Fact Check: Is the Kanye Cybertruck design real or fake? Viral video debunked

Recently, a claim arose on social media that Kanye West’s apparel line Yeezy launched a Cybertruck design worth over a million dollars. It first emerged on May 22 when an X post by Jason Bjorn revealed a 12-second video showing a shiny black pyramid-shaped Cybertruck pulling out of a garage and driving off. The caption of the post read:

“Kanye West – Yeezy Cybertruck. Fire? Or Trash?”

Meanwhile, the clip also contained the text, “Kanye previews his new Yeezy Cyber Truck going for $1.2M. Only 3 made in the US.” In the wake of this, netizens began reacting to the viral video.

However, soon, community notes clarified that Kanye West’s Yeezy did not launch any Cybertruck. It further added that the futuristic vehicle in the video was a design developed by footwear company United Nude a couple of years ago.

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Kanye West did not unveil any Cybertruck design

Last week, a video appeared on social media claiming that rapper and businessman Kanye West unveiled a Cybertruck design under his clothing label Yeezy. The post first emerged on a meme-based page on X called @JasonBjorn5 which soon garnered enough traction online.

However, readers added context to the video shortly, which clarified that the design was at least three years old and was part of a promotional campaign done by footwear brand United Sole.

The community notes also contained a link to the Car and Driver website which revealed that the vehicle in the state-of-the-art vehicle is called Lo-Res Car. It was sold on the auction site Bring a Trailer in October 2021 for a whopping $111, 111 against the base price of $45, 000.

It was developed by United Nude founder Rem D. Koolhaas and although its design was similar to the Cybertruck by Elon Musk's Tesla, it was actually inspired by “an abstract, low-resolution version of the Lamborghini Countach.”

The article further informed that the car had four original prototypes, one of which even won a Wallpaper Magazine Design Award in 2016. The one in the viral video was “chassis number three” and was made of 12 tinted clear polycarbonate panels, based on a steel-tube frame, and powered by a 5-kilowatt electric motor.

It has the capacity of a single-speed transmission, meaning it could never catch up to a good speed. When looked at closely, the car also showed rectangular light bars in the front and rear with illuminated United Nude logos.

Not only that but the remote-controlled Lo-Res Car was up at the auction not by its creator but by the Petersen Automotive Museum. Half of its proceeds were meant to maintain the museum’s collection and the other half went to an environmental nonprofit called Energy Independence Now.

Hence, the car has no relation to Kanye West or his clothing line Yeezy, with the recent video being fabricated. Moreover, the Vultures 1 rapper has not shared the viral video on any of his social media accounts.

In fact, Kanye West has yet to announce any interest in the car manufacturing business. Instead, he is currently gearing up for the launch of the Yeezy P*rn line which has garnered controversy online and also reportedly led to the resignation of Yeezy chief of staff Milo Yiannopoulos.