Tesla’s futuristic cars… rust in the rain!

When Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the Cybertruck electronic supercar in 2019, he boasted that it was “literally bulletproof” with its “very tough stainless steel body.” But it seems this car is from the future, it cannot withstand more everyday “threats”.

The electric Tesla Cybertruck is extremely large, nearly 5.6 meters long, and production began in July 2023. On November 27, 2019, Elon Musk announced that Cybertruck pre-orders had now exceed 250,000.

But according to a report by The Business Insider, some Tesla owners are claiming that their Cybertrucks have begun to rust after being caught in the rain.

In a post on the Cybertruck Owners Forum, a member named “Raxar” wrote that the company had collected his vehicle, but warned that the rain could cause it to rust.

“The Counselor [της εταιρείας] specifically mentioned that Cybertrucks develop orange rust marks in the rain and this required the vehicle to be polished. I’ve heard the stories about never taking your Delorean out [μοντέλο ανοξείδωτου αυτοκινήτου της δεκαετίας του 1970] in the rain, but I never read anything about rust and Cybertrucks.”

“I haven’t washed the car yet, but it’s only been two days of rain,” the user said, while also sharing photos of small orange rust marks on the stainless steel body, which he claims were taken after washing with dish soap.

Another forum member named Vertigo3pc reported that he took his Cybertruck to a company service center to have it checked. “During the Los Angeles rain, I noticed corrosion forming on the metal, as other people have noticed, so I decided to bring it up with Tesla,” they wrote.

The Tesla owner added that a service worker documented the corrosion and that they would be in touch next month to repair it once they had the right tools. The same owner also posted some images of what they said were corrosion spots on the Cybertruck and added, “The spots are definitely all over the metal.”

Clean up droppings and dead insects immediately

Although the Cybertruck owner’s manual has not been made public, however, the company’s videos give a taste of why owners should be careful before choosing this particular car.

“To prevent damage to the exterior, immediately remove corrosive substances (such as grease, oil, bird droppings, tree resin, dead insects, tar stains, road salt, overexposure to heat, etc.) the videos state.

In September 2023, Elon Musk said Tesla may be able to offer owners the option of getting a tungsten carbide coating, a ceramic material that helps protect against corrosion. Musk said the coating is “basically scratch-resistant to anything below the hardness of diamond.”

According to metal supplier Mead Metals, stainless steel is prone to rust in certain environments. It said rust is often caused by exposure to water, although it can also be caused by “exposure to harmful chemicals, grease or prolonged exposure to heat.”