Tesla claimed its pickup truck was ‘bulletproof’ — then smashed its windows with a metal ball – CNBC

Tesla unveiled its futuristic pickup truck at a promotional tournament in Los Angeles, nonetheless when it came to displaying off the vehicle’s sturdiness, issues didn’t reasonably tear as planned.

CEO Elon Musk claimed the automotive became as soon as “bulletproof” towards a 9mm handgun. Nonetheless when he purchased Tesla’s chief sort designer to throw a metallic ball at unquestionably one of its armored windows, audible surprise might perhaps also be heard as the glass smashed — twice.

“Oh my f—— God,” Musk exclaimed when it first came about. “Smartly, perhaps that became as soon as a diminutive bit too onerous.”

Make lead Franz Von Holzhausen gave it one other shot, this time with one other window. Again, the ball cracked the glass reasonably badly.

This became as soon as after the chief had already taken a sledgehammer to the side of the truck, inserting it more than one times without leaving a scratch.

“We threw wrenches, we threw every little thing even actually the kitchen sink at the glass and it didn’t damage. For some weird reason, it broke now,” Musk said, drawing laughs. “I earn now not know why. We can repair it in put up.”

Or now not it is miles now not sure whether the windows possess been presupposed to fracture in the potential that they did. Nonetheless it be apparent that Musk wasn’t awaiting it, judging from his reaction.

Identified as the “Cybertruck,” the all-electric pickup is Tesla’s sixth vehicle since the firm became as soon as founded in 2003. The vehicle’s mark starts at $39,900.

Analysts at Deutsche Financial institution said the truck unveiling left alternative unanswered questions.

“Whereas the supplies damaged-down appear great, there might perhaps also be questions about the truck’s sturdiness when damaged-down under work prerequisites, especially in mild of its seemingly unibody constructing,” they said in a overview verbalize.

“And the shattering of the truck’s unbreakable glass windows throughout the are living demonstration became as soon as now not a proper launch.”

This is now not the final observe glass to give Tesla pain. In 2016, Musk unveiled glass solar roof tiles to drum up toughen for the acquisition of SolarCity by Tesla.

The Solarglass roof tiles are supposed to be an appealing different to bulky solar panels. On the other hand, Tesla has but to mass-invent its Solarglass.

– CNBC’s Lora Kolodny and Michael Bloom contributed to this report.