back to article Tesla's Cybertruck may not be so stainless after all

It's only been a few months since Tesla's long-awaited Cybertruck made its way to those at the front of the queue, but the arrival has been tarnished for some. CEO Elon Musk first unveiled the electric pickup model back in 2019, claiming that its "ultra-hard stainless steel" body and "transparent metal" glass were "literally …

  1. Neil Barnes Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    until the Cybertruck is scheduled for a full wash

    Amazing - people actually schedule their car washing?

    Mine gets at least one a year, whether it needs it or not.

    1. Lee D Silver badge

      Re: until the Cybertruck is scheduled for a full wash

      I just drive fast in the rain... problem solved.

      1. Grogan Silver badge

        Re: until the Cybertruck is scheduled for a full wash

        Same (well, not even that, intentionally). I never wash my car, what's the point? It will rain, or in winter time, it will snow some days and rain other days, in current times. If the roads are salty and slushy, washing the car is pointless because it's still salty and slushy etc.

        The body shouldn't rust, unless compromised. I drive my cars for 10+ years, too. There may be some scratches, gouges and rust when I take it to the wreckers at the end of its life, but it got there. That is a very unusual instruction in the manual for these vehicles. The kind of thing you'd skim over and then a few seconds later.... "what?!?

        P.S. I'd have to say the underside takes more of a beating, if not undercoated.

      2. Michael Strorm Silver badge

        Re: until the Cybertruck is scheduled for a full wash

        I'll never let you see

        The way my rust-prone car is hurting me

        I've got my pride and I know how to hide

        All its scratches and stains

        I'll do my driving in the rain

    2. simonlb Silver badge
      WTF?

      Re: until the Cybertruck is scheduled for a full wash

      Incredible. It's like Tesla forgot that the majority of people buy a car and then leave it outside for the rest of it's existence.

      1. Evil Auditor Silver badge
        Thumb Up

        Re: until the Cybertruck is scheduled for a full wash

        But, Tesla did not forget how to sell a shiny car and what happens afterwards will be the buyers' problem.

    3. 45RPM Silver badge

      Re: until the Cybertruck is scheduled for a full wash

      I simply wait for the dirt to get so heavy that it falls off of its own accord. On the occasions that I do wash it, I’ve never seen any rust. But my car was made in Sweden.

    4. AndrueC Silver badge
      Happy

      Re: until the Cybertruck is scheduled for a full wash

      Mine gets at least one a year, whether it needs it or not.

      Mine too - when it gets serviced.

  2. lglethal Silver badge
    Facepalm

    Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

    Cant be used off road.

    Cant go up hills.

    Cant be used in the rain.

    Cant handle a little bird poop.

    Clearly this is the ultimate American All Terrain Vehicle...

    I'm beginning to feel like calling Musk a Snakeoil Salesman is being unnecessarily insulting to Snakeoil Salesmen...

    1. Paul Herber Silver badge

      Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

      Wash your Cybertruck with genuine Musk guaranteed Tesla brand Snake Oil. Knocks the spots off ... ah, well, maybe not.

      1. FirstTangoInParis Bronze badge

        Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

        Even British Leyland cars from 70s were better than this. Oh well, they better get some Waxoyl then.

        1. Not That Andrew

          Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

          Which reminds me, according to an old BL safety film I saw on Youtube all BL's QC issues in the 70's were due to that tart Doreen from accounts distracting the boys on the production line.

        2. David 132 Silver badge
          Thumb Up

          Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

          Hell, never mind BL’s cars… Italian cars of the 70s were more rust-resistant than this.

          1. Casca Silver badge

            Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

            Oh, thats harsh

          2. Evil Auditor Silver badge

            Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

            Did hesitate a bit, but this is actually true as those Italian cars didn't show a sign of rust after a couple of days in the rain.

            Mind you, what you see on the Tesla is merely cosmetical and the structural integrity of it might (!) be more resistant than a 70s Alfa Rusteo. While I can't recall the model (maybe Alfasud Sprint) but do remember that the car jack would go higher and higher through the cassis without lifting the car a bit - it was held together by paint and faith.

    2. The Man Who Fell To Earth Silver badge
      WTF?

      Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

      I'd be more worried about what's going on with the steel chassis. Dissimilar metals in contact with each other in water, especially water that contains ionic solutes, will result in galvanic action. And one metal will corrode at the expense of the other, usually the steel in the case of SS and non-SS steels in contact with each other. Given how Musk has a reality distorion field problem like Steve Job's, it would not a big surprise if the chassis rust out from under these cars.

      https://www.appmfg.com/blog/how-to-prevent-galvanic-corrosion-between-carbon-and-stainless-steel

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

        That'd be ironic if it's true. Doesn't modern rustproofing usually use that principle to *prevent* corrosion via a sacrificial metal that corrodes instead of the body?

        1. Merlinski

          Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

          Would that be the Lithium in the batteries perchance? ...

        2. Scott 26

          Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

          yup... "e-coat"

          electrostatically applied paint containing zinc etc

          (if I correctly remember my ICI Paints days, 20-mumble years ago)

          1. Elongated Muskrat Silver badge
            Boffin

            Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

            Hey, we could galvanize them, then they'd look even more like souped-up wheelbarrows.

            1. BartyFartsLast Silver badge

              Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

              And yet still less useful than a real wheelbarrow.

            2. EricB123 Silver badge

              Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

              Or trash cans (dust bins for our British friends).

      2. StargateSg7

        Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

        We always use large 500 gram blocks of ZINC placed at vulnerable points to ensure the SACRIFICIAL ANODE gets truly sacrificed FIRST when Galvanic Corrosion aka Bi-Metallic Corrosion has a chance of happening between two metals of differing electrical current carrying potential! Usually at the joints and seams, you place your sacrificial anode at the point where the shorter distance electrically is between the ZINC block and the metal most vulnerable to the corrosion. You want the pitting to happen on the ZINC block first.

        Every few months (or even years sometimes!), just replace the ZINC blocks and you have solved your issue!

        For the Tesla Cybertruck, our parent aerospace company (i.e. NCA - North Canadian Aerospace) already bought a few of them and when they arrived at our main Vancouver facility, we dumped the tires and wheels and went with 40 inch diameter TWEEL technology (i.e. polymer springy wheels invented by Michelin in the 1980's!) that do not use pneumatic technology to support the truck but rather cross-weave springy polymer wheels and a solid rubber tire grip-strip that is truly 4x4 off-road worthy AND is puncture proof!

        We put on some Liquid Springs Suspension systems to improve the ride and got a higher lift and then coated the trucks body with Line-X brand truck bed liner EVERYWHERE to rust and corrode proof the body. Some of our Cybertrucks have a Mossy Oak or Evergreen Coastal Forest cammouflage pattern fully-body vinyl wrap on them instead of the Line-X!

        We will also eventually get around to replacing the Lithium batteries with higher-charge-density Al-S (Aluminum-Sulfur) and changing the motors over to Cobalt-Samarium which is far more cold and heat resistant so can accept higher currents from far more powerful batteries. The Cybertruck is quite well-behaved off-road and on-road so I don't really see the issues that are currently being ranted about online. I do have an issue with the A-pillar restricted viewing angles leave large blind spots but the back seats are quite roomy (at 6'2, 270 lbs) for a guy of my size. It is, of course, WICKEDLY FAST! Feels like a fighter jet on a steam-assist takeoff from a carrier deck and kicks you back into the seat like no tomorrow! Only thing missing now is the combined-Refrigerator/Freezer compartment, an on-board combined microwave/convection oven and built-in Nespresso Cappucino/Coffee maker!

        The Cybertruck is just fine as-is! So enjoy it if you have it! Change the tires over to 37 inch Goodyear Duratracs or Nitto EXO Grapplers if you want TRUE off-road performance! You need to do some finangling to get 37's to fit BUT it can be done! We CNC-machined some custom metal wheels for some and made inhouse-made TWEEL wheels for others because that was the only way to fit the new Liquid Springs suspension onto the Cybertruck.

        V

        1. Not That Andrew

          Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

          Soooo, the Cybertruck is fine as is as long as you paint it and replace everything?

          1. StargateSg7

            Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

            We can CNC-machine an all-Titanium Alloy, Thick-film Corundum-Ceramic-coated 3000 HP engine in less than 6 hours! We also put TWIN 70,000 lbs of Thrust in-house designed and built turbojet engines into 100+ foot long Deep V-Hull Ocean race boats! We can make, build and modify ANYTHING we want! Be it a V12 3000 HP engine, an 80 Million Square foot underground supercomputer data centre, a 50 PetaFLOP 2 THz combined-CPU/GPU/DSP-superchip or an entire SSTO Spaceplane! There isn't ANYTHING we cannot design, engineer, build and test in-house!

            So YES! We can and DO modify the Tesla Cybertruck to our heart's delight! You should see it when we finally put in our 8x the energy-density multi-megawatt/hour Aluminum-Sulfur battery packs into the thing that can drive 1600 miles (2400+ km) on a single charge WHILE towing 25,000 lbs!

            V

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

              > There isn't ANYTHING we cannot design, engineer, build and test in-house!

              Then why are you even bothering with the Cybertruck in the first place?

              Just to get the Full Self Driving software?

            2. bigphil9009

              Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

              Hey man, I still haven't seen anything about your super-duper mega AI chips that are going to make everything redundant. When are we going to see them again? Or is it all a smelly load of stinky mess like everything else you spend worryingly large amounts of time writing...

            3. bigphil9009

              Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

              Yeah, that is never happening.

          2. Ignazio

            Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

            It's fine as long as your name is Theseus.

    3. Groo The Wanderer Silver badge

      Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

      The Snake Oil salesman of the world breathe a huge sigh of relief that you realize Musk is an entirely unique beast...

    4. Michael Strorm Silver badge

      Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

      When it was first shown, my immediate thought was there was no *way* you could ever imagine a builder chucking dusty bags of cement onto the back of that "truck" before he heads off to his next job.

      Because it was so obviously never meant for real work like that. It's purely an image vehicle, and the type of people who would pay its inflated price would never risk damaging that expensive stainless steel body by using it for actual pick-up-truck-like things. (Much like people who never risk actually taking their expensive 4x4s off-road.)

      But the fact that it couldn't do half these things even if you wanted it to, and that the pretty, wannabe-macho stainless steel finish will corrode if a pigeon craps on it? That sums it all up.

      1. John Robson Silver badge

        Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

        When it was first shown, my immediate thought was there was no *way* you could ever imagine a builder chucking dusty bags of cement onto the back of that "truck" before he heads off to his next job.

        No - they'd use a van, so that their cement and tools don't get soaked before they even get to their next job.

        1. Michael Strorm Silver badge

          Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

          > No - they'd use a van, so that their cement and tools don't get soaked before they even get to their next job.

          Well, since we're nitpicking... :-)

          If you live in a climate/country where that's a regular occurrence/risk, then yeah. You'd probably have bought a van rather than a pick-up truck in the first place. (Indeed, now that I think about it, that'd explain perfectly why vans are generally used for that sort of thing in the UK and pick-up trucks are comparatively rare compared to the US.) (*)

          But the fact remains that pick-up trucks do seem to be quite common for work/professional usage in the US (where I'd assume they'd use a tarpaulin if rain is only an occasional risk?). They also seem to be quite common for suburbanites who use massive, expensive image-focused models as little more than oversized replacements for cars because they like the hardworking All-American macho associations while they drive them to and from their desk job.

          I'd say that the Cybertruck was obviously in the latter category, but in its defence(!), it's *so* obviously in the latter category that it's not really pretending not to be. Or maybe I'm cutting it too much slack.

          (*) Are pickup trucks still common in damper/wetter areas of the US, and is this because the pan-American culture that pickup trucks are so embedded in overrides any issues of practicality? Or are there other issues that make pickup trucks a more practical choice for the US regardless?

          1. MattPi

            Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

            Are pickup trucks still common in damper/wetter areas of the US, and is this because the pan-American culture that pickup trucks are so embedded in overrides any issues of practicality? Or are there other issues that make pickup trucks a more practical choice for the US regardless?

            They're pretty common everywhere regardless of the weather. The "expensive image-focused models" in the suburbs will often have a soft or hard bed cover that all-but permanently attached to make it like a huge, inconvenient trunk (boot, in Legacy English (I'm kidding now, lol)). Some people that actually do work with them will put a "cap" on, which is a roof-line height cover. To be honest, if you're regularly moving around dirty/dusty stuff a cap makes a ton of sense since it's separated from the passengers unlike a van.

            My family, other than my brother-in-law, hasn't owned pickups. We've had a number of vans, some mini some not, and my parents have moved towards large-ish but not giant SUVs. The pickup truck is 90% image, and 10% cost since being "trucks" they can skirt of bunch of the safety and emissions regulations.

            1. John Robson Silver badge

              Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

              "To be honest, if you're regularly moving around dirty/dusty stuff a cap makes a ton of sense since it's separated from the passengers unlike a van."

              You can get split vans as well, though they are more common in box formation than plain van.

              "they can skirt of bunch of the safety and emissions regulations"

              Perverse incentives ahoy.

            2. Insert sadsack pun here

              Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

              "The pickup truck is 90% image, and 10% cost since being "trucks" they can skirt of bunch of the safety and emissions regulations."

              Don't forget about the tax structure that incentivizes heavier "commercial" vehicles.

          2. John Robson Silver badge

            Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

            Trucks are (or at least became) common due to to perverse incentives in the US if I recall correctly - being unconstrained by requirements like "get more than a mile per gallon"

            There are very few things for which a pickup is actually better than a van - ridiculously high load bay for one immediate negative point, no protection from weather, wind, sun, rain, debris or theft is another.

            1. VicMortimer Silver badge

              Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

              Vans can also be commercial vehicles in the US, same rules applied, so that's not the issue. And there are plenty of work vans in the US, they're just used for different things.

              Pickups are better for hauling stuff that isn't hurt by moisture and can be loaded in bulk. Stuff like loads of mulch, loads of rocks, loads of firewood (it'll dry once it gets where it's going).

              And since it doesn't rain all the time in the US, they're also good for transporting stuff like bags of concrete mix.

              The big advantage over a van is that they can easily be washed out, so stuff that's messy isn't a problem. Vans suck for hauling dirty loads.

              Actual work trucks aren't typically lifted. And the higher load floor than a van is actually nice if loading docks are involved.

    5. vtcodger Silver badge

      Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

      Cant be used off road.

      Cant go up hills.

      Cant be used in the rain ....

      But it has really, really amazing acceleration. Something you might really appreciate if you find yourself pursued by a large prehistoric reptile. And the bullet resistant skin would certainly come in handy if said reptile is armed.

      1. Not That Andrew

        Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

        You mean to say you DONT mount GAU-8 cannons on your attack T-Rex's?

        1. Diamandi Lucas

          Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

          T-Rex's aren't any good with heavy artillery, only small arms.

          1. David 132 Silver badge
            Coffee/keyboard

            Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

            You win. Shut down the Internet, folks, that one can’t be topped.

          2. Zack Mollusc

            Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

            Oh, bravo! Made my day.

          3. Casca Silver badge
            Pint

            Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

            Good one! Have a beer

            1. EricB123 Silver badge

              Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

              "Good one! Have a beer"

              Could have sworn you guys called it 'a pint'.

        2. Ignazio

          Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

          It REALLY doesn't like where we store the ammo.

    6. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge
      Alert

      Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

      All Terrain VehicleA Terrible Vehicle

    7. CountCadaver Silver badge

      Re: Cybertruck - the gift that keeps on giving...

      someone told him he was an amateur vs the shrivelled tangerine golfer

  3. Mike 137 Silver badge

    Stainless?

    "immediately remove corrosive substances (such as grease, oil, bird droppings, tree resin, dead insects, tar spots, road salt, industrial fallout, etc.)"

    Bird droppings, road salt and (some) industrial fallout -- OK, these are known to be corrosive, but grease, oil, resin and dead insects?

    "Stainless" steel is a rust resistant alloy by virtue of containing chromium among other constituents (in some cases, molybdenum), resulting in a surface that's highly reactive with atmospheric oxygen, rapidly forming molecular scale impervious barrier of oxide on the surface. Corrosion resistance depends to a great extent on the composition of the alloy. So "stainless" is a term without real meaning unless qualified. Standard alloys include 301, 302, 303, 304, 316, each of which has different properties including resistance to corrosion. The lower grades are (obviously) cheaper, so there's something to think about if the grade is not mentioned.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Stainless?

      My non-materials scientist understanding is that the corrosion resistance varies inversely with the strength of the steel. The more stainless, the weaker.

      1. Mike 137 Silver badge

        Re: Stainless?

        "corrosion resistance varies inversely with the strength of the steel"

        Not quite as simple as that, There's a very informative set of data sheets on stainless steels here.

      2. Timop

        Re: Stainless?

        At least 316 is pretty hard material. And the one that can deal with chemicals etc pretty well.

        Quick Google:

        301: 41 HRC

        304: 22 HRC

        316: 56 HRC

    2. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      Re: Stainless?

      It rains like shit here but stainless exterior fittings remain remarkably unblemished. This really shouldn't be happening. I'd suggest there is some less corrosion resistant material around there that's happy to form a circuit with the steel. If that's the case, pretty much anything will corrode.

      1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

        Re: Stainless?

        I'd suggest there is some less corrosion resistant material around there that's happy to form a circuit with the steel. If that's the case, pretty much anything will corrode.

        That's what I was just wondering, ie using the chassis/body as ground and maybe increasing the voltage. Not sure if the latter would make galvanic corrosion issues worse or not. If it does, then I guess it'll manifest where there are dissimilar metals. Watching a video about restoring a flooded Maclaren made me wonder about this given the amount of corrosion on fastenings. A very expensive car let down by maybe some cheap fasteners instead of 'marine grade' stainless ones.

        1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

          Re: Stainless?

          Rivets and whatever it's mounted to spring to mind. There are reasons why stainless steel isn't used for car bodywork and cost isn't the main one. We'll have to wait and see whether the damage is purely cosmetic, though rust rarely is, or whether it's back to th advanced metallurgy course.

    3. MaddMatt

      Re: Stainless?

      A good pint. Or to point out what I was told asking the question as a child - Stainless is two words. It doesn't mean that it will be stain free, rather that it will Stain Less than normal steel and other materials. But it will still stain (and corrode depending on how it is composed. handled, used, what it comes into contact with, etc.).

      1. gnasher729 Silver badge

        Re: Stainless?

        Well, lifeless means you are dead. Stainless shouldn’t develop stains. What about my stainless steal cutlery that goes in the dishwasher all the time?

        1. Ahab Returns

          Re: Stainless?

          Me and my wife are in the iron and steal business. She does the ironing and I do the stealing.

        2. AdamWill

          Re: Stainless?

          I've got some stainless steel cutlery that goes in the dishwasher all the time too. With rust on it.

        3. Charlie Clark Silver badge
          Coat

          Re: Stainless?

          That's down to the combination of hard water and the salt used to soften it: sodium and calcium with an electroylte is not a good combination. You've probably got the water set as too hard, try and reduce and see how that works – it will take a few washes to become noticeable.

          Mine's the one with the pH meter in the pocket.

      2. Alan Brown Silver badge

        Re: Stainless?

        "But it will still stain"

        I have memories of how "stainless steel" benchtops didn't stay that way when exposed to ferric chloride spills, but at least you could polish that out

    4. sabroni Silver badge

      Re: Stainless?

      A very expensive car ruined by the lack of a sacrificial anode? Those who don't learn from history.....

    5. Mage Silver badge
      Boffin

      Re: Stainless?

      Also very weird, there are magnetic and non-magnetic in the sense of will a magnet stick to it versions.

      Austenitic stainless steel is non-magnetic.

      There are five basic families of "stainless steel" and without a proper description and specification "stainless steel" on its own means very little. All kinds rust. At least it's less stupid than the DeLorean, which was an under-powered fibreglass body sports car with a dangerous door design that only had a stainless steel skin. That would come loose with vibration. So the only thing the DeLorean was any good for was as a film prop in "Back to the Future".

      I wonder is the Cybertruck also a bit of a gimmick?

      1. Michael Strorm Silver badge
        Trollface

        Re: Stainless?

        > I wonder is the Cybertruck also a bit of a gimmick?

        You think? ;-)

        Personally, I'd be fare more likely to wonder whether it *isn't* a gimmick.

        Anyway, chill out, all you Testla fanboys- I was only joking there. I've never had less than 100% faith that the Cybertruck is a complete gimmick.

      2. lglethal Silver badge
        Trollface

        Re: Stainless?

        I wonder is the Cybertruck also a bit of a gimmick?

        You need to wonder?

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Stainless?

        Beat me to it. I've worked with calibration weights that are a nonmagnetic stainless steel. Slightly weaker and less corrosion-resistant than, say, 316, but means they won't magnetize and cause problems with the scales you put them on!

    6. Eclectic Man Silver badge

      Re: Stainless?

      But it is not as if rain is pure, de-ionised water. I remember the scares ages ago about 'acid rain'. Just wondering who thought that an untreated metal body shell would be fine in an industrialised country's atmosphere, with all that sulphur in the atmosphere. In any case just your own fingerprints and hand prints will be slightly corrosive, so whatever you do, Don't Touch It!

      Oh well, I haven't have the space for one anyway.

      1. Elongated Muskrat Silver badge

        Re: Stainless?

        They were hardy "just scares" at the time when power stations were burning lots of sulphur-containing* coal. Sulphur dioxide reacts readily with atmospheric moisture to form sulphurous acid / oxidises further to sulphur trioxide and reacts with moisture to form sulphuric acid. Neither of those things are good for arboreal forests, or indeed, for uncoated steel vanity-wagons.

        *I'll call it sulfur when Americans can spell aluminium.

        1. fromxyzzy

          Re: Stainless?

          Americans defined aluminum and named it, the Brits just ret-conned it decades later.

          1. collinsl Silver badge

            Re: Stainless?

            Wrong - it was invented by a Brit who spelled it Aluminum first but then changed it himself to Aluminium to more closely match other elements in the periodic table.

          2. This post has been deleted by its author

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Stainless?

          Aluminium looks and sounds stupid. Aluminum is a much better word.

          How about if you really want it to end ium we compromise and use the original alumium?

          1. renniks

            Re: Stainless?

            Just spelt easier for you simple minded Yanks to be able to manage

      2. Alan Brown Silver badge

        Re: Stainless?

        > I remember the scares ages ago about 'acid rain'

        which was still so pure that it was perfectly acceptable as drinking water. The issue was that it was _just_ acidic enough to kill plantlife (CO2 in sufficient concentrations has a similar effect and a few methane clathrate blowouts can do the trick - it's what happened in the last few years of the Permian extinction and what turned things from "mass extinction - 70% or so" to "96-97%". It's also showing signs of beginning to happen in arctic deposits. Laptev Sea seeps are a aerious warning siren)

    7. Gene Cash Silver badge

      Re: Stainless?

      The internal juices from dead insects are highly corrosive in some species, especially the "love bugs" we have here in Florida, who die by the hundreds of millions because they congregate above the warm roadways in summer, and form a nice paste on the front of everyone's grille. (though in recent years, they've actually evolved away from that)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Stainless?

        You think the insects have "evovled away" from congregating in the roadway? Much more likely is that the insect population has crashed due to environmental stress. I live in the northeast, and my cross-country drives are now almost insect-free, unlike ~10 years ago.

        1. Catkin Silver badge

          Re: Stainless?

          Insects have a short generation span and getting smashed to bits is quite a selective pressure. Even hedgehogs these days run rather than balling up in response to a car.

          1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

            Re: Stainless?

            Even hedgehogs these days run rather than balling up in response to a car.

            Oh! Citation needed! How this works is something that's always fascinated me, ie nature vs nurture and general Darwinian natural selection. So Hedgehogs that ball instead of bail don't get to pass their genes on. But I've also recently read a paper from some bat biologists. Previously it was though that bats were good at collision avoidance. This group used high speed cameras to show that they're not.

      2. Paul Herber Silver badge
        Angel

        Re: Stainless?

        About time someone declared evolution to be illegal.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Stainless?

          How to tell people you don't live in the bible belt without saying it...

    8. Dizzy Dwarf

      Re: Stainless?

      I doubt Slippery Jim would be seen dead driving one the these things.

      1. Red Ted
        Go

        Re: Stainless?

        Ah, but Jim was a rat gnawing at the ferro concrete wainscot.

        1. collinsl Silver badge

          Re: Stainless?

          At least they didn't have sheep

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fILaLb6lsZ0

    9. EricB123 Silver badge

      Re: Stainless?

      Next time I go for surgery, I'll be sure to ask the doctor to show me his scalpel blades.

  4. Headley_Grange Silver badge

    Why stainless steel? I'd have thought that it would make the vehicle very heavy compared to, say. Al or composite - or is the weight of the body small in comparison to the battery?

    It sounds like a pretty shonky stainless, whatever the case. My knives and forks don't go "rusty". I've been camping and diving with both my penknife and my watch and neither are showing any signs of corrosion in spite of never getting anything other than a cursory wipe with whatever rag is to hand. Is there some trade off between structural performance and corrosion resistance?

    1. Lee D Silver badge

      Or why not just apply a clear coat at the factory?

      1. Spazturtle Silver badge

        This is one of the reasons why airlines stopped using 'naked' liveries for their planes. Even aluminium corrodes too fast if unprotected, so they needed a clear coat to protect them. But the clear coats actually weigh more than white paint.

        1. mgb2

          American Airlines only changed their livery when they started taking delivery of aircraft with composite skins.

          1. collinsl Silver badge

            They had an image they wanted to maintain though so probably chose to eat the cost to preserve their branding since their look was unique

    2. Mishak Silver badge

      My knives and forks don't go "rusty"

      But they, and a stainless steel kitchen sink, will suffer staining if they are left in contact with rust.

      1. NXM Silver badge

        Re: My knives and forks don't go "rusty"

        I sometimes used to work on a shipyard and they had a quarantine area for stainless parts so they'd never come into contact with mild steel. If they did the mild would contaminate the stainless with rust, and then once started it would spread and make the part useless.

        1. Timop

          Re: My knives and forks don't go "rusty"

          Yeah if corrosion resistance is required using same tools and working area for regular steel and stainless is absolutely forbidden.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: My knives and forks don't go "rusty"

            >Yeah if corrosion resistance is required using same tools and working area for regular steel and stainless is absolutely forbidden.

            What would happen if someone chucked one of those 4 quid bags of atomised black iron (magnetite?) powder offa eBay over it?

    3. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

      Re: Why stainless steel?

      It started with Starship. The first concepts of starship were going to be made from composite materials. They got as far as pressure testing a 9m diameter liquid oxygen tank to destruction and taking delivery of a 9m diameter mandrill to wrap fibres around. Then they worked out that they could cut the weight be switching to stainless steel. Composites have difficulty at cryogenic temperatures and the maximum useful temperature is much lower than steel. Using steel allows a much lighter heat shield and is much less difficult to modify.

      Curving stainless in one axis like a cylinder is possible with a large radius. Curves in two axes (sphere or saddle) are hard. Welds are normally weaker than the parts welded. SpaceX had to learn a large amount about working with stainless and Musk was listening. Musk took the idea of a stainless car to Tesla where he does more talking and less listening compared to SpaceX. Cyber truck's flat panels come from the difficulty of curving stainless. SpaceX can now weld two axis curved sheets of stainless really well.

      Tesla should have kept cyber truck as a concept for the future until they worked out the issues. Instead they committed to mass production in a material that was known to be troublesome before they had solutions.

      1. Michael Strorm Silver badge

        Re: Why stainless steel?

        > It started with Starship. The first concepts of starship were going to be made from composite materials.

        You'd think Starship would have learned after they built that city on rock and roll.

        1. StargateSg7

          Re: Why stainless steel?

          Only the old folks would get that reference! The Millennials and Gen-Z's here would have NO CLUE what you're talking about! aka Jefferson Starship (Airplane)

          1. bigphil9009

            Re: Why stainless steel?

            I don't think you understand how old a Millenial can actually be...

      2. BartyFartsLast Silver badge

        Re: Why stainless steel?

        Probably a good job he never managed to build that submarine he promised because you can bet it would have been carbon fibre.

      3. Ian Johnston Silver badge

        Re: Why stainless steel?

        Composites have difficulty at cryogenic temperatures and the maximum useful temperature is much lower than steel.

        Also some stainless undergoes a martensitic transition at cryogenic temperatures (~100K, I think - it's been a long time) which means that they get useful extra strength when used for LN2 or anything colder.

    4. Dog11

      Why stainless?

      Because Musk thought it sounded neat and sexy, and worth the extra weight and manufacturing headaches. BTW, it's 3mm stainless. And "bulletproof", so long as your antagonist doesn't have anything more powerful than a 9mm pistol, and doesn't just shoot you through the side window, where they could actually see you. Anyone at Tesla who took a different position probably got fired (Musk's customary management style).

      1. kat_bg

        Re: Why stainless?

        9 mm is dangerous.They hve tested it against 45 ACP rounds, subsonic, I guess. 9 mm can go supersonic with the proper bullet.

        1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

          Re: Why stainless?

          9 mm can go supersonic with the proper bullet.

          Most 9mm is supersonic unless you want to get subsonic for some reason. Armour piercing capablity is mostly a function of the projectile's sectional density and velocity though, so ratio of the projectile's mass to it's cross-section. One of those situations where bigger isn't necessarily better. You'll notice the Cyberduck doesn't come with an NIJ armour.. I mean armor rating. Can't think why. Another factor though can be slope angle, which creates a greater effective thickness and can increase deflection. Something the Cyberduck also can't do. So it may be armoured against a hail storm, but not a car jacker with a 5.7mm.

          1. Korev Silver badge
            FAIL

            Re: Why stainless?

            > I mean armor rating.

            No, you mean armour...

            1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

              Re: Why stainless?

              No, you mean armour...

              Yeh, but NIJ is left-pondian. We'd have it's HOSDB rating, or not given in it's current form, it can't be driven on our roads. Which is disappointing because I really want to try the magnetite powder thing.

            2. Alan Brown Silver badge

              Re: Why stainless?

              Perhaps he wants to rate the vehicle's sexiness?

    5. Alan Brown Silver badge

      "It sounds like a pretty shonky stainless"

      The original premise was that it's the same stainless being used on Starship.

      Whether that's still the case, I have no idea

  5. Barry Rueger

    Musk? Who trusts this guy?

    Staggering to think that the American space program relies heavily on this goof.

    1. Mike 137 Silver badge

      Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

      Fortunately, not directly on the goof. Yes, he owns SpaceX, but the folks that do the actual work are experts. Although he's apparently constantly butting in, they probably to a great extent ignore him, not least because the aerospace industry has established standards that have to be met. The US auto industry, on the other hand, is largely self regulating.

      1. Steve Hersey

        Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

        Upvote the above.

        SpaceX doesn't just ignore Musk's loonier spur-of-the-moment notions; they have a dedicated team of Musk minders specifically tasked with steering him away from anything he might break, and mitigating his worst excesses. Let him push the shiny buttons, preside at major launch events, and name the drone ships, but keep him away from the actual engineering.

        The dead bird site lacks any such mechanism, which goes some distance to explain how he managed to do so much damage to it so fast.

        1. Andy 73 Silver badge

          Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

          That may be the case, but Musk has sufficient control of the general direction of SpaceX (committing to contracts, general process of development, business direction), that he still appears quite capable of introducing uncertainty, if not complete rabbit holes.

          Certainly the solution they have committed to for Artemis appears to be extremely poorly architected and planned, and the payments for development are... interesting. Regardless of how clever the folks are at SpaceX, they've been put in a position where they may be regarded as the single point of failure for a hugely (and possibly unnecessarily) complex mission, required to solve too many novel problems to meet the deadlines and without sufficient budget to complete the development process without huge losses.

          Musk is not just a figurehead at SpaceX - he controls the money, and with it their obligations and overall direction. I'm pretty sure Starship would not have the current architecture (or even exist) without his direct influence.

          1. phuzz Silver badge

            Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

            SpaceX won't be the single point of failure for Artemis, NASA has also contracted Blue Origin to develop a lander.

            It's a more conventional design, but it's from a company that so far has only launched sub-orbital rockets (and is also owned by a potentially volatile billionaire).

            Still, I'm not a US citizen, so it's not my taxes being wasted :)

            1. Andy 73 Silver badge

              Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

              From what I understand, Blue Origin are contracted for a separate mission that's due to land some four years after SpaceX's attempt. Given Musk's special ability to miss deadlines (and the fact that there's less that two years to SpaceX's scheduled moon landing and they haven't even got a non-explodey rocket), it's entirely possible that Blue Origin will beat SpaceX to the moon.

              Blue Origin appears to be taking a more incremental and more traditional route to development - which means they don't get quite the hype cycle SpaceX currently receives, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are behind their schedule, or incapable of getting there in time for their contracted mission.

              Certainly the rivalry between the two owners means that both companies will be throwing everything they have at the problem. Place your bets as to what will stick.

              1. Alan Brown Silver badge

                Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

                "Given Musk's special ability to miss deadlines"

                In this instance he's doing vastly better than ULA and McBoing

        2. darius-the-fourth

          Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

          I don't like what you described.

          they were doing the same thing for Trump and I don't like it one bit.

          If someone's name and money is on a project, he must take responsibility for that project.

          It's disingenuous to say the least, that he is living off of his "perceived genius" and getting richer and richer, but this "ingenuity" is a fraud, and the real "ingenuity" belongs to people who stop the fake genius from ruining their work. They shouldn't protect him from himself, He is not a child, people trust his name and his words.

          He has to be liable to the same consequences that the rest of us will face if we do something or say something moronic.

          1. ian 22

            Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

            Large amounts of money will fix many problems. XtwitterX seems to an exception.

          2. Alan Brown Silver badge

            Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

            Look up "Thomas Edison" sometime - and in particular how he got his "great inventor" reputation

            Musk has "a vision" and the will to pour money into achieving it. That in itself is valuable if it allows people to actually get things done.

      2. A. Coatsworth Silver badge
        Holmes

        Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

        There seems to be an inverse relationship between "Musk's direct involvement in an enterprise" and "success of said enterprise"

      3. Elongated Muskrat Silver badge

        Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

        The US auto industry, on the other hand, is largely self regulating.

        See also: Why we'll never see one of these monstrosities in Europe.

    2. FeepingCreature

      Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

      Staggering to think there isn't anyone better!

      I mean, it's not like NASA relies on Musk by choice.

    3. Gene Cash Silver badge

      Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

      Gwynne Shotwell deserves a lot of the credit for running SpaceX, but she's smart enough to keep her head down and her mouth shut these days.

      1. DS999 Silver badge

        Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

        She deserves "a lot of" the credit?? How about ALL of it! Does Musk actually do anything at SpaceX other than take credit for its accomplishments? He gets credit for getting it off the ground, but she and the engineers working for her are the sole reason for its success.

        1. Richard 12 Silver badge

          Re: Musk? Who trusts this guy?

          It's my understanding that back when it was starting up he arranged enough funding such that SpaceX still existed by the time the engineers had got Falcon 1 capable of lifting a paying payload.

          Since then, it appears that he merely breaks things and causes delays whenever he escapes his minders.

          He is good at hype, and has a big pot of money. Beyond that, he doesn't seem to be wearing very much.

  6. Howard Sway Silver badge

    its "ultra-hard stainless steel" body and "transparent metal" glass were "literally bulletproof."

    Fire a water pistol at it, however, and the thing just dissolves.

    1. b0llchit Silver badge
      FAIL

      Re: its "ultra-hard stainless steel" [...] "transparent metal" [...] "literally bulletproof."

      That'll be the new trend! Fire (salt-)water pistols at the CyberTruck and see it dissolve. Can't wait for the (a)social media to post the challenges.

      And very soon afterwards you'll be imprisoned for firing your soaker!

      1. Timop

        Re: its "ultra-hard stainless steel" [...] "transparent metal" [...] "literally bulletproof."

        Just find a spot where a puddle can be formed. Then all you need is salt water and couple months time (reaction speed depends on temperature) and the sheet might have already tiny spot rusted through and any time water is introduced corrosion continues.

        1. Eclectic Man Silver badge

          Re: its "ultra-hard stainless steel" [...] "transparent metal" [...] "literally bulletproof."

          Presumably 'off-road' or even 'on road' does not mean the sea-side, all that salty spray and sea air and you'll be wiping it down every half hour to stop it becoming a 'convertible'.

        2. Ignazio

          Re: its "ultra-hard stainless steel" [...] "transparent metal" [...] "literally bulletproof."

          Can't believe nobody has said anything about pissing on the hood.

  7. rgjnk
    Boffin

    It's 301 stainless apparently

    They chose something that's the least corrosion resistant 30X grade. Just wait until they see what road salt does to it...

    And being Tesla it's a fair bet they skipped any cleaning and passivation steps during manufacture which will make it even worse; they like to 'optimise' out anything they think they can get away with.

    Customers will be have been thinking it'll be like 316 when really it'll end up looking really rough without care.

    1. ComputerSays_noAbsolutelyNo Silver badge

      Re: It's 301 stainless apparently

      Exactly my own thinking: what about road salt?

      I guess, if you're located in one of the warmer parts of the US, you don't get much salt applied to your roads in the winter, but the US consists of much more than always sunny California.

      1. Korev Silver badge
        Pirate

        Re: It's 301 stainless apparently

        Cars in Cornwall (SW England) tend to rust quickly because of the sea spray being blown inland...

        (Pirates of Penzance icon)

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: It's 301 stainless apparently

          They are the very model of a modern motors general

          1. collinsl Silver badge

            Re: It's 301 stainless apparently

            They're broken by some vegetable, animal, and mineral

            They know the cause of spotting and they quote them in the manual

            From Elon Musk to spotty rust to resolve them is not possible!

      2. vtcodger Silver badge

        Re: It's 301 stainless apparently

        ex-Californiia kid here. No road salt there. Most of the populated area gets maybe a dusting once every few decades. And where they do get appreciable snow, they often get stunning amounts. Too much for salt to have much affect. They depend on plowing and for those who insist on driving in the stuff tire chains. I do not think putting chains on a Tesla Cyber-Monster looks like much fun.

        1. rgjnk

          Re: It's 301 stainless apparently

          Even though it's been made clear on many many occasions that Tesla engineers don't believe anywhere exists outside a particular part of California, for some reason they still manage to find customers in those other mythical parts of the world.

          These things are going to get many opportunities to show off their decorative corrosion, just like other models got to show off their heaters that didn't work or their water sealing that, well, didn't.

    2. JimC

      Re: It's 301 stainless apparently

      And wait until crevice corrosion gets in the mix, especially with road salt.

  8. John Robson Silver badge

    Full wash

    "...not to wait until the Cybertruck is scheduled for a full wash"

    Erm scheduling a what now?

    Pretty sure dirt is a protective layer.

  9. Necrohamster Silver badge
    Gimp

    Truer words were never spoken

    DumpsterFire said:

    Yup. It’s Teslas world. We’re all just Beta Testers in it.

    'Fanboi' icon because...you know

  10. Steve Hersey

    How characteristically Muskian.

    Self-crashing cars marketed as self-driving, terrible product quality built under dangerous, awful working conditions, hiring whole teams to dissuade the owners from using their warranty, selling domestic-use flamethrowers, touting mass-transit vaporware, the list goes on.

    It's hardly surprising that he'd sell a flashy, expensive, basically useless truck that rusts in the rain.

    I had a disagreement with a newspaper tech reporter who insists that Musk is an amazingly successful, innovative entrepreneur. You need a pretty narrow field of view to see him that way.

    1. A Known Coward

      Re: How characteristically Muskian.

      Well, to be fair he has, despite all his major flaws been extremely successful, whether or not that success was personally earned or entirely off the back of some smart people around him. He has, or those he hires have, been pretty innovative too.

      Note: It's still possible to be 'innovative' even if the products you innovate are complete crap - in fact it's much easier to be innovative if you're not actually concerned with improving on what came before ...

      Of course 'successful and innovative' is not all that can be used to describe Musk - there are many, many less flattering adjectives that come to mind. You're right it would be a narrow view to suggest that he's only these things, but it would also be narrow view to argue that he's not.

    2. darius-the-fourth

      Re: How characteristically Muskian.

      if you equate entrepreneur with "charlatan" then I find no disagreement.

      "fraudster" works just as well.

      1. MacGuffin

        Re: How characteristically Muskian.

        So does “loser”

    3. Ian Johnston Silver badge

      Re: How characteristically Muskian.

      I have seen claims by the fanboiz that Musk is the prolific inventor since Edison. So I checked, and he has precisely one patent to his name - an undistinguished piece of software flim-flam.

      1. Richard 12 Silver badge

        Re: How characteristically Muskian.

        To be fair, a lot of historians don't believe Edison invented much either.

        Edison was the money man driving the hype train, while the teams of engineers actually did stuff.

        Back then the boss usually personally claimed the patents, that's one thing the USPTO have improved.

        Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose

  11. mikus

    All this means is they used the cheapest grade of stainless possible vs actual quality stuff that is truly corrosion-resistant. I wondered if something like this would happen, and simply laughing that yes, like most cheap Chinese "stainless" things you get from amazon or wish with low-grade metals, they corrode/rust about as bad as steel.

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      There are trade-offs. DeLorean used 304 steel, according to the mighty Google - whereas Tesla are using 301. 301 is less good at resisting corrosion, but stronger and more impact resistant. 316 would be better still at not rusting - also more expensive - I'm pretty sure it's harder, but not sure if it's as flexible.

      Personally I suspect there's a good reason only one company has gone the stainless route with car building - a company that also went bust.

      1. IGotOut Silver badge

        "but stronger and more impact resistant"

        Which is why it won't be allowed in the EU. You need metal to deform on impact if you want even the slightest chance of it passing safety regs.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          "You need metal to deform on impact if you want even the slightest chance of it passing safety regs."

          Irrelevant as we are talking about body panels and the main function of those is to keep driver dry. All the structural elements are ordinary structural steel, most probably just painted, definitely not stainless.

          1. jdiebdhidbsusbvwbsidnsoskebid Silver badge

            "Irrelevant as we are talking about body panels"

            Completely relevant because the body panels need to deform as they are the first thing that hits a pedestrian.

        2. StargateSg7

          Actually you DON'T NEED structurally deforming materials to ABSORB IMPACT as pneumatic, hydraulic or magnetic systems can perform the same functions as a deformable metal structures.

          Literal bumpers and side-bars of impact absorbing material or an impact-absorbing pneumatic or hydraulic piston-like system can absorb frontal and side impacts quite well if designed properly. Shear thickening fluids could do the same as metal bumpers. Even electronically-controlled Rheological Fluids (i.e. Magnetic Ferro-Fluid-like liquids!) could work as an impact absorber. I've been personally working on this myself for aerospace applications. We will see what me and our fancy supercomputers come up with soon enough!

          V

    2. Jellied Eel Silver badge

      All this means is they used the cheapest grade of stainless possible vs actual quality stuff that is truly corrosion-resistant.

      I thought it was supposed to be using the same grade steel as used in the Starship?

      1. Dan 55 Silver badge
        Trollface

        Why do you think it only manages 8 minutes tops before exploding?

  12. Alan W. Rateliff, II

    Something I have yet to grok...

    What exactly is the cybertruck for?

    1. WolfFan

      Re: Something I have yet to grok...

      Demonstrating that the owner has far more money than sense.

    2. Roj Blake Silver badge

      Re: Something I have yet to grok...

      It's for making cash for Elon.

    3. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

      Re: What exactly is the cybertruck for?

      A bet.

      The initial idea was advertised with big promises. Tesla are famous for being slow at starting mass production. Back in the early days putting down a deposit to get a place near the start of the queue looked like a safe opportunity to scalp people who did not have such foresight. Back then, Musk was a clandestine transphobic Nazi. Later, after spending too much time in Texas he thought it would be a good idea to boast of these qualities. In the mean time Tesla has strengthened its litigation team with people selected for their ability as street fighters and prepared for scalpers competing against Tesla for early sales.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: What exactly is the cybertruck for?

        > people selected for their ability as street fighters

        Well, that's Musk gone and spoiled my plan to take the piss out of his previous insistence that his Twitter employees should be "hardcore" by asking if these "street fighters" should be "hardcore" too.

        Because he already said so. The article itself says "Elon Musk says he's recruiting 'hardcore street fighters'".

        How can you mock someone who's already pretty much self-mocking?

        Let's remind outselves that the this isn't coming out of the mouth of an immature nineteen-year-old Internet Tough Guy, but a from fifty-two year old man/child who still thinks "420" is funny. FFS.

    4. sabroni Silver badge
      Happy

      Re: What exactly is the cybertruck for?

      to make you think reality is rendered by a ps1!

    5. spacecadet66 Bronze badge

      Re: Something I have yet to grok...

      Demonstrating your loyalty to His Muskiness.

    6. Necrohamster Silver badge

      Re: Something I have yet to grok...

      To earn kudos within their specific community of EV owners.

    7. Dinanziame Silver badge

      Re: Something I have yet to grok...

      It's a joke. It was never not going to be a joke, considering it looks like a 3D model from a 90s video game.

      1. Headley_Grange Silver badge

        Re: Something I have yet to grok...

        Makes me think of the Money for Nothing vid.

    8. Ian Johnston Silver badge

      Re: Something I have yet to grok...

      I think it was to distract attention from his failure to deliver an electric lorry, which had in turn been announced to distract attention from the huge quality problem with the Model S. "Ooh, quirrels" is more-or-less the entire thought process of the fanboiz.

      1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

        Re: Something I have yet to grok...

        I think it was to distract attention from his failure to deliver an electric lorry, which had in turn been announced to distract attention from the huge quality problem with the Model S

        Don't forget the new Roadster. At least the Cyberduck saves on polygons.

  13. Spazturtle Silver badge

    Alcohol is a bad choice for cleaning product as it damages all the seals that re used on cars for example around the windows. Petrol is a better choice and is what people used with the DeLorean.

    1. Eclectic Man Silver badge
      WTF?

      Let me get this straight, the point of the Tesla Truck is that it is electric, not fossil fuel, powered, but it should be washed in petrol?

      The world has gone mad.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Doused in petrol and ignited would probably be better.

    2. Ian Johnston Silver badge

      The huge problem with the DeLorean was that it used a brushed stainless finish, where "brushed" means "covered with a network of fine scratches which might have been designed to attract dirt",

  14. MajDom

    At this stage in his service to Moscow, he might as well just call it a Lada.

  15. gecho

    Copium

    So much cope in that Cybertruck owners forum. You've got people calling the original poster a liar / bot. Then others blaming it from metal particles from being shipped by rail. And pollen. Cultists can't bear bad things being said about the totems of their leader. Of course the owners will gladly shell out extra money to get the entire vehicle wrapped in paint protection film.

    I truly cruel social media "prank" would be to encourage people to throw iron powder at Cybertrucks, nothing I'd encourage myself.

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      Re: Copium

      When people have paid a lot of money for something, they tend to be quite insistent that it's great - and that they made a great choice.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Copium

      There's a non zero quantity of iron powder in the dust that accumulates on roads from cars braking, rusting and general wear n tear.

      1. Sceptic Tank Silver badge
        WTF?

        Re: Copium

        Better not park near Midnight Oil then because "diesel & dust is what we breathe", etc. Your precious Cybertruck will look like a Holden wreck in no time.

  16. Kevin McMurtrie Silver badge

    Screw the lemonade stand

    Kids can get rich selling Cybertruck stainless steel passivation washes. Stops rust and leaves the car smelling lemon fresh.

  17. spacecadet66 Bronze badge

    So what I take from this is, you could use ordinary water, or better yet salt water, to paint a message on a Cybertruck that would only be visible some time later when the rust started to show. Just going to file that fact away for later reference.

    1. collinsl Silver badge

      Only in areas where it doesn't rain often

  18. Trank1234

    This is such a a great example of technologists hubris. They always think they're going to change everything with their latest gadget. Sometimes they do, but mostly they just inspire possibility and it's the traditional engineers with their long histories and deep consideration that make it eventually viable. Why do you think the paint on your car is so expensive? It's designed to prevent rust for 20+ years. People have been applying coatings to metal to prevent oxidation for literally ever. The freaking knights of the dark ages knew this, but Tesla doesn't? Worse, consumers bought it? I have negative sympathy for it.

    1. Michael Strorm Silver badge

      > I have negative sympathy for it.

      Schadenfreude?

      1. Tishers

        Antipathy?

  19. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge

    eager to get their hands on the steering wheel.

    Only for a few of them to shun the steering wheel whilst heading off to collect a Darwin award

  20. aerogems Silver badge
    Facepalm

    Really?

    Seems like once again Xitler is fucking around and finding out why other car makers do a lot of the things they do. Like, for example, applying a clearcoat to all vehicles. Helps prevent that pesky rust problem. Being out on the open road doesn't mean I want to see it zipping past because there's a huge hole in the undercarriage. I mean really, relative to the rest of the vehicle, how much does it cost to apply a clearcoat? This just strikes me as miserly penny pinching that's going to end up costing more in the long run when people start lobbing sueballs, not to mention the damage to the brand. Without the logo you might be hard pressed to tell a Corolla from a Civic at a casual glance while driving down the road, but there's no mistaking the Cybertruck. Given it looks like a rock monster fucked a triangle, you're immediately going to know what it is and who made it.

  21. Bigt8r

    Really? No clear coat?

    Seems like most people would probably spend a little bit extra to have a coat of clear applied, to make sure their shit doesn't rust. If I were spending that much on a vehicle, I would expect my truck not to rust.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Really? No clear coat?

      >If I were spending that much on a vehicle, I would expect my truck not to rust.

      Lot of fuss over nothing - a days work with a brush and 4 or 5 tins of Hammerite - Hammered Silver naturally.

      1. spacecadet66 Bronze badge

        Re: Really? No clear coat?

        What makes you think that most people buying Cybertrucks have the hand skills to do this and are familiar with the concept of a "day's work"?

  22. DS999 Silver badge
    Trollface

    So I guess the fools who bought that $60K vehicle

    Will need to spend another $2K getting a full body ceramic top coat to protect the finish if they don't want be on 24 hour bird poop patrol to insure its pristine surface stays pristine!

  23. herman Silver badge

    Clear coat it

    Even aluminium skinned Airstream campers have a clear coat. It will take quite a few rattle cans to coat the whole thing though.

  24. Chiggly

    He will fix it. The other Tesla's are amazing. Know your limits and develop patterns for success. The truck can go mudding. It is high torque. You have to train for it. It can simply dig holes too. It is a learning experience for all. The next software update will mimick a lower torque approach. The truck goes zero to 60 in 2.7 seconds. Faster than a Lamborghini.

    Musk is a busy man.

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Who had the good idea...

    ... of programming the apps that run the dashboard with Rust?

  26. Not That Andrew

    No clearcoat? I assume that spark of genius was one of Elron's ideas

  27. Matthew "The Worst Writer on the Internet" Saroff

    Hate to Defend Tesla

    But this could be dust from something like train rails getting the car and literally staining the steel.

    1. IGotOut Silver badge

      Re: Hate to Defend Tesla

      Literally staining the stainless steel?

      1. Matthew "The Worst Writer on the Internet" Saroff

        Re: Hate to Defend Tesla

        It's like the DeLorean, where they had to warn people not to buff out scratches with steel wool, because the bits of iron left behind would stain the skin.

  28. Steve Channell
    Joke

    After-market paint job?

    Sounds like there is going to be quite a market for after market paint jobs! - you know, that clear outer layer of paint you find on normal cars.

    There might even be some "survivalists" that choose camouflage transfers to match assault rifles they use for "legitimate deer hunting" (clearly unaware that several hundred bullets ruins the texture of the meat)

    1. Not That Andrew

      Re: After-market paint job?

      I've seen a picture of a Cybertruck with a camo effect wrap.

  29. thexfile
    Thumb Down

    Cheap.

    It's the lowest grade of stainless steel, it's called 'kitchen stainless.'

  30. Wikster

    Denatured alcohol?

    Too bad that since 2019, you can't buy denatured alcohol in California due to its VOC content.

    1. Kevin McMurtrie Silver badge

      Re: Denatured alcohol?

      You can buy industrial anhydrous isopropanol. I use it for cleaning small hobby projects and repairs. Wiping down a whole Cybertruck with that might cost around $80. There's a pretty good chance you'd set your arm on fire in the process, so reserve another $60000 dollars for 'Merican medical bills too.

  31. sarusa Silver badge
    Devil

    The manliest truck!

    I continue to find it hilarious that this truck, your manliest of Trump 4 lyfe white nationalist no homo mans only beefcake, is such a complete fragile snowflake compared to my Camry Hybrid (or Subaru, but those are known rugged).

    Your $80,000 Sports Futility Vehicle can't even make it up my driveway, which my Camry Hybrid has no problems with. ... ... Which I also guess is the case for a lot of cybertruck owners too, gasping for breath after a hard typing session defending whatever Elmo says on Twitter.

    You can disagree with a lot of things I said above, but you can not, without being in complete denial of reality (okay, yeah, MAGA/Tory), deny that my Camry Hybrid family sedan is a more capable, rugged, vehicle which will need far less maintenance than your Playstation 1 excreta.

  32. bazza Silver badge

    What on earth is a non detergent soap? Alkali based, not acid?

    1. Ian Johnston Silver badge

      What on earth is a non detergent soap?

      Soaps are sodium salts of long chain fatty acids (thank you, Higher Chemistry) while generally detergents, though similar, have artificial tails rather than natural ones. All soaps are detergents, technically, but not all detergents are soaps.

      1. bazza Silver badge

        So, strictly speaking, there's no such thing as a non-detergent soap? Has Tesla said "wash your vehicle with something that doesn't exist"?

  33. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Yeah, nah

    Sound a bit shit, eh?

  34. Bebu
    Windows

    A Can of Dulux?

    Just paint it - white as in elephant although donkey dick pink would be favourite.

    I was wondering if you could nitride the chassis? - I don't know if that reduces corrosion but would harden these uglies up. :)

    Back in the late '70s fish oil stopped a second hand Ford Escort from further rusting - the pong prevented any possibility of theft and subsequently the car never did rust.

    We have a couple of teaspoons from S.Korea made from surgical steel - extremely hard as to be unscratchable and don't appear to corrode - another thought.

    I imagine painting these vehicles with Vantablacktm would appeal to cybertruck community. :)

    1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

      Re: A Can of Dulux?

      I was wondering if you could nitride the chassis? - I don't know if that reduces corrosion but would harden these uglies up. :)

      Don't go giving him ideas. I guess you could try coating it in something like boron nitride. This would potentially provide surface protection and make it slightly more aerodynamic. But AFAIK, that requires vapour deposition, which requires vacuum deposition... Wait, doesn't someone have some large vacuum chambers they were planning to play air hockey and drive cars through?

      1. Tishers

        Re: A Can of Dulux?

        To do vapor deposition coating each cybertruck will take a ride on that monstrosity that has yet to make it to orbit. They will do it in the vacuum of space and just drop it through the atmosphere to land it right on your driveway.

        Just don't park your Camry in the same spot.

        1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

          Re: A Can of Dulux?

          Will your re-entering Cyber Truck be retarded by parachute, or by rockets? Just need to know how far to put the rose bushes from the drive...

  35. snellasaurus

    Stainless steels

    Stainless steel is an umbrella term given to many different steel alloys. Some are easy to form or machine (stainless is a PITA to machine) and some have resistant properties that make them good for food or marine applications.

    I expect that the specific alloy was chosen for mechanical and manufacturing reasons and it just is not one of the more resistant alloys.

  36. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    An elaborate IQ test

    If you want a Cybertruck and you don’t mind spending too much money: You fail (or pass if you’re a fan boy)

  37. EAK-TREG
    Holmes

    As a 25 year stainless steel appliance owner...

    As a 25 year stainless steel appliance owner, stainless requires constant maintenance. Anyone stupi, er rich enough to buy a Cyber truck should invest in:

    1) Pay a automotive maint shop to clear coat it

    2) Then pay to have in Ceramic coated

    3) Expect to re-ceramic coat it every 3-5 years depending upon your climate, # of car washes, etc

    What moron though untreated stainless would be a great vehicle material?

    1. VicMortimer Silver badge

      Re: As a 25 year stainless steel appliance owner...

      John DeLorean.

      The elongated muskrat is just copying a bad idea.

    2. spacecadet66 Bronze badge

      Re: As a 25 year stainless steel appliance owner...

      > What moron though untreated stainless would be a great vehicle material?

      I'll give you a hint. He has the same number of letters in his first and last name.

  38. Rsm61

    Actually, it might look better with a good Patina, lol.

    1. Grunchy Silver badge

      How long has it been since Formula 1 had corrodible cars?

      Ten years, at least !

  39. Grunchy Silver badge

    They once made a car that was impervious to rust, they called it “Chevy Corvette.” Then they were inspired to fabricate “Pontiac Fiero”!!

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