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Tesla's Cybertruck may not be so stainless after all
(www.theregister.com)
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this post was submitted on 13 Feb 2024
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Yeah. My understanding is that Deloreans were shockingly rust resistant but were also panels specifically so that they could be replaced.
I don't know metallurgy/material science well enough to know if cybertrucks actually used good quality stainless steel or cut corners. And I can easily see a world where people assume the dirt is rust because of paranoia or just looking for internet drama/clout.
But... Rust or no rust, those cars are pretty fucked. Because they don't even have a clearcoat. And considering we are in the season where roads are covered with salt and sand and cars are constantly bombarded with a highly abrasive slurry at speed, those panels are going to see a LOT of wear and damage.
Tesla uses SS301 stainless. DeLorean used SS304.
301 is cheaper, less resistant to corrosion, can resist more force applied to it before failure, formes better in stamping, doesn't tolerate high-temperatures as well.
My guess is they used 301 due to cost and forming properties. Supposedly they use 301 on the Starships, so bulk pricing would help keep production costs low. Had they used 304 the raw material cost and cost of production at volume would be higher but they would be less likely to have these corrosion issues, assuming they aren't welding the panels.
SS301 is a great material. It's workable, ductile, and still plenty hard. It's absolutely perfect for work holding in an industrial spot welding environment.
Why on earth they'd use that for body panels is fucking beyond me. Ok, it's bullet proof, kinda, which is cool I guess? I've never been shot at in a car, I don't know anyone who's ever been shot at in car.
I know lots of people with cars that they don't like to rust. Or scratch tho. Seems like the bigger problem in car design honestly
Totally agree. But is this an appropriate use for it? I regularly have to use sandpaper to remove surface rust from my SS301 knife. And I don't leave that out in the rain. It's just surface rust, doesn't damage anything, but it is rust and it's very ugly.
Thankfully with a knife, it takes two seconds to remove the rust. With an entire car? And body panels with areas that are hard to get to? Honestly if I was going to buy a cybertruck I would paint it.
If you want "real" stainless, you want 316, but it's not as strong and would require significant modifications - making it thicker/heavier/more expensive/worse battery range/etc.
Maybe the cyber truck owners will convince themselves the rust is a beautiful patina (and your cat sucks because it doesn't have one!)
Don't you talk about my cat that way!
Instead of gold versions, rich people will get inconel-pannel cybertrucks!
Well, starships don't usually need to worry about rain storms
They do have a habit of blowing up tho.
Seems to be a theme with Elon’s contraptions.
Paint, they always need paint. A lot of science went into that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_hgPinCZks
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Even "good quality" stainless steel can easily rust, as anyone who's owned quality kitchen knives will tell you. Some stainless alloys are more resistant than others -- but exposed to the right conditions they all corrode.