Tesla Cybertruck might be getting a tougher new skin
Elon Musk confirmed on Twitter that the body material would change, but left a lot open to speculation.
Sure, cold-rolled stainless is tough, but maybe not tough enough for Musk.
When people think about the Tesla Cybertruck unveiling, they mostly remember that the stainless-steel body withstood several solid whacks with a sledgehammer. The vehicle's glass -- which was touted as unbreakable -- didn't fare so well.
A large part of the body's resistance to those hits by chief designer Franz von Holzhausen stems from Tesla's use of cold-rolled 304 stainless steel, which is generally considered to be pretty tough stuff -- but Elon Musk is hinting on Twitter that the company may have found something tougher.
Yes
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 21, 2020
The new metal -- according to a report published Tuesday by Teslarati -- is likely going to be some new alloy of 304 stainless steel that will also see service on future SpaceX rocket products. If you want more specifics than that, then get in line, pal, because so do the rest of us.
Now, in case you forgot, Tesla's Cybertruck is a giant, wedge-shaped EV that will eventually (according to Tesla, anyway) be offered with a three-motor drivetrain and a range that will exceed even the current range king, the Model S . Currently, the Big T is locking down space to build the thing, because there's just not enough room at the company's factory in Fremont, California.
The plan is currently to have the top-tier tri-motor Tesla enter production in late 2021, but with the state of the global economy and other complications due to the coronavirus (plus Tesla's general habit of being a bit late with stuff), we'd expect that to get pushed.
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