Caro-Kann Apocalypse Attack What are the main points, tactical or otherwise, backing up the so-called Apocalypse Attack vs the Caro-Kann? 

[Title "Caro-Kann Apocalypse Attack"]
[fen "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1"]

1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Ne5!? 


Is it an opening based on a few cheap tricks? And if so, what are these tricks? 

There is a long article here

http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/articles/opening/apocalypse/apocalypse.htm

but it is difficult to me to sum up the main ideas or tactical themes in a more concise way.
Maybe it's about having a Knight on e5, which cannot be dislodged easily with pawn moves. I think it's not so significant though, because black can still at least exchange it against the knight on b8, which could come to d7 or c6. d7 might prevent the exchange o black's bishop against the knight on e5.
If white manages to get black to exchange on e5, white will have a pawn on e5 most likely. Maybe a point is to still have a pawn there, although white didn't move e4-e5 earlier?
I don't really see how Ne5 is really that helpful to be honest. It doesn't even look that interesting to me or much different than other positions.