Technology / Vehicles
Tesla Cybertruck
I love Cybertrucks. Their distinctive design is a big part of what draws me to them.
The Cybertruck is Tesla's all-electric pickup truck, unveiled in November 2019 and delivered starting November 2023. What makes it unique: the body is built from the same stainless steel alloy used on SpaceX's Starship rocket.
The Starship Connection
The Cybertruck's exoskeleton is made from Tesla's proprietary "30X cold-rolled stainless steel" (internally called "Ultra-Hard Stainless" or "Hard Freaking Stainless"). This is the same 300-series stainless steel alloy family that SpaceX uses for Starship, the rocket designed to take humans to Mars.
- Same material family: Both use 300-series stainless steel (variants like 301, 304L)
- Cybertruck panels: ~3mm thick, significantly thicker than conventional auto body panels (<1mm)
- Starship application: Full structural body, propellant tanks, outer shell designed for cryogenic temps and re-entry heat
- Why stainless: Corrosion resistant, incredibly strong, can be left unpainted
The key difference: Starship needs to survive extreme temperature swings and atmospheric re-entry, while Cybertruck's steel is optimized for dent resistance and durability. Same family, different engineering requirements.
Design Features
- Exoskeleton architecture: The exterior shell IS the structure (no traditional body-on-frame)
- Unpainted stainless steel: No paint to chip, scratch, or fade
- Ballistic resistance: Claimed bulletproof to 9mm rounds
- Angular design: Flat panels required because the steel is too hard to stamp into curves
- Armored glass: Ultra-strong glass (famously cracked at the unveiling demo)
- Vault bed: 6.5-foot bed with tonneau cover, 2,500 lb payload capacity
- Adaptive air suspension: Adjustable ride height
Variants and Specs
| Model | Range | 0-60 mph | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| RWD (Single Motor) | ~250 mi | 6.5 sec | $60,990 |
| AWD (Dual Motor) | ~340 mi | 4.1 sec | $79,990 |
| Cyberbeast (Tri-Motor) | ~320 mi | 2.6 sec | $99,990 |
Timeline
- November 2019: Unveiled at Tesla Design Center in Los Angeles
- July 2023: Pilot production begins at Gigafactory Texas
- November 30, 2023: First customer deliveries
- 2024: ~38,000-40,000 units sold, briefly best-selling EV pickup in U.S.
- 2025: Sales declined to ~20,000 units, well below 250,000/year target
By the Numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Reservations (at unveiling) | 1,000,000+ |
| 2024 U.S. Sales | ~38,000 units |
| 2025 U.S. Sales | ~20,000 units |
| Production Target | 250,000/year |
| Weight | ~6,600-6,800 lbs |
| Towing Capacity | Up to 11,000 lbs |
Why I Think It's Cool
Love it or hate it, the Cybertruck is unforgettable. Every time I see one driving around Salt Lake, I think it looks badass. The design is polarizing, but that's kind of the point. It doesn't look like anything else on the road because it isn't like anything else on the road.
The fact that it's built from the same steel as a Mars rocket is genuinely cool engineering. Tesla could have made a normal-looking truck, but instead they built something that feels like it drove out of a sci-fi movie. If money was no object, I'd have one.