Old Spice

Well-known member
First Name
Ben
Joined
Nov 15, 2019
Threads
205
Messages
455
Reaction score
2,734
Location
NY
Vehicles
F-150, Polaris RZR
Country flag
Tesla Armor Glass patent reveals ‘bulletproof’ secret to Cybertruck durability

from https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-armor-glass-patent/

May 27, 2021

Tesla rolled out several new patents related to the Cybertruck today, one of them being the “bulletproof” Armor Glass that CEO Elon Musk talked about on several occasions. The Cybertruck’s durability has been one of the vehicle’s most notorious features. The patent describes the multi-layered design that Tesla will use across several of its cars to prevent owners from spending big bucks on new windshields or windows after a scratch, crack or chip.

Perhaps the most notable memory from the Cybertruck event in November 2019 was when Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen threw a metal ball at the Cybertruck’s driver’s door glass after slamming the stainless steel exoskeleton with a sledgehammer. After claiming the glass was durable enough to sustain several blows without cracking, the window did smash with the signature broken spheres imprinted into everyone’s mind who watched the event.

Elon Musk stated that Franz’s initial sledgehammer hits damaged the base of the glass, weakening them to the point that the steel balls were able to easily break it. Musk proved later that the windows really were super durable by releasing a video of Franz throwing the same metal balls at the glass right before the Cybertruck was rolled out on stage. Now, the patent explains how Tesla created durable and near-indestructible automobile glass.

According to the patent, the combination of the “multi-layer glass stack” has about a 10% chance of failure with an impact of 2 J.

Tesla’s multi-layer glass stack is comprised of the following: an inner-facing layer that has been chemically strengthened with high strength in flexibility. It measures between .5 and 1.1 millimeters thick and has an adhesive interlayer, which conjoins it to an outer-facing layer that has energy absorptive properties. The outer layer includes “non-soda lime, low-CTE, high densification glass” that measures between 2 and 5 millimeters thick. The two layers and then joined together by the energy absorbent adhesive. The outer layer is comprised of borosilicate, a low-melting-point glass made from silica and boric oxide that is more resistant to thermal shock than any other common glass.

Tesla focused heavily on the process of creating a highly durable automotive glass that would be able to withstand normal instances on the road and remain damage-free during operation. The patent states that, typically, automotive glass can be chipped, cracked, or broken without much external force; something as small as a pebble that is launched into the air by another vehicle can cause enough damage to warrant an entire windshield replacement. Tesla wanted to avoid this as windshields can be expensive and difficult to replace.

Tesla Cybertruck 'Bulletproof' secret to Cybertruck windows revealed in Tesla Armor Glass patent tesla-armored-glass-e1622143572438-493x376
Tesla Cybertruck 'Bulletproof' secret to Cybertruck windows revealed in Tesla Armor Glass patent tesla-glass-sedan-armored-494x376




















In fact, the external-facing layer, in some embodiments, has the ability to resist crack initiation and crack propagation, making it durable in the event of a collision or if a foul ball happens to hit some glass when you’re at your kid’s little league game. It doesn’t appear that the Cybertruck will be the only vehicle to utilize the glass, as another illustration within the patent shows a sedan.

When Musk joined Jay Leno in a Cybertruck ride that was aired on MSNBC’s Jay Leno’s Garage a year ago today, the former late-night TV show host asked the Tesla CEO why anyone would want bulletproof, armored glass on their truck.

“Because it’s badass, and it’s super cool,” Musk quickly replied. “Do you want your truck to be bulletproof or not?”

The full patent for Tesla’s Armored Glass is available below.

Sponsored

 


First Name
Gregory
Joined
Sep 17, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
9
Reaction score
30
Location
Los Angeles, Ca
Vehicles
ml350
Occupation
Data Scientist
Country flag
Did Elon ever say the glass was bulletproof? He said the door could stop a 9mm round. Why is everyone spreading the misinformation that the Armor Glass is bulletproof?
According to Motor Trend, Elon said the windshield could stop a 9mm round. I think this is likely due to its angle.

From Motor Trend:
”Apparently, the Cybertruck may also have a bulletproof windshield. Tesla chief Elon Musk says the laminated windshield, which appears to be completely flat, will stop a 9mm round, as well. We tested its strength by dropping weighed metal spheres from various heights. It didn't break.”

https://www.motortrend.com/news/tesla-cybertruck-electric-pickup-bulletproof-stainless-steel-body/
 
Last edited:

Quicksilver

Well-known member
First Name
Charles
Joined
Feb 24, 2020
Threads
10
Messages
538
Reaction score
644
Location
Alabama
Vehicles
Nissan van
Occupation
Retired military
Country flag
Did Elon ever say the glass was bulletproof?
I have been in most US Army vehicles, armored and unarmored and I can tell you that there is no such thing as "bullet proof" because someone always has a bigger bullet.
The best you can hope for is "bullet resistant" where you have enough armor to deflect what the bad guy has sent your way.
The CT will prob stop or deflect a 9mm which is a pistol and sub-machine gun round and is blunt nosed. I would not bet my life on it deflecting or stopping any kind of pointed rifle caliber round. Especially a steel cored round with a penetrator tip.
I would hate to see the CT become the go to truck for drug cartels, dealers or gang bangers.
 

Jhodgesatmb

Well-known member
First Name
Jack
Joined
Dec 1, 2019
Threads
63
Messages
4,823
Reaction score
7,024
Location
San Francisco Bay area
Website
www.arbor-studios.com
Vehicles
Tesla Model Y LR, Tesla Model 3 LR
Occupation
Retired AI researcher
Country flag
Did Tesla use the words bullet or bullet proof in the patent?
A bunch of Tesla trolls on Teslarati were getting down on Elon Musk for this and I reviewed the segment of the unveiling that bounded the armor glass presentation and there isn’t a single mention of it being bulletproof. On the other hand, having watched the early video about Tesla wipers and glass where they mentioned Alon glass, I went to the Corning site and read about it. Alon, in 1-inch thickness, is bulletproof, but not in 6 mil thickness that the patent describes. So...good for protecting against pebbles, baseballs, golf balls, toys, etc., but not bullets. Surely a big improvement on current glass.
 


firsttruck

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 25, 2020
Threads
170
Messages
2,522
Reaction score
3,995
Location
mx
Vehicles
none
Country flag
A bunch of Tesla trolls on Teslarati were getting down on Elon Musk for this and I reviewed the segment of the unveiling that bounded the armor glass presentation and there isn’t a single mention of it being bulletproof. On the other hand, having watched the early video about Tesla wipers and glass where they mentioned Alon glass, I went to the Corning site and read about it. Alon, in 1-inch thickness, is bulletproof, but not in 6 mil thickness that the patent describes. So...good for protecting against pebbles, baseballs, golf balls, toys, etc., but not bullets. Surely a big improvement on current glass.
Agreed he did not mention it during glass presentation.

But he did mention bullets & resistant to 9mm when talking about cold-rolled stainless steel exoskeleton.
This was a big mistake. Should have used some other non-gun example.

Most people did naturally (but unfortunately not correctly) assumed the whole Cybertruck was bullet proof (yes, yes, bullet resistant). People being injured or killed by guns during road rage incidents is a real world concern. Why mention bullets & protection if you can not stop the most common type, shooting through the glass. A good PR/public relation dept might have suggested not mentioning guns/bullets or of course maybe they did.
 

TechOps

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2020
Threads
4
Messages
103
Reaction score
318
Location
Austin, TX
Vehicles
Model 3, Model Y, ex-Model S
Country flag
Agreed he did not mention it during glass presentation.

But he did mention bullets & resistant to 9mm when talking about cold-rolled stainless steel exoskeleton.
This was a big mistake. Should have used some other non-gun example.

Most people did naturally (but unfortunately not correctly) assumed the whole Cybertruck was bullet proof (yes, yes, bullet resistant). People being injured or killed by guns during road rage incidents is a real world concern. Why mention bullets & protection if you can not stop the most common type, shooting through the glass. A good PR/public relation dept might have suggested not mentioning guns/bullets or of course maybe they did.
*Totally* agree. Especially being in Texas where people will take that as an invitation to test it out.

If there were a PR department in Tesla (which there is not), I'm sure they would have adamantly told Elon not to use the bullet example.
 

firsttruck

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 25, 2020
Threads
170
Messages
2,522
Reaction score
3,995
Location
mx
Vehicles
none
Country flag
*Totally* agree. Especially being in Texas where people will take that as an invitation to test it out.

If there were a PR department in Tesla (which there is not), I'm sure they would have adamantly told Elon not to use the bullet example.
I think there was still a PR dept in 2019 Nov at the time of the Cybertruck reveal. The PR dept was not shutdown until sometime in 2020.
 

Jhodgesatmb

Well-known member
First Name
Jack
Joined
Dec 1, 2019
Threads
63
Messages
4,823
Reaction score
7,024
Location
San Francisco Bay area
Website
www.arbor-studios.com
Vehicles
Tesla Model Y LR, Tesla Model 3 LR
Occupation
Retired AI researcher
Country flag
Agreed he did not mention it during glass presentation.

But he did mention bullets & resistant to 9mm when talking about cold-rolled stainless steel exoskeleton.
This was a big mistake. Should have used some other non-gun example.

Most people did naturally (but unfortunately not correctly) assumed the whole Cybertruck was bullet proof (yes, yes, bullet resistant). People being injured or killed by guns during road rage incidents is a real world concern. Why mention bullets & protection if you can not stop the most common type, shooting through the glass. A good PR/public relation dept might have suggested not mentioning guns/bullets or of course maybe they did.
True enough but this is Elon musk and the cat is out of the bag now. We just have to deal with it. In a world of random violence I like the idea of a 3 mm exoskeleton.
Sponsored

 
 




Top