It looks like the Tesla Cybertruck has completed some crash tests and is on track to obtain its crashworthiness rating. At least a dozen Cybertrucks were spotted earlier on trailers across the US, prompting speculation about where they could be heading. On Friday, part of the mystery was solved as two crash-tested Cybertruck pickups were seen on a trailer in Hayward, California.
During the second-quarter earnings call, Elon Musk confirmed that he expects the first Tesla Cybertrucks to be delivered during an event in the third quarter. We're now in the second half of the quarter, and people are eagerly waiting for Tesla to prove Elon Musk wasn't bluffing. We're optimistic that the Cybertruck will get to the first customers on time, even if this means these customers are Tesla employees.
The Cybertruck has been in the news a lot more often in the past week, showing that things are moving fast. People watching Giga Texas noticed that the outbound lot was bustling with Cybertruck activity. At least nine pickup trucks have been seen on the lot, while several units were hauled on trailers out of the factory. Some of them have been headed to California, while others have been tracked as far as Ohio. Given this late stage in the Cybertruck development, these movements were attributed to Tesla sending the pickups to testing facilities for crashworthiness and efficiency ratings.
The NHTSA operates the Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) in East Liberty, Ohio, where it conducts crash and fuel efficiency tests. Spotting the Cybertrucks in the area gives us a good hint at what Tesla is up to. It's safe to assume the Cybertruck will have an NHTSA crash rating next year when the volume production will be in full swing.
The pickups sent to California shared the same fate, only at Tesla's own crash test facility in Fremont. This was confirmed when two crash-tested Cybertrucks were seen in Hayward, California. Although the trucks were covered, it's obvious that the damage was minimal, fueling the speculation about the outstanding safety that Tesla packed into the Cybertruck. Given other Tesla models' stellar safety test results, expectations are high that the Cybertruck will also make a good impression. Most expect it to become the safest pickup truck on the market, regardless of size.
Things appear to be better for the Cybertrucks flown to New Zealand for winter tests. According to most recent news, at least two of them have left the South Hemisphere Proving Grounds (SHPG) testing facility, presumably on their way back to the US. This shows that Tesla is wrapping up the testing season for the Cybertruck, which pretty much confirms that deliveries couldn't be that far.
To pour more gas into the fire, a Tesla employee whose reports have been proven accurate in the past revealed on X that employee Cybertruck deliveries are imminent. Based on his words, "the company is soliciting the interest of those to take early delivery." Both dual- and three-motor configurations are reportedly available, which is good news for reservation holders. We'd take this with a grain of salt, though, considering that pricing and specifications are still unknown.
Here’s TWO crash tested Cybertrucks 😦
— Greggertruck (@greggertruck) August 18, 2023
Look close and you see the crash tape as well as damage/ missing pieces!
These were in Hayward, CA. pic.twitter.com/BemTlmCw3G
