Well, well, well, folks, it seems like Elon is back to grinding the axe once again. The Twitter king troll is making headway in yet another industry.
Do you remember the controversy over the costly Apple cleaning cloth? We might not have had the money to buy the overpriced cleaning accessory, but we can still afford some tangible memes.
Elon Musk made money working with the early internet in the 1990s. He became the founder of Tesla in the 2000s and later started SpaceX and The Boring Company. He reached the final frontier in the 2020s and started developing an army of cyborgs called Optimus. And it appears that the renegade tycoon has now focused his attention on... whistles?
The stainless-steel Cyberwhistle is definitely making a statement even though it doesn't have any outstanding tech (that we are aware of). It is just a Tesla whistle. Tesla hasn't yet started manufacturing its Cybertruck, yet devout Tesla fans who must have something brand-new and related to the much-awaited and delayed electric pick-up can now purchase a Tesla whistle or 'Cyberwhistle' for $70.
Introducing: The Tesla Whistle
The yet-to-be-released Tesla Cybertruck served as inspiration for the Cyber whistle, which has now sold out and is being listed on resale websites.
Musk posted a link to the website on Tuesday for his 65.1 million followers to see along with the statement "Blow the whistle on Tesla," which may or may not be a wink, a challenge, or a threat to those former workers who have already tried to do exactly that. “Don’t waste your money on that silly Apple Cloth, buy our whistle instead,” he later tweeted.
Customers who click the link will get the following message:
“Inspired by Cybertruck, the limited-edition Cyberwhistle is a premium collectible made from medical-grade stainless steel with a polished finish. The whistle includes an integrated attachment feature for added versatility.
Note: Cyberwhistle is non-exchangeable and non-refundable due to hygiene reasons, unless due to product defect.”
In recent months, Tesla has faced lawsuits launched by whistleblowers alleging sexual harassment and racial abuse, targeting the world's most valuable auto manufacturer.
The Cyber whistle is described as a limited-edition "luxury collectible" constructed of "medical-grade stainless steel with a polished finish" in Tesla's online shop.
The Apple Cloth, in contrast, is a $19 polishing cloth for wiping the wide range of products made by the tech giant. Shortly after the "Unleashed" Apple event, the Apple Cloth became available for purchase; at one time, backorders reached over 12 weeks.
More Cyber Products
Tesla may introduce further "cyber"-branded items before the Cybertruck reaches the roads, and the Cyberwhistle may be just one of them. Future "cyber" merch from the business may do well financially if the Cyberwhistle's success is any indicator. Our own Cyberbackpack and Cyberpowerbank are offshoots of the same concept.
Tesla submitted a trademark application to the USPTO earlier this year for the moniker "Cyberquad"—not for the ATV specifically, but for associated products including games, toys, sporting goods, and clothes.
Given that other businesses, like Mattel, have already benefited from people's infatuation with the electric truck, it seems like a no-brainer that Tesla will release more "cyber" items prior to the Cybertruck's arrival.
Elon Musk recently stated on Twitter that the Tesla Cybertruck, which was publicly shown in November 2019, would receive a clear production schedule during the Q4 earnings conference. The brand-new Giga Texas factory will produce the electric vehicle.
Initial Cybertruck manufacturing would start somewhere in 2022, with volume production following in 2023, according to information provided during Tesla's 2021 annual meeting of stockholders, which took place in early October.
Demand for the Tesla whistle quickly exceeded supply due to its popularity. Not only did it sell out rapidly, but eager resellers had already posted the item on eBay with prices ranging from $150 to $300 in some cases, but as high as $2,250 in others.
What's even stranger is that we discovered many Cyberwhistles that had sold for more than $200 on eBay.
The whole "whistleblowing" prank is a comical take on what seems to be a very genuine problem for the American EV company, even though the whistle is an interesting addition to Tesla's collection of limited-edition novelty products, which also includes a $1,500 surfboard that sold out just as quickly.
Buying With DogeCoin
Many individuals expressed their dissatisfaction at the time, not being able to buy this novelty item. The Cyberwhistle's price skyrocketed and it was going for as much as $200 on the secondary market, almost no one could afford this.
Most likely seeing this trend, Tesla brought the Cyberwhistle back to the company's online store. The Cyber whistle this time, however, differs in that only DogeCoin could be used to buy it.
For the whistle, the manufacturer was asking 645 Dogecoins. Considering that 1 dogecoin is now selling at $0.064, 645 dogecoins would be equivalent to roughly $42.
Even though the price of the Tesla whistle has increased from $50 to $70, it still appears to be available for purchase at Tesla's online store. But if the past is any indication, you should place your order for the Cybertruck-inspired whistle right away to avoid running out of stock. Tesla themselves recognized its value, which is why they keep bringing it back, joke or not. The price increase is justified too because of it being a restock, in that it shouldn't technically be available at all right now.
Elon’s Unusual Fundraising
This is not the first time Elon Musk has used strange merch to earn revenue for his numerous businesses.
The "world's most boring hat," which was introduced by his tunnel-digging startup The Boring Company in 2017, immediately sold out and brought in $1 million for the fledgling business.
A few months later, the business introduced a $500 flamethrower, which sold out in a matter of days and brought in $10 million for The Boring Company.
The same is the case for the Cyber whistle. Put up, sold out, restocked, sold out, over and over again.
They even make a Giga Texas Belt Buckle for anyone that likes to wear obnoxiously large buckles on their belt. It was a way to commemorate Tesla’s newest gigafactory. The buckle's elaborate design features a large T logo on top of the Texas Lone Star. Every belt buckle produced by Giga Texas is made of die-cast zinc that has been etched and then given an antique silver finish.
Conclusion
Elon Musk unveiled the Tesla whistle, and less than two hours later it was marked as being out of stock. The Cyberwhistle gives a glimpse as to how future Tesla "cyber" items may perform.
Who knows how the Cyberwhistle fits into those categories, but it is certain that "cyber" items are on the way.
Before the Cybertruck, Tesla may introduce more "cyber" products. The company's all-electric pickup debuted two years ago and has already established itself as a sort of cultural icon.
It makes sense for Tesla to develop its own line of "cyber" products as Hot Wheels and Mattel have already sold a bunch of "Cybertruck" merchandise.
This is probably the best way for any business to build running capital. Seeing how transparent Tesla is with their fundraising, there’s a lesson here for every business. It's that people love spending money on oddly expensive jokes.
