when he spotted the EV in the wild in December.
“That’s an Alexa! I mean a Tesla!”
After the Ford retiree explained that he doesn’t like fully electric cars, his neighbors decided to rent a Cybertruck and let Kenny check it out up close.
Jenny pulls up in the truck. At first, he doesn’t even want to look at it directly. “Oh, my goodness…” he laments. “I’m not going in there. No way.”
Kenny eventually cools off, stands up, and walks over to it. He can’t figure out how to open the doors, which are handleless stainless steel panels. He’s shown the tiny button near-hidden on the right rear window frame.
The veteran continues his walkaround, stopping to stare open-mouthed at the CT’s giant windshield wiper. In awe, he reaches out to touch the blade, but the truck quickly beeps at him. He’s taken aback. “It’s because I touched it?!” he exclaims.
The crew opens the Cybertruck frunk next.
“Where’s the engine?”
Of course, there isn’t one…the truck’s platform holds the battery system. Kenny’s in total shock at this point, and he hasn’t even driven the car.
When he’s told the front compartment is called a “frunk,” he responds, “I don’t like that word.”
They drive the Cybertruck to the Spam Museum
Jenny gives the veteran several lessons on how to drive a Tesla, which just isn’t intuitive for folks used to the traditional gear shifters and interior control knobs. To shift the EV into “Drive,” you have to swipe-to-turn the digital rendering of the truck on the infotainment screen to point up ahead of you. When you do that, the vehicle will just start moving forward.
It was all another big shock to Kenny, but after getting going, he admitted he was having a blast.
“This is fun!”
In one navigational exercise, he has to back up the CT to his scooter so they can load it up. When he puts the truck in reverse, he’s stunned again at the rear visibility shown on the screen. Two white lines trace out where the EV is headed based on his steering wheel position. “Oh my goodness, Amanda, I can’t believe this!”
After powering the Cybertruck down, Kenny sits silently in disbelief. After a pondersome moment, he asks, “How do you get out?”
