3mm stainless steel - wow

[CyberGus]

It was literally the main reason we left Denver (after 19 years). It just gets exhausting worrying about it.

As for the 3mm thickness, here's my CyberTruck that I picked up at the Tesla Takeover yesterday.

3mm SS. It is REALLY thick, and also quite heavy just for that bottle opener.

At this point, I'm wondering how the CT COULD be 3mm thick all over and not weigh 10K lbs......

Plate steel at 3mm is about 5 pounds per square foot. Assuming the Cybertruck is a a rectangular steel box, it’s around 500 square feet or over 2000 pounds.

Of course, that’s waaaay over, but idk how to measure the surface area of the exoskeleton precisely.

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[Ryan95738]

If you haven’t paid attention since November 2019 then yes, I am. I do agree with you that, from a legacy OEM’s point of view at least, saving weight and money would be the way to go. But the Cybertruck was always intended to be ‘over the top’, with a bulletproof skin, armored glass, biodefense mode, etc. which of these would the legacy OEMs not shed because they are unnecessary and costly? Let me see, all of them.

The reality is that Tesla has been talking about features, and about the stainless steel, all along. Tesla has publicly announced changes that related to the unveiling: dimensions, the addition of a 4th motor, addition of 4WS. On the other hand, Franz talked about the difficulty of working with thick, ultra hard, stainless steel just a couple months ago.

Anyway, you and I look at this whole thing differently, and I can accept that. I can also accept my reasoning being wrong. I just haven’t seen or heard any evidence of this change, but we will certainly know in a couple of months.

We definitely will!

 

[scottf200]

corrosion proof pickup truck.

Arguably Ford's 2015 move to aluminum was one of the boldest moves to trucks. Tesla's SS will be similar but Ford took one impressive BOLD step. (#1 truck, vehicle repair implications/3rd party/etc)

" Ford has been making some of its trucks out of aluminum since 2015. The F-150 and F-Series Super-Duty are the only trucks with both aluminum bodies and beds. The change to aluminum made the frame more durable, rigid, and 60 pounds lighter. The F-150 became 700 pounds lighter and could tow and haul more while using less gas. The aluminum body also won't rust over time like a traditional steel body. "​

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"The 2015 F-150 shed 700 pounds (approximately 15 percent in vehicle body weight) with the addition of a high-strength, military-grade aluminum body."​

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"In 2015, Ford introduced the aluminum-bodied F-150 and spent the last six years refining mass market aluminum manufacturing best practices. Thanks to its high-strength, military-grade aluminum body, the 2015 F-150 shed 700 pounds (approximately 15%in vehicle body weight) and became the first full-size Ford pickup to earn a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)."​

 

[gmb22]

Correct! 3mm is roughly 1/8”.

I highly doubt if the frunk skin and fenders will be 3mm thick because of the frontal crumple zone. Also, look at the under hood support stamping. That alone tells me that the frunk skin is thinner than 3mm.

The drivers door skin looks pretty thick however

Every once in a while I return to wondering just how strong 3 mm hardened stainless might be. This morning I went outside and measured the thickness of a piece of flat steel that I have lying around and it is 1/8" (or 3 mm). This sucker, which is much softer than hardened stainless, is a beast! I can barely bend 20 gauge stainless in my finger brake and it is less than 1 mm thick. I cannot wait for the Cybertruck to come home to roost in my driveway - for this if nothing else.

Does anyone have any idea where Tesla is sourcing all this stainless steel? Is it same steel used on Starship?

 

[Cyberman]

According to the US Mint, a penny is 1.52mm while a quarter is 1.75mm, so the double-stacked penny is actually closer to 3mm.

Well, I sure like two US quarters stacked as opposed to two measley pennies. I'm not about to let something as insignificant as the to truth get in the way, either.

 

[CyberGus]

Well, I sure like two US quarters stacked as opposed to two measley pennies. I'm not about to let something as insignificant as the to truth get in the way, either.

Two quarters is just a half-truth

 

[Mini2nut]

My best guess…

https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-cybertruck-steel-plant-production-next-month/

 

[cvalue13]

Of course, that’s waaaay over, but idk how to measure the surface area of the exoskeleton precisely.

nor can we know the weight of the alternative construction, absent the 3mm panels, needed to achieve parity of capabilities

assuming that portions of the vehicle’s SS panels contribute either operational strength (eg torsion resistance via rear quarter-panel’s) or intrusion resistance (eg the doors), then the internal frame’s steel cab or castings may be constructed lighter than would be otherwise necessary

alternatively, it’s also possible that the frame’s steel cab and casting approach simply wouldn’t be possible in a capability-competitive pickup truck application, absent the SS. In this scenario, the assembly cost efficiencies of the frame are the benefit that outweighs any costs of the SS weight

 

[PilotPete]

Does anyone have any idea where Tesla is sourcing all this stainless steel? Is it same steel used on Starship?

As I read it, it is the Starship steel. This is evident in the descriptor ”30X”. I heard a YT’r call this “Thirty times cold rolled…” But that’s not what this means. SS comes in various alloys in the 300 family. 314, 316 are common. But they have some drawbacks in the corrosion dept. According to what I have read, the steel SpaceX uses for the StarShip is ultra resistant to corrosion in the areas of salt and environmental issues. It does not yet have a commercial 300 series designation. So it is 30X, with x=unknown. I guess you could also call it 30#, but then someone would call it “thirty pound” or “Thirty hashtag”.

 

[LDRHAWKE]

There have already been some great detailed engineering analyses of what the stainless steel 3mm adds to the CT rigidity and load carrying capacity. True, it is no longer an exoskeleton in the strictest sense, but a combination. When the CT was announced the huge structural casting were simply a design concept. Making the batteries structural to slip in from the bottom with seat’s attached was not even thought of yet. . As to what heavy side panels adds structurally, simply picture an I-beam and the structural importance of the web between the flanges. The 3mm original exoskeleton design covering turns the CT into a rock. It may be over kill now in some respects and I wouldn’t be surprised if they reduce the thickness In final design.

 

[LDRHAWKE]

As I read it, it is the Starship steel. This is evident in the descriptor ”30X”. I heard a YT’r call this “Thirty times cold rolled…” But that’s not what this means. SS comes in various alloys in the 300 family. 314, 316 are common. But they have some drawbacks in the corrosion dept. According to what I have read, the steel SpaceX uses for the StarShip is ultra resistant to corrosion in the areas of salt and environmental issues. It does not yet have a commercial 300 series designation. So it is 30X, with x=unknown. I guess you could also call it 30#, but then someone would call it “thirty pound” or “Thirty hashtag”.

The L in 300 stainless steels is for low carbon and increased corrosion resistance. The last I read it was compared to 304L but I imagine it has been tweaked by Tesla as they learned to improve it with its wide use by SpaceX.

 

[greggertruck]

I personally don't think it's still all thickened steel like we originally thought.

Guess we will know for sure very soon.

 

[gmb22]

As I read it, it is the Starship steel. This is evident in the descriptor ”30X”. I heard a YT’r call this “Thirty times cold rolled…” But that’s not what this means. SS comes in various alloys in the 300 family. 314, 316 are common. But they have some drawbacks in the corrosion dept. According to what I have read, the steel SpaceX uses for the StarShip is ultra resistant to corrosion in the areas of salt and environmental issues. It does not yet have a commercial 300 series designation. So it is 30X, with x=unknown. I guess you could also call it 30#, but then someone would call it “thirty pound” or “Thirty hashtag”.

Found this: https://www.cybertruckownersclub.co...-for-cybertruck-same-as-spacex-starship.5742/

 

[ED_SFO]

I think only door skins will be 3mm...gotta save money else where tho.

 

[TBONO]

I think only door skins will be 3mm...gotta save money else where tho.

Also weight and manufacturability

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