Tesla Cybertruck crumple zones depend on shattering gigacastings — repair cost implications could be dire

[Redaktion]

Tesla recently explained how the crumple zones in the Cybertruck help protect the electric pickup truck's occupants. As opposed to a bending frame, collisions seem to obliterate the entire front gigacasting. The Cybertruck's safety has been called into question a number of times due to its stiff stainless-steel panelling and short hood.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Tesla-Cybertruck-crumple-zones-depend-on-shattering-gigacastings-repair-cost-implications-could-be-dire.782984.0.html

[JGarbo]

The writer jumps the gun. True, Teslas are among the safest cars in US. True, a frontal collison impact will deform/destroy the gigacasting unit, but where is his "most expensive" pricing? The battery is usually the most expensive part of an EV. The gigacasting is one piece of Al alloy produced in seconds, replacing dozens of previous, more expensive steel parts that would also be replaced, not repaired. BMW tried this price trickery to defend their complex steel front end subframes' crash resistance and cost, and failed. More details needed. Expected better better from this site.

[CmdrEvil]

Sadly this is just another example of clickbait shitpost on this website. We're talking here about high speed collision, I don't know about other countries, but here in UK any vehicle that is involved in an accident where most of airbags are deployed and frame damaged - the car is scrapped as total loss, and never gets repaired.
Notebookcheck really is getting worse with these all the time...

[Gene]

What percent of cars that have used the crumplezones are recovered? I suspect low.
Also the failure of the rear wheels was not a failure. It was four wheel steering. There is no axle to break.

[Shane]

The writer jumps the gun. True, Teslas are among the safest cars in US. True, a frontal collison impact will deform/destroy the gigacasting unit, but where is his "most expensive" pricing? The battery is usually the most expensive part of an EV. The gigacasting is one piece of Al alloy produced in seconds, replacing dozens of previous, more expensive steel parts that would also be replaced, not repaired. BMW tried this price trickery to defend their complex steel front end subframes' crash resistance and cost, and failed. More details needed. Expected better better from this site.

The part itself might not be terribly expensive but how much is it going to cost to remove all the components surrounding it? Labor itself is going to be the expensive part, if the part is even readily available to purchase.

[Shmoe]

Yea so dire the rear casting costs $750. Do some research before you write these bs articles.

[Dulag]

The giga casting cannot be welded back together (and remain safe).
When broken, it must be replaced.
When "replacing" the gigacasting, the body repair tech must disassemble everything from the gigacasting frame.  The labor to do so would be more than the cyber truck's residual value.

Most responses are incorrect.  Current design frames can be bent back and most reputable body repair shops have the equipment to do so with reasonable labor costs.  No, current cars are not just "totaled" from a bent frame.

The vitriol towards the author over the topic demonstrates the upcoming culture war over the cybertruck.  Stay tuned for more foaming-at-the-mouth defense of it, regardless of facts.

[hugh mungus]

Yea so dire the rear casting costs $750. Do some research before you write these bs articles.

[citation needed]

[Shmoe]

The giga casting cannot be welded back together (and remain safe).
When broken, it must be replaced.
When "replacing" the gigacasting, the body repair tech must disassemble everything from the gigacasting frame.  The labor to do so would be more than the cyber truck's residual value.

Most responses are incorrect.  Current design frames can be bent back and most reputable body repair shops have the equipment to do so with reasonable labor costs.  No, current cars are not just "totaled" from a bent frame.

The vitriol towards the author over the topic demonstrates the upcoming culture war over the cybertruck.  Stay tuned for more foaming-at-the-mouth defense of it, regardless of facts.

There isn't a single body shop repairing frame damage as opposed to totaling the car. Have you even gotten in an accident lately? A fender bender is a 2k claim.

[Lolwtf]

What the hell, if you get in an accident that crumples any cars front it's gonna be totalled. Lmao

[K124]

An article about the possible expense to repair a Tesla after a serious accident, but one Rivian body panel cost over $30,000???

[Swizzy]

So like...every other car currently on the market lmao

[julian.vdm]

The writer jumps the gun. True, Teslas are among the safest cars in US. True, a frontal collison impact will deform/destroy the gigacasting unit, but where is his "most expensive" pricing? The battery is usually the most expensive part of an EV. The gigacasting is one piece of Al alloy produced in seconds, replacing dozens of previous, more expensive steel parts that would also be replaced, not repaired. BMW tried this price trickery to defend their complex steel front end subframes' crash resistance and cost, and failed. More details needed. Expected better better from this site.

You're 100% correct on the battery price front. Neglected to mention that. I've amended the article to clarify.

[Peter Boyer]

If the front gigacasting protects the occupants from serious injury during a catastrophic collision, the cost of the vehicle will be chump change compared to the liability and long term rehab of the occupants. Any injury prevented is a huge cost saving not only for the individual, family and loved ones, but also for the whole system of insurance and health care that all indirectly contribute to.

[John doe]

We currently have 3 Tesla Model S plaids in our shop with minimal damage to the aluminum casting but is required to be replaced to properly fix. All 3 might end up totaling because of it. We torn down one to basically the shell and insurance says they will probably total it and since the same insurance company has one of the other plaids, they will total that one also without tearing it down first.