Announced last year, Tesla’s Cybertruck will hit the market at the end of 2021, but likely in just one colorway. If Elon Musk had mentioned a possible matte black color for his electric pickup, it will probably be up to the most ingenious customers to change the color of their vehicle themselves after purchase … and this, through an unusual method.
Tesla’s Cybertuck could change color with a simple application of heat on its body // Source: Tesla – Electrek
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Astonishing vehicle in more ways than one, the Cybertruck Tesla is distinguished by its concept of electric pickup, but also by a singular design carried by sharp lines, and a body entirely composed of broad rectilinear plates of brushed steel. The vehicle ignores stamped steel as much as possible to allow a more robust construction in the long term, but also to avoid corrosion. This manufacturing method and the choice of raw steel nevertheless have the drawback of greatly limiting the options available in terms of colors.
Logically, the Cybertruck should thus be delivered without paint and therefore in “natural” steel. Remains that if Elon Musk had already mentioned in the past a matte black color, the Cybertruck could in fact benefit from different colors, without going through any coat of paint.
Heat steel to achieve a variety of unique shades
On Twitter, the CEO of Tesla spoke with some fans on this issue. As noted Electrek, steel can benefit from chemical coloring by being heated to different temperatures, and in their conversations with Elon Musk, some have pointed out that it would be interesting to exploit this method to give Cybertuck colors that are both original and unique.
Yes
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 26, 2020
Pretty pretty please Elon? Is white oxide a thing? pic.twitter.com/BG1rwjnQ9x
— Ghost of Tesla Phx (@Ghost_TeslaPhx) July 21, 2020
In the same idea, a Cybertruck bleached with white oxide would be possible according to Elon Musk. It is nevertheless difficult to know if this kind of solution could be used directly by Tesla to offer alternatives to the natural gray of steel for the Cybertruck. As it stands, it seems more likely that the brand will leave it to its customers to customize their vehicle as they see fit from an aesthetic point of view, even if this involves taking out the torch to gently heat the body of the machine.
It is possible to obtain interesting colors by heating the steel to different temperatures // Source: Electrek
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The Californian brand could however offer accessories to customize the electric pickup. By Elon Musk’s own admission, many color and pattern options will finally be offered through, not paint, but synthetic coatings fully covering the body. A solution that Tesla could this time offer to its customers.
You will be able to wrap it in any color or pattern
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 14, 2020
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