Cybertruck’s air suspension gives it real off-road capability, but that same ride height makes stepping in and out harder than a standard Model 3 or Model Y — especially for kids, shorter adults, or anyone loading cargo. Running boards are the accessory most owners consider first, and whether you need them comes down to how tall your Cybertruck sits and who’s riding in it.
How much clearance you’re actually working with
Cybertruck’s adjustable air suspension holds a normal ride height around 8.7 inches, and it can lower about half an inch in Aero mode or raise well beyond that for off-road driving, according to measurements reported by InsideEVs. That’s a genuinely tall step compared to a sedan or crossover, and it’s higher still any time the truck is set to a higher ride-height mode for a gravel road or trailhead. If you’re regularly loading younger kids into back seats, or if anyone who rides with you has limited mobility, that step height is the practical case for running boards.
What’s actually available and what it costs
Aftermarket running boards for Cybertruck run from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand, depending on how much protection they add. T Sportline’s current Cybertruck lineup lists AeroMaxx running boards and side steps around $850–$950, a side-step-and-rocker-cladding-armor combination around $700–$900 that adds lower-body protection alongside the step, and heavier-duty nerf bars near $1,150. The price spread mostly reflects how much armor comes with the step — a plain side step costs less than one bundled with rock-slider-style protection for the truck’s lower rocker panels.
What running boards trade off
A step that helps you get in also adds width near the bottom of the truck, which is the main reason to think twice before buying. Wider running boards can reduce departure and breakover angles on rough terrain, which cuts against Cybertruck’s off-road capability if you actually use it off-pavement. They also add a ground-level surface that collects mud and road salt, which means more regular cleaning than a Cybertruck without them. None of Tesla’s own accessory catalog for Cybertruck currently includes running boards — every option on the market right now is third-party, so fit, finish, and durability vary by brand, and Tesla’s warranty coverage for anything the installation affects is worth confirming with a service center before you commit to a specific product.
The practical answer
If you’re not regularly loading kids or anyone with mobility limitations, and you value Cybertruck’s off-road geometry, you can likely skip running boards — most adults manage the step fine on their own. If ease of entry matters more than ground clearance for your day-to-day use, a step-only option keeps added width to a minimum while still solving the height problem.
Photo by Florian Avramescu.