Cybertruck structure vs accident safety

[DeaneG]

Tesla Cybertruck's stiff structure, sharp design raise safety concerns -experts

The angular design of Tesla's Cybertruck has safety experts concerned that the electric pickup truck's stiff stainless-steel exoskeleton could hurt pedestrians and cyclists.

www.reuters.com

 

[Tim-in-CA]

I brought this exact issue up on Reddit months ago and was downvoted into oblivion. I bet these vehicles will become uninsurable

 

[APSenec]

Tesla Cybertruck's stiff structure, sharp design raise safety concerns -experts

The angular design of Tesla's Cybertruck has safety experts concerned that the electric pickup truck's stiff stainless-steel exoskeleton could hurt pedestrians and cyclists.

www.reuters.com

I've been curious about crash test performance for vehicle occupants. And how do you repair that thing. Is there a single certified body shop now ready for stainless steel repair. Silly vehicle, but marketing genius.

 

[DeaneG]

I've been curious about crash test performance for vehicle occupants. And how do you repair that thing. Is there a single certified body shop now ready for stainless steel repair. Silly vehicle, but marketing genius.

Time will tell, but it sounds like crashing the Cybertruck will be relatively good for vehicle occupants (unless crashing in to an immovable object like an overpass abutment), but bad for drivers in other vehicles and particularly bad for pedestrians.

 

[Daniel2022AT]

No reason to draw that conclusion from what I can tell. Based on the geometry of the front wheels/chassis relative to the passenger compartment and the inherent forces and loads on the frame I suspect the CT will never pass any crash test and will not see wide spread commercial sales thereafter. Furthermore, insurance cost will be astronomical because the body will be essentially irreparable.

I am in awe of Elon Musk. I wish I could create such market froth over something so inherently flawed.

 

[Rob Stark]

Tesla is well known for making vehicles unable to pass homologation test and be sold legally anywhere. VinFast laps Tesla in safety engineering.

Ford made an aluminum body truck at a time when only a handful of shops in large metro areas across America where repairing aluminum bodied Audi A8s and Jaguar XJs.

Now, Nowheresville, USA has at least two body shops to repair your aluminum bodied F-150 truck.

 

[par11768]

"Tesla is well known for making vehicles unable to pass homologation test" - where are you getting this from? Every manufacturer adjusts their cars for the markets they sell in. Please review the NHTSA and Euro NCAP ratings. Tesla has a reputation of making some of the safest vehicles in the world. I own both a Tesla and a Lucid. I am far more confident that a Tesla will be one of the safest cars on the road than Lucid, which has never been crash tested even though it has been out for over 2 years. Based on track records, CT is likely to a very safe vehicle.

 

[xponents]

"Tesla is well known for making vehicles unable to pass homologation test" - where are you getting this from? Every manufacturer adjusts their cars for the markets they sell in. Please review the NHTSA and Euro NCAP ratings. Tesla has a reputation of making some of the safest vehicles in the world. I own both a Tesla and a Lucid. I am far more confident that a Tesla will be one of the safest cars on the road than Lucid, which has never been crash tested even though it has been out for over 2 years. Based on track records, CT is likely to a very safe vehicle.

Well you are just plain wrong as the lucid HAS been crash tested. The fact you are confident the Tesla will be safer is weird to me, and the ct being a safe vehicle for others is a funny joke.

 

[Adnillien]

"Tesla is well known for making vehicles unable to pass homologation test" - where are you getting this from? Every manufacturer adjusts their cars for the markets they sell in. Please review the NHTSA and Euro NCAP ratings. Tesla has a reputation of making some of the safest vehicles in the world. I own both a Tesla and a Lucid. I am far more confident that a Tesla will be one of the safest cars on the road than Lucid, which has never been crash tested even though it has been out for over 2 years. Based on track records, CT is likely to a very safe vehicle.

I believe that the Lucid Air has been tested and did very well:

Official Lucid Air 2022 safety rating

Euro NCAP safety rating of the Lucid Air 2022: detailed results, crash test pictures, videos and comments from experts

www.euroncap.com

 

[Bobby]

"Tesla is well known for making vehicles unable to pass homologation test" - where are you getting this from? Every manufacturer adjusts their cars for the markets they sell in. Please review the NHTSA and Euro NCAP ratings. Tesla has a reputation of making some of the safest vehicles in the world. I own both a Tesla and a Lucid. I am far more confident that a Tesla will be one of the safest cars on the road than Lucid, which has never been crash tested even though it has been out for over 2 years. Based on track records, CT is likely to a very safe vehicle.

Crash Testing?

I checked NHTSA.gov and IIHS.org but didn’t see any crash test ratings for Lucid. A little surprising, as deliveries started October last year. I assumed that all cars for sale in the US would be tested by at least one of these entities but perhaps this only applies once a certain number of...

lucidowners.com

 

[hmp10]

Almost every Cybertruck built thus far is being recalled. It seems Tesla forgot to do cold-weather testing of the adhesive that attaches some of the stainless steel body panels to the frame:

Cybertrucks’ faulty trim prompts biggest recall yet, stokes Tesla investor panic

Recall forces Tesla to reveal just how many Cybertrucks were sold.

arstechnica.com

 

[DeaneG]

The recall also meant that a total deliveries figure was published.

Tesla confirms it can't sell the Cybertruck even with tax credit and discounts

Tesla has revealed Cybertruck deliveries in the US, confirming that it can’t sell the electric truck even with federal tax...

electrek.co

 

[scal_air]

Not to mention the rate that these things catch fire… see thread below

Thread 'Tesla Cyber Truck - the Ford Pinto of EV's??!!'

Feb 9, 2025

The Cybertruck Appears to Be More Deadly Than the Infamous Ford Pinto, According to a New Analysis

Blowout On a crisp, dry New Years morning in downtown Las Vegas, US Army Master Sergeant Matthew Livelsberger rolled his rental cybertruck up near the front doors of Trump International Hotel Las Vegas. Levelsberger then armed a device which would soon detonate a collection of gas canisters and...

autos.yahoo.com

• scal_air
• Replies: 3
• Forum: General Automotive / EV Talk

 

[Steveinarizona]

"Tesla is well known for making vehicles unable to pass homologation test" - where are you getting this from? Every manufacturer adjusts their cars for the markets they sell in. Please review the NHTSA and Euro NCAP ratings. Tesla has a reputation of making some of the safest vehicles in the world. I own both a Tesla and a Lucid. I am far more confident that a Tesla will be one of the safest cars on the road than Lucid, which has never been crash tested even though it has been out for over 2 years. Based on track records, CT is likely to a very safe vehicle.

I went to the IIHS web site and checked the Tesla. In 2024 the Model Y received a top safety pick+ award and the model Y AWD a Top safety pick. But in 2025 they dropped off the map. I wonder if it is because they gave up radar sensors and IIHS disqualified them as a result.

The other models have either not been tested yet (Cyberbeast) or too long ago (Model S and Model 3).

I am not a fan of Teslas (among other concerns is putting everything on the info screen and then adding to the driver woes by putting it to the side of the dash) but they do seem to have made some pretty safe vehicles.