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[–] 108 points 2 years ago (16 children)

Despite Tesla’s claim that the Cybertruck is “bulletproof” and made out of an “exoskeleton,” the electric vehicle’s build is actually much closer to a traditional unibody system rather than an “exoskeleton.” Most of the visible body parts, which would be part of the chassis in an exoskeleton build, are actually trims attached to the body.

Furthermore, while Tesla touts its “ultra-hard stainless steel exoskeleton,” it mostly uses stainless steel on external parts, while many parts of the frame are made of aluminum.

So they took one of the 4-door frames, bolted a little tail on it and slapped some refrigerator panels on it. Cool. This is the greatest automotive victory in the history of the world.

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  • [–] 51 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    And like an old refrigerator, you could get stuck and die if you go inside one.

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  • [–] 34 points 2 years ago (9 children)

    ... many of the body/trim panels... are glued onto the frame.

    Not even fasteners of some kind.

    Just glue.

    Glue which keeps failing so often that basically all cybertrucks have been recalled because ... the body / trim panels will fly off on the highway, like an uncovered/unsecured truck load.

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterlyon/2025/03/23/tesla-recalls-nearly-every-cybertruck-citing-loose-metal-panel-issues/

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  • [–] 18 points 2 years ago (8 children)

    Nothing wrong with the -right- adhesive being used. The problem isn't "glue", it's incompetence.

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  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago* (3 children)

    I don't know enough about specific kinds of epoxy/glues... but has anything actually been reported as to... is it just the wrong kind of glue? applied improperly? combination of both, and/or other errors?

    Given that it affects ... basically every cybertruck produced, im guessing its not just one guy or one shift that's incompetent, and more likely a fundamental manufacturing process/materials problem, management or c suite incompetence.

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  • [–] 9 points 2 years ago

    Its been known since before the thing shipped that the wrong glue was used.

    There are automotive adhesives, meant for the exact use case the cybertruck needs, that Tesla chose not to use.

    Instead,, they chose to use a cheaper adhesive that is well documented as not being able to be heat cycled in the way a vehicle gets, and the glue has rapidly degraded as it has been exposed to rapid and constant heating and cooling.

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I'd wager a combination of both. Cheaped out on the adhesive and screwed up the application instructions. Probably cheaped out again by cutting the time/temp of the postcure.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago*

    WhistlinDiesel on Youtube has a fun video of him destroying a Cybercuck. At one point he's tearing off the trim by hand and you can see that the glue globs were hand-applied pretty much randomly. He also broke the back of the frame clean off when he attempted to tow an F150 out of the mud. And just for fun: when he slammed the doors the interior part broke off.

    It's just mind-boggling what absolute pieces of shit these things are.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (3 children)
  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    You better let every other car company in existence in on your secret then because all of them from BYD to Ferrari are doing it.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Don't they also use fasteners though? Pretty sure the adhesive is just there to strengthen

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago*

    Nope, if anything the fasteners are for registration in the right place. Adhesives do the job.

    There is some stigma about gluing stuff together, but windshields have been mounted with glue for decades now and nobody seems to be worried that they’re going to fall out.

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  • [–] 11 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Also it's not like we've been building "ultra-hard" cars for decades before figuring out that it's actually a terrible idea.

    But leaning from the mistakes of the past was never in his playbook.

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago

    Not sure if thats what you meant, but yeah, cars used to be made "stronger", until it was realised that they are more fatal that way. Theres a reason most modern cars crumble up quickly in an accident, and that is because the crumbling absorbs energy from the impact, helping the vehicle slow down and stop without damaging the passenger. If the car didnt crumble, the energy has to go somewhere else - this could go to the passenger, flinging them through their window.

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  • [–] 23 points 2 years ago (10 children)

    Is there a picture of the G Wagon?

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  • [–] 48 points 2 years ago* (9 children)
  • [–] 14 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    Both vehicles are uglier than sin.

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    Agreed modern G is just plain ugly

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    Old G-wagons are as utilitarian as land rover defenders and old jeeps. New G-wagons are for people who want to feel like they have a big dick, (like large truck owners) while ALSO wanting to show that they have a lot of money.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    ... did the broken off ass of the dumpster damage the roof of the car?? Lmao, it's not even safe to crash into.

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  • [–] 20 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Is the front supposed to fall off?

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  • [–] 14 points 2 years ago

    "It will be able to act as a boat fo a bit!" Literally breaks in a car wash

    "It is bulletproof!" Metal ball lightly thrown at it shatters the windows, youtuber shot it and it absolutely got wrecked

    "Best EV truck!" Literally not a single reputable reviewer has ever held this belief.

    "Highest build quality on any car!" Panels literally fly off of the car spontaneously.

    "Full self driving!" *just be sure to not let it kill you or others as it WILL try to, and we are not legally responsible

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  • [–] 13 points 2 years ago

    $100,000.00 of useless American trash.

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  • [–] 13 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I love how the other photo from the article shows how clean the split is.

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  • [–] 12 points 2 years ago

    No surprise here since they were never crash tested.

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  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago (1 child)
  • I remember that happening in one of the Love bug movies, poor Herbie gets cut in half and is racing his own ass for a while

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    I've heard of splitting the g but this is ridiculous

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