Jet-fueled Cybertruck boasts 650-mile range but looks viler than ever

We positively never would have thought we'd find ourselves missing the bent, jagged, curve-less body panels of the original Tesla Cybertruck, but here we are. In its defense, the "apocalypse-ready" Cybertruck Sting family does prepare the truck for full off-grid duty, loading it up with Starlink connectivity and a jet-fuel generator designed to offer a full recharge of Tesla's battery pack.

The new Sting series is the result of a collaboration between Archimedes Defense and Unplugged Performance. Based in Temecula, California, Archimedes specializes in aerospace-grade hybrid electric propulsion systems and gensets designed for defense and government applications. Unplugged, in Hawthorne, California, focuses on upgrade kits and components for Tesla vehicles, including tactical packages for law enforcement and government.

Together, they've turned the Cybertruck into this:

Ignoring that disjointed armoring kit as best we can for a second, the centerpiece of the new collaborative package comes from Archimedes in the form of its AMP Drive G125, to be mounted in the frunk. Capable of supercharging the Cybertruck at up to a planned 125 kW, the light, compact 800V genset will use a gearbox-free direct drive in generating power. Plans call for it to run on Jet A, JP-8, diesel and biodiesel fuels, adding flexibility for off-grid range extension. An included NACS charging cable and non-NACS adapters will allow owners to deliver a rescue charge to other electric vehicles.

Archimedes tells us that the G125 will be capable of fully charging the Cybertruck's battery, saying that the actual range-extended mileage will vary based on the battery size, truck trim, payload, etc, etc.

If the G125 works as planned, a full battery charge will as much as double the Cybertruck's estimated 250- to 340-mile (402- to 547-km) range all the way to a potential 680 miles (1,094 km), well beyond the 470 miles (757 km) Tesla advertises for its Cybertruck range-extender battery option. In that case, drivers will be able to ramble into the middle of nowhere without the anxiety of not having enough battery power to get back, the EV version of carrying a few jerry cans of gasoline or diesel in the back of an ICE truck.

On the upside for anyone still rubbing their aching eyeballs after looking at the hunk of prison-industrial mess posing as a truck above, the Sting can be ordered with the Archimedes generator and a sleeker, less overwrought body kit. That base model is called the Sting Baja, and it features Unplugged's simpler Invincible package.

The overland-inspired Invincible kit leaves most of the Cybertruck body unscathed, with the exception of a carbon fiber hood and fenders. It focuses more on off-road functionality, combining underbody skid protection, an upgraded suspension with lift kit, LED auxiliary lighting, heavy-duty steel bumpers and rock sliders, MOLLE panels, and a few other upgrades. The LED light bar embedded in the hood is a bit much, but the package feels much less invasive than what awaits up the line. The Baja also includes Starlink satellite internet connectivity for around-the-globe communications.

Things get real chunky real fast with the mid-tier "Sting Protector." This model creates a personal Cybertruck bunker behind bolt-on, bolt-off exterior steel plating capable of taking on 7.62-mm assault rifle fire from "key azimuths" – perfect for war lords, international criminals, and serious rabble-rousers. This package can be ordered with or without the Archimedes AMP Drive G125 – depending, we suppose, on whether you want to be able to recharge the truck and drive back through the murderous environs you survived on the escape leg of the trip.

If you'd prefer to become more actively involved in the warfare and unrest that surround you, rather than merely observing casually from behind bulletproof bodywork, we'd suggest upping your buy to the flagship Sting APC. It ensures even the driver's most leisurely commutes come complete with IED/mine-grade protection. The upgraded bolt-on, bolt-off exterior steel and ceramic plating is also ready to shield occupants from any 14.5-mm heavy machine gun fire that might drizzle down upon them. And, yes, we're still talking key azimuths.

Founded just last year, Archimedes says it's built gensets for use in governmental aviation applications but is still developing the Cybertruck G125 version. It plans to have it ready by late 2025, with genset-free Sting armored trucks launching earlier.

That's really a shame because the G125 is absolutely the coolest part of the package and probably the one prospective buyers not responsible for waging or defending against war will actually want and use.

While US$500 reservations are available, information about how much buyers will ultimately pay is not. Archimedes is not releasing pricing information publicly at the moment, noting that the builds are expected to be highly customized, with prices that vary accordingly.

Read: As expensive as a jet fuel-boosted bullet-and-explosive-shielding armored truck sounds.

For reference, Unplugged sells its base-level Invincible components à la carte, and buyers will be in the neighborhood of $40,000 for the entire package (truck not included). We suppose there might be a discount for getting the full kit all at once, but then there's also the price of all that ballistic armor and jet fuel generation to worry about on the Protector and APC models. Fair to say, most Cybertruck drivers will probably keep rolling the dice with Tesla's stock bulletproofing.

Source: Archimedes Defense