For those of you who want to see how the “exoskeleton” holds up in a crash, this video has the answers.
Tesla has made plenty of claims about the Cybertruck being tough. Its windows can’t be shattered, except for on stage, and its doors are “bulletproof,” in a very specifically edited video with subsonic rounds. Now that Tesla has shown its crash testing, we finally can see how it handles real abuse.
Unfortunately, the answer isn’t that clear. Crash test videos are hard to evaluate without accompanying data. A vehicle that deforms heavily in a crash is often safer than one that stays rigid, but you also do not want intrusion into the passenger cell. It’s just not something that’s easy to judge from one video, selected by the automaker itself.
What we can say from the video is that the Cybertruck does not seem likely to roll over in a single-car accident. That tracks for a vehicle with a floor-mounted battery that keeps all of its weight down low. We can also say that the passenger cell survives a 35-mph front impact, though the severe movement of the rear axle in that test is concerning. We also can’t speak to how much force the dummies experienced, so we’ll have to wait until the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or Insurance Institute for Highway Safety releases test results.
Tesla’s crash-test record is pretty good, though, so we wouldn’t be surprised if the Cybertruck sailed through with top marks. Given its shoddy-looking build and new-age construction, however, it’s not a sure bet.