You’ve read the news. They came up with the idea that Tesla Cybertrucks that were just bought have turned into statues after being out in the weather. On the other hand, the Cybertruck’s body is made of stainless steel that doesn’t rust! This kind of turn of events makes for an interesting story about schadenfreude. Still, someone other than the troublesome Tesla Steel was the one who did it. We should blame the trains instead.
As a first point, I want to stress an important fact: stainless steel is very resistant to rust, but it is not completely immune to it. There are a lot of different types and qualities of stainless steel, but all of them have chromium in them. The very thin layer of oxidation that forms on stainless steel is stopped from rusting even more by chromium and other parts. At least most of the time. Stainless steel can get pits and rust when it comes in contact with strong chemicals like bleach or salt.
Is this how things work with Cybertruck? A discussion on the Cybertruck Owner’s Club forums says that rain is causing rust to form on the outside of many Cybertruck owners’ cars. The pictures in the discussion show Cybertruck panels that have some spots of fading on them. Normal rain, on the other hand, shouldn’t get through stainless steel. It looks like there is more going on if what the owners said and the pictures are true.
Rail dust is another idea that comes up a lot in the thread, but it doesn’t get much attention in these stories. Moving metal, like train wheels on tracks, can stir up these little iron bits. They stick to things and can rust in some situations. The owners claim that the rusty specs can be easily removed with clay bars and other tools, which supports the idea. The screen would be hurt by pitting, which is the same thing as corrosion in stainless steel.
It’s easier to see the trucks in person to say for sure what the Cybertruck rust charges are. Is it pitting, corroded steel panels, or rail dust? Still, train dust seems like the most logical and straightforward answer.
Keep in mind that stainless steel can be hard to keep looking good, especially if it doesn’t have a protected covering. Bodywork is hard and costs a lot of money. It can also be hard to get rid of oil and scratches. Tesla’s own (but not public) guide tells owners to get rid of possibly corrosive things like road salt or industrial fallout as soon as possible. We bring this up because train dust is a lot like industrial fallout.
Is the case over? Most sure. According to these stories, Tesla Cybertrucks don’t rust like Italian coachbuilt cars from the 1970s that have yet to be protected against rust. It does, however, imply that, as with any unique surface, including matte paint, taking extra care of the Cybertruck’s unique bare stainless steel surface will require more work.
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