On Dec. 28 near San Jose, California, a collision occurred involving a Tesla Cybertruck and a Toyota Corolla.
This marks the first reported incident of the new electric truck being involved in a crash on a public road.
The $60,990 Tesla Cybertruck Made Its Way to Customers in November
Customers began receiving their orders of the Tesla Cybertruck in late November.
The truck starts at $60,990, and customization options are available to potentially raise the overall cost to around $100,000.
Crash Test Video for Tesla Cybertruck
Social media was going wild with discussions about the crash test videos that Tesla livestreamed during a Nov. 30 event.
Experts expressed the need for crash-test data to draw definitive conclusions about the safety of the vehicles.
Rigid, Thick Stainless Steel Body of Tesla Cybertruck May Be an Issue
Adrian Lund, the former president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, was potentially concerned about the Tesla Cybertruck.
“The big problem there is if they really make the skin of the vehicle very stiff by using thick stainless steel, then when people hit their heads on it, it’s going to cause more damage to them,” Lund told Reuters after the livestream.
Elon Musk and Tesla Claim Structural Design of Cybertruck Will Absorb Impact of Crash
Tesla highlighted the truck’s structural elements designed to absorb impact in the event of a crash.
In a social media post on the platform X, Tesla CEO Elon Musk expressed a high level of confidence that the Cybertruck would provide enhanced safety for both occupants and pedestrians compared to other trucks.
Elon Musk Says Stainless Steel Exterior of Tesla Cybertruck Is Very Durable
Marking a departure from traditional truck designs, the Cybertruck is the first vehicle to utilize a stainless-steel exterior since the introduction of “Back to the Future’s” DeLorean.
Elon Musk emphasized the durability of the material, noting that it has even caused disruptions by breaking the stamping machine responsible for forming the panels.
Tesla Emphasizes the Tesla Cybertruck’s Resilience
At the launch event held at the Austin, Texas, factory, Tesla emphasized the vehicle’s resilience.
They attributed this durability to the use of cold-rolled stainless body panels specifically engineered to absorb impact in the event of a collision.
The First Tesla Cybertruck Crash Involved a Toyota Corolla
The Dec. 28 crash took place in the region south of Page Mill Road in Palo Alto, at approximately 2:05 p.m. Pacific time.
The collision involved a 2023 Tesla Cybertruck with three occupants, seemingly struck by a 2009 Toyota Corolla driven by a 17-year-old.
California Highway Patrol Describes Tesla Cybertruck Crash
The California Highway Patrol stated that the vehicle collided with a dirt embankment on the right shoulder.
No significant injuries were reported following the collision. In its report, the CHP mentioned “a suspected minor injury to the Cybertruck driver” (via The Verge).
Who Was Responsible for the Crash?
According to the police, it appears that the Tesla was not operating in autonomous mode at the time of the crash.
As per the report from the California Highway Patrol, it seemed that the collision was instigated by the Corolla Driver, not the Tesla driver.
The Tesla Cybertruck’s Airbag Was Deployed
The severity of the impact is not definitively known. But, no major injuries have been reported.
However, pictures posted on Reddit show the deployment of the Cybertruck’s driver-side curtain airbag.
The Condition of the Toyota Corolla That Hit The Tesla Cybertruck Is “Ghastly To Look at”
Additionally, there is substantial damage to the driver’s side body panels and extensive front-end damage to the Toyota Corolla.
The Reddit user who encountered the aftermath of the wreck and posted the photos described the condition of the Toyota as “ghastly to look at.”
