Wide-body Off-road Cybertruck

Ever wanted a Tesla Cybertruck you can actually build yourself? This project shows how I turned plain carton board into a wide-body, off-road mini Cybertruck powered by four DC motors, all controlled over Bluetooth with an Arduino Uno and an L293D motor shield. It’s light, inexpensive, and a great way to mix electronics, mechanics, and a bit of creative design. Whether you’re into Arduino projects, RC vehicles, or just love futuristic cars, this guide will walk you through everything from cutting the body panels to wiring the electronics so you can drive your own cardboard Cybertruck across the living room—or the backyard.

Note: Circuit Diagram is not accurate due to absence of proper L293D motor expansion shield board on Tinkercard

Cardboard box, wires, leds, jumper wires, wires, geared motors, tires, L293D expansion motor shield, Arduino UNO and cable, resistors (220ohm) x 3, Bluetooth HC-05, Ultrasonic Sensor, Active buzzer, switch, 3x 18650 batteries and container

Tools: Glue gun, Soldering iron, Hole puncher, Scissors, Double sided tape, Screw-driver, Pen and ruler

Position each of the four DC motors at the corners of the cardboard chassis so the shafts extend just beyond the edges where the wheels will sit, then lightly trace their outlines to guide placement. Working one at a time, apply a generous bead of hot glue to the underside of a motor, press it firmly onto its marked spot, and hold for a few seconds until the glue sets. Make sure each motor sits level and the shafts remain parallel to each other so the wheels will track straight. Repeat the process for the remaining three motors, checking alignment as you go, and add an extra line of hot glue around the sides of each motor once all are in place for added strength and stability.

Stick a strip of double-sided tape to the cardboard where you want the electronics to sit, then press the Arduino Uno firmly in place. Carefully align the L293D motor shield on top of the Uno so all its header pins slide straight into the Uno’s sockets and press down evenly until it seats flush. Position the mini breadboard beside the stacked board and secure it with another piece of tape so the wiring area stays compact. Bring the two wires from each DC motor to the motor shield and insert them into the screw terminals—one pair per channel (for example M1 for front-left, M2 for front-right, M3 for rear-left, M4 for rear-right)—tightening the screws so the bare wire ends are clamped securely. If a wheel later spins the wrong way, simply swap that motor’s two leads in its terminal to reverse its direction.

Secure the front LED at the nose of the cardboard body with a small dab of hot glue and connect its positive lead to the same motor-channel output that drives the car forward so the light switches on automatically whenever the truck moves ahead, with the negative lead tied to the common ground on the motor shield. Mount the ultrasonic sensor beside it so the “eyes” face straight ahead, then run its Echo wire to Arduino digital pin 12 and its Trig wire to pin 13, powering it from the mini breadboard by linking the sensor’s VCC and GND to the breadboard’s 5 V and ground rails, which in turn are supplied by the Arduino. Finally, gather the remaining LEDs you plan to use for hazard flashers and a brake light, keeping their resistors ready and their leads organized on the breadboard, so they can be wired to spare digital pins in the next step when you set up the lighting effects.

Before securing the bumper, first attach every component that will pass through or mount to it so you won’t have to work in tight spaces later. Start by sliding the ultrasonic sensor into the right-side rectangular cutout you prepared and hot-glue it from behind so the two “eyes” point straight forward. Insert the front hazard LEDs into their round holes, joining their positive leads to the same wire that runs to pin A0 with the rear hazards and connecting all negatives to the common ground. Fit the active buzzer into its opening with the sound port facing outward, wiring its positive lead to A5 and its negative to ground. After confirming that each piece sits flush and the wiring is routed neatly back to the shield or breadboard, press the entire bumper assembly against the front of the chassis and run a solid bead of hot glue along the edges to hold it firmly in place.

Before gluing the rear bumper, set up the final wiring and switch.

Insert the hazard LEDs into the bumper holes, joining their positives to pin A0 and their negatives to ground.

Run a separate pair of wires from pin A1 for the brake light and hot-glue the brake-light LED at the center top of the chassis back, where it will later be boxed.

Fit the power switch in a convenient spot on the rear or side of the chassis and connect it inline with the main power lead so you can cut or supply power easily.

After confirming all connections have enough slack, hot-glue the bumper securely to the rear of the chassis, leaving space for the brake-light housing you’ll add later.

With the wiring and code finished, give the whole truck a powered trial run before permanently mounting the battery pack.

1. Position the Battery Pack
2. Rest the 3-cell 18650 holder on the chassis without glue so it stays easy to move.
3. Connect the holder’s positive lead to the VM terminal and negative lead to the GND terminal on the L293D motor shield.
4. Keep the Arduino Uno powered through its logic jumper or the USB cable for programming.
5. Upload & Pair
6. Make sure the final sketch is uploaded.
7. The Bluetooth HC-05 is already on the servo rail with RX/TX to pins 9 and 10, so pair it to your phone controller.
8. Run Full Tests

Link for the Bluetooth controller app: https://bluetooth-rc-car.en.softonic.com/android/download

1. Drive Controls – Check forward, back, left, and right movement (main headlight would turn ON when driving). Phone gesture movement can also control the vehicle by changing the settings. (I noticed back bumper scrapes the ground at times so I redesigned it)
2. Over-headlight (A3) – Connect and confirm the green LED comes on when the headlight button is pressed.
3. Hazard Lights (A0) – Activate and watch both yellow front and rear LEDs blink in sync.
4. Brake Light (A1) – Toggle on and off red LED with the app command.
5. Ultrasonic + Buzzer – Move an object within about 10 cm of the right-side ultrasonic sensor and listen for the active buzzer on A5 to sound.

Keep the battery pack loose until you’ve verified every feature works, then you can plan its permanent mounting and the final bumper or light housings.

With all electronics tested and working, complete the build by adding the body panels and final battery placement:

1. Tire Housings – Glue the wheel arch covers around each motor and tire area, shaping them so the wheels spin freely while giving the truck a wide-body off-road look.
2. Side Panels – Attach the left and right outer panels along the chassis, sealing the electronics inside and providing extra strength.
3. Top Section & Battery Mount – Fit the top cover of the truck and secure the 3-cell 18650 battery holder in its planned compartment. Hot-glue or tape it firmly so it stays balanced during motion and can still be removed for charging if needed.
4. Final Checks – Ensure the front and rear bumpers, LEDs, and ultrasonic sensor openings remain clear. Re-check Bluetooth control, lights, buzzer, and obstacle detection one last time.

This completes the wide-body off-road Cybertruck: a cardboard-bodied, four-motor Arduino build with Bluetooth control, lighting effects, and working suspension details—all ready to show off or drive around.

Everything is secured and the battery pack is mounted, so it’s time to take your cardboard Cybertruck for its maiden spin.

Switch on the battery holder and pair your phone or controller to the Bluetooth module.

Use the driving commands to roll the truck forward, back, left, and right while watching the front headlight glow during forward motion and the rear brake light respond when you stop.

Toggle the hazard lights to see the front and back LEDs flash together, and steer close to an object to hear the buzzer sound as the ultrasonic sensor detects something nearby.

Begin with a slow lap to confirm smooth movement, then try tighter turns and higher speed on different surfaces.

Your wide-body off-road cardboard Cybertruck is now fully operational—Bluetooth-controlled, sensor-aware, and ready for action.