Cybertruck Deer Strike Outcome

[Walkstep]

How do we think the CT will hold up hitting a deer on the highway? I hit one the other night with my Tundra at about 45mph, didn’t see it. Had to back up to find out what it was. Glanced off the plastic panel underneath the headlight. No damage, but it got my attention.

Will the stainless flex? Will the ‘frunk’ (hate that term) lid deform? If it goes over the top, will it just keep going because of the body rake and hardened windshield?

Really, do I need to consider a brush bar so I don’t have to pay to fix a stainless front end? I reviewed some posts on this from 2021 but the time is near and fresh thoughts are welcome on how hard this truck will be to repair. Thanks.

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[cvalue13]

Really, do I need to consider a brush bar so I don’t have to pay to fix a stainless front end?

yes

 

[charliemagpie]

Have you seen the edges of the CT ?

Just bring your grocery bags just in case, FSD will line it up and will already be cut into sirloin, rump etc.

 

[WHIZZARD OF OZ]

Have you seen the edges of the CT ?

Just bring your grocery bags just in case, FSD will line it up and will already be cut into sirloin, rump etc.

Oh Dear....
Charlie, you cut me Up!

 

[ÆCIII]

Might add some new meaning to the "Deer in the Headlights" phrase, since the deer would see the one light bar and so I'm wondering if that might make them more decisive to get out of the way. I've often wondered if deer perceived that there might be nothing in between a pair of approaching headlights, or that the deer perceived them as diverging and not knowing which way to go, with the whole vehicle hard to see until the last split-second.

All that speculated, I've actually hit a deer in the daylight morning hours myself, but it was at a high speed on the German autobahn with a baby deer putting an inverted 'V' in my front Toyota bumper at the time. I think there are also factors of high speed and delayed perception of sound by the deer. With the Cybertruck being so quiet with only tire noise being predominant most of the time, it will be interesting to see what time tells of deer impact experiences although I'm not sure I've heard of that many deer impacts with existing Teslas either.

I think many deer would just be impacted by the lower front bumper, while the stainless frunk is also a neatly separate item than can be replaced if damaged too much. I'm not thinking it's going to be any huge concern, unless the front corner and fenders are also impacted.

Maybe Tesla could setup some 'deer crash' simulations , but I think they're more concerned with more severe life-threatening crashes.

- ÆCIII

 

[Baldey]

i think if your plastic was fine, the SS will be fine too.

 

[rizvend]

A deer ran into a bar...

 

[WHIZZARD OF OZ]

A deer ran into a bar...

Sheep Yoke. (o) No Bull

 

[davelloydbrown]

There are lots of deer in our area and my wife has hit two, one of which totalled our older Nisson Quest (insurance paid out- good deal on a terrible van). I have been driving for over fifty years, most of those years I drove over 60 K km per year mostly on backroads where deers frequent and I have only grazed a coyote once (knock on wood). The key is defensive driving and always keep one eye on shoulder especially at night. Oh yeah and watch out for that second deer lol.

 

[MEDICALJMP]

If you are that worried “lightening” will strike twice, get the bar. Cheap insurance. Tons of deer here, often called giant squirrels by the locals. In over 50 years of driving I have never come close to a deer strike.

 

[TyPope]

TLDR: Read the Red.

How often does a single driver hit a deer? It's probably not very often even for people in deer country. (I've never hit a deer and I grew up in rural Georgia, lived in North Dakota and Montana for 8 years)
So, you've hit a deer. You'll have to let insurance fix the front end probably...

OR

You spend $800 or so on a brush guard that may or may not stop damage to the truck. A deer strike will damage the brush guard if done at speed.

ALSO

You've had to carry around a hundred pounds of steel for maybe years in a position that will most likely wreck your aerodynamics.

SO

Pay $800 for a grill guard, enjoy a 5% reduction in range for years, and maybe prevent some damage to the truck. Maybe.

OR

Pay $500 insurance deductible and let them fix it.

There's a use case that makes sense - if you are going to be too far out when you hit the deer to be reachable or you can't afford to wait for your truck to be repaired and don't care if it looks like it hit a deer.

Just random thoughts. And, yes, I had a Big Tex Brush guard on an F-350 once... It looked tough but proved unnecessary for me in the long run. That's my experience and opinion.

LOL.. To those who made it this far, directly from the BigTex Grille Guards site:

Interferes with front bumper sensors
May interfere with Adaptive Power Steer Control
Will interfere with OEM

 

[hridge2020]

How do we think the CT will hold up hitting a deer on the highway? I hit one the other night with my Tundra at about 45mph, didn’t see it. Had to back up to find out what it was. Glanced off the plastic panel underneath the headlight. No damage, but it got my attention.

I think most people would be worried about the shopping carts...More likely to happen...

 

[SSonnentag]

At 45 mph a deer only damaged the plastic bumper, the radar mounting bracket and a couple of proximity sensors on my S. The hood survived unscathed.

WARNING: Animal carnage in video. Don't view if you can't handle it.

 

[Diehard]

How often does a single driver hit a deer?

My wife hit two and I hit one in the span of 6 years. But we have been driving over 3 decades. Depends on where you drive.

but I agree with your point.

How often does a single driver hit a deer?

Got a dent from one the first week I got my Lightning.

Have you seen the edges of the CT ?

Just bring your grocery bags just in case, FSD will line it up and will already be cut into sirloin, rump etc.

Unless you are gunning for the dear, you can’t predict what or who you are going to hit. You may even hit a friend. You never know.

 

[CyberGus]

A cannibal eating a clown turns to his friend and says "does this taste funny to you"?

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