The “Cybertruck Owners Club” is something like a public test laboratory. Some of the first-time US buyers of a Tesla Cybertruck gather here and talk together about their experiences, joys and problems with the new vehicle from the electric car manufacturer. A user named “Raxar” recently shared a major annoyance there. His problem: After two days in the rain, he noticed stains on the stainless steel of the pickup truck – apparently rust.
In the pictures you can see numerous stains on the car’s body, of which Tesla writes under the heading “No paint, no traces of stone chips”: “The ultra-hard stainless steel exoskeleton reduces the risk of dents, damage and long-term corrosion. Repairs are quick and easy. “
The members of the “Cybertruck Owners Club” quickly started looking for clues: Could it perhaps be so-called “Rail Dust”? These are small iron particles that fly from the wheels of the wagons onto the body of the car when vehicles are transported by train and quickly rust there if the cars are not cleaned thoroughly after being unloaded.
Or is it the stainless steel itself? One user suspects that Tesla may have used an alloy that tends to be susceptible – because there are big differences with stainless steel. It is not known exactly which alloy Tesla uses, because it is apparently a specially developed material mix.
A little later, another vehicle owner also shared pictures of his truck – here too you can see rust spots on the stainless steel. He states that he has successfully removed them with a cleaning agent and has not discovered any new traces so far.
It remains to be seen how the Tesla Cybertruck’s stainless steel body will age. Because even if the stains shown could be removed, there is no guarantee that the stainless steel will remain free of traces. Even so-called stainless steel can certainly corrode, even if it takes longer. Due to exposure to salt, chemicals, heat, or a lot of moisture, corrosion wouldn’t even be surprising.
But if you buy the stainless steel pick-up on the assumption that you don’t have to worry about maintenance, you’re likely to be disappointed sooner or later. Tesla has not yet responded to allegations that the body is rusting. However, the Cybertruck’s manual states: “Remove corrosive contaminants immediately (this includes grease, oil, bird droppings, resin, dead insects, traces of tar, road salt, industrial dust, etc.). Do not wait until the next car wash.”
Here’s a tip on how to do this. It continues: “Use denatured alcohol to remove tar stains and stubborn grease stains. Then immediately wash the area with water and a mild, non-detergent soap to remove the alcohol.”
There will also be reasons why Tesla sells three types of protective films for the Cybertruck in its own online shop – one white, one black and one transparent. But it’s not cheap: the manufacturer charges $5,000 for the colorless version, and $6,000 for white or black.
