NBA Legend Shaq Says 'I Was Into Cybertrucks, But They Don't Get Enough…Mileage'— Ditches His 2 Custom Trucks For A Cadillac Escalade IQ

Shaq was once a huge supporter of the Tesla Cybertruck—even owning three of them. 

Back in August, instead of shipping his Cybertruck from Las Vegas to Atlanta, Shaq just bought a second one. As he put it: "I'm missing my Cybertruck, but I don't want to ship it from Vegas to Atlanta, so imma just go ahead and buy another one."

That's how much he was into it.

Shaq's compared his rides to girlfriends. "I treat them like girlfriends," he's said. And if that's the case, he's officially broken up with at least two of his Tesla Cybertruck girls.

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His Cybertrucks weren't stock. He had glossy black wraps, carbon-fiber widebody kits, 26-inch Forgiato wheels, red underglow, and custom "CyberDiesel" decals. They turned heads everywhere. Even Elon Musk once responded with "nice" to one of Shaq's builds posted on X.

But in a recent episode of "The Big Podcast with Shaq," the NBA legend revealed he was no longer as obsessed with the truck.

"I was into Cybertrucks but they don't get enough…what's the word…electric mileage? Charge mileage." he explained. "Then I just got one of those IQ system Escalades. Today I was in Vegas. I ain't have to charge up for four days."

He also mentioned how the range estimates didn't match up in real life. "My Cybertruck here says 267. If I go downtown to work tonight and come back, I'm gonna be struggling to get back."

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It wasn't about Tesla's ongoing controversies or the recalls, which have included panels detaching and accelerator pedal issues. Shaq's decision was about something much simpler—range anxiety.

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Enter the Cadillac Escalade IQ

The Escalade IQ is Cadillac's luxury all-electric SUV. It comes with a 205 kWh battery, an estimated 460 miles of range, and fast-charging tech that can add 100 miles of juice in just 10 minutes. It also boasts a 55-inch curved LED dashboard screen, Super Cruise hands-free driving, and room to spare—a perfect match for Shaq's preference for spacious, high-performance rides.

And yes—it's still electric.

While Tesla once projected over a million Cybertruck reservations, real-world range and quality issues have caused some high-profile early adopters to move on. Shaq isn't giving up on EVs. He's just moved on from two of his most famous custom trucks. But none of these are his favorite. 

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In the podcast, when asked if he had a favorite, he didn't hesitate: "My Mad Max truck." And it's not just any truck—it's a rolling fortress on wheels. Officially, it's Shaquille O'Neal's custom 2006 Ford F-650 XUV Excursion Super Truck. Unofficially? It looks like it could survive a zombie apocalypse and valet parking at a five-star resort.

Forget futuristic EVs. This beast runs on a pre-emissions Caterpillar diesel engine, with a six-door stretched body that makes a Hummer look like a toy. It rides on full air suspension, seats ten in suede and two-tone leather luxury, and has a starry ceiling that would make Rolls-Royce jealous. From smoked-out windows to custom LED strobes, it's basically what you'd get if Mad Max had a bigger budget and a taste for comfort.

While the Cybertruck may have grabbed headlines—and even a brief spot in Shaq's fleet—it never stood a chance against his real favorite. The F-650 Mad Max truck remains the undisputed heavyweight champ of his collection.

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