Photo: u/wamsankas via Reddit
Many have speculated that the stiff stainless steel body makes the Tesla Cybertruck a danger in a collision. This appears to be confirmed after a Dodge Ram pickup truck was almost obliterated after rear-ending a Cybertruck. Pictures shared on social media show the Cybertruck with barely a mark on its stainless steel tailgate.
Tesla Cybertruck has impressed fans not only through its design but also its unprecedented manufacturing process. Unlike regular pickup trucks, the Cybertruck features a stainless steel body shell that is almost impenetrable. Tesla referred to it as an "exoskeleton," although this is just a figure of speech. The Cybertruck still has an endoskeleton structure underneath the skin. However, what is definitely true is that the stainless steel body is tough, sometimes even bulletproof.
This has led to fiery talks about the Cybertruck's safety, considering that the stainless steel body is almost non-deformable. Tesla explained that the Cybertruck features a crumple zone in the front megacasting, which is designed to break under impact and absorb energy. Until we get a third-party safety assessment, it's hard to tell how safe the Cybertruck is for its occupants or other vehicles. However, it's unlikely that the IIHS or the NHTSA will assess the Cybertruck's safety anytime soon.
During the Cybertruck Delivery Day event, Elon Musk joked that you will likely win if you're "having an argument with another car." Musk later explained that the Cybertruck should be safer than most other trucks, regardless of the situation. We've already seen a Cybertruck involved in a collision and seen what it can do to the other car. More recently, another Cybertruck owner got rear-ended by a pickup truck and shared his experience.
User u/wamsankas told his fellow Redditors that he was rear-ended by an old Dodge Ram pickup truck whose driver was using his phone while driving. The Cybertruck owner also shared a couple of pictures showing that the Dodge was probably totaled while the Cybertruck was still in good shape. The tailgate's steel got Ram's grille imprinted, and the rear spoiler will likely need replacement, but the Cybertruck held very well during the impact.
This can be explained by cars being designed with a crumple zone at the front. While the rear is also built to withstand the forces of a rear collision, it has nowhere near as much protection built in as in the front. This partly explains why the Dodge Ram looks so bad while the Cybertruck barely has a scratch. The weight difference is another explanation, as electric vehicles tend to be much heavier than their ICE counterparts.
What's worse is that the Dodge Ram's insurance card was expired, meaning a lengthy process to recover the repair costs. That could not even be wamsankas's biggest problem. Considering how expensive EV repairs are, he might be looking at a five-figure bill. Not only that, but he might have to wait a long time for the parts to become available. When rear-ended, the Cybertruck had barely 450 miles (724 km) on the odometer, which must be quite painful.
This has led to fiery talks about the Cybertruck's safety, considering that the stainless steel body is almost non-deformable. Tesla explained that the Cybertruck features a crumple zone in the front megacasting, which is designed to break under impact and absorb energy. Until we get a third-party safety assessment, it's hard to tell how safe the Cybertruck is for its occupants or other vehicles. However, it's unlikely that the IIHS or the NHTSA will assess the Cybertruck's safety anytime soon.
During the Cybertruck Delivery Day event, Elon Musk joked that you will likely win if you're "having an argument with another car." Musk later explained that the Cybertruck should be safer than most other trucks, regardless of the situation. We've already seen a Cybertruck involved in a collision and seen what it can do to the other car. More recently, another Cybertruck owner got rear-ended by a pickup truck and shared his experience.
User u/wamsankas told his fellow Redditors that he was rear-ended by an old Dodge Ram pickup truck whose driver was using his phone while driving. The Cybertruck owner also shared a couple of pictures showing that the Dodge was probably totaled while the Cybertruck was still in good shape. The tailgate's steel got Ram's grille imprinted, and the rear spoiler will likely need replacement, but the Cybertruck held very well during the impact.
This can be explained by cars being designed with a crumple zone at the front. While the rear is also built to withstand the forces of a rear collision, it has nowhere near as much protection built in as in the front. This partly explains why the Dodge Ram looks so bad while the Cybertruck barely has a scratch. The weight difference is another explanation, as electric vehicles tend to be much heavier than their ICE counterparts.
What's worse is that the Dodge Ram's insurance card was expired, meaning a lengthy process to recover the repair costs. That could not even be wamsankas's biggest problem. Considering how expensive EV repairs are, he might be looking at a five-figure bill. Not only that, but he might have to wait a long time for the parts to become available. When rear-ended, the Cybertruck had barely 450 miles (724 km) on the odometer, which must be quite painful.
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