Skip to main content

New viral video shows Tesla’s Cybertruck’s shatterproof glass has come a long way

The Cybertruck's windoes aren't just bulletproof

Tesla Cybertruck parked indoors in front of a black wall with headlights and taillights on.
Tesla / Tesla

A key feature of the Tesla Cybertruck seemingly makes the vehicle immune to one common car crime. Thieves in San Francisco, commonly known as “blippers,” were witnessed trying and failing to smash the vehicle’s “bulletproof” armored glass. Some kind of pick appeared to be used during the 45-second-long assault on the truck’s perdurable panes.

The would-be thief in question was even videoed jumping on the Cybertruck’s roof, but even that wasn’t enough to force an opening. The whole incident, along with photos of the truck’s windows, was shared on X by user Arash Malek, who added, “Cybertruck is California-proof. Armored glass beats criminals trying their best to break in – even when jumping on the roof.”

Cybertruck is California-proof. Armored glass beats criminals trying their best to break in – even when jumping on the roof. @Tesla @cybertruck @elonmusk @teslaownersSV @oaklandpoliceca

Don’t mess with Cybertruck. 📐 pic.twitter.com/S8Wt1tCcNC

— Arash Malek (@MinimalDuck) February 26, 2024

While the glass didn’t give, it wasn’t completely unscathed. There are cracks and chips present as a result of the thief’s actions. The Cybertruck’s glass components range in price from $200 for the cheaper side panels to around $1,900 for the windshield. Labor will also be a factor. It is unknown what the thief was attempting to steal, and if its value was less than the repair costs the vehicle will face, but hopefully, the fact that the Cybertruck seems pretty impenetrable will simply deter thieves in the future.

As an added bonus, the vehicle’s Sentry Security System captured the whole incident, along with a clear shot of the perpetrator’s face. Which could serve as another deterrent to anyone hoping to break into one of the controversial vehicles.

Tesla’s glass wasn’t always this impressive

Tesla’s glass wasn’t always enough to deter an attack. In fact, its fragility caused a stir as soon as the Cybertruck was announced. Franz von Holzhausen, the truck’s lead designer, managed to smash two of the windows with a steel ball during a demonstration of the glass’ supposed toughness. The gaffe was somewhat blamed on the strikes the glass took from a sledgehammer earlier in the demonstration.

Musk and Tesla referenced the embarrassing incident during the official handover, where Von Holzhausen was once again invited to toss a ball at the tempered glass. However, eagle-eyed observers may have noticed that it wasn’t a steel ball this time around but a regulation baseball instead.

Von Holzhausen’s baseball simply bounced off the window to rapturous applause from the gathered crowd. Even if actual steel balls are still enough to thwart the Tesla, there is obviously something to the glass if the tempering is now strong enough to deter one of the world’s most common car crimes.

Despite the windows exceeding expectations, there are still areas where the Cybertruck disappoints. Reports of rusting and staining on the truck’s stainless steel body have surfaced in recent weeks, and it’s also pretty disappointing when taken offroad or tasked with difficult weather.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Dave McQuilling
Dave has spent pretty much his entire career as a journalist; this has included jobs at newspapers, TV stations, on the…
New Lucid Gravity EV has ‘up to’ 440 miles range, makes a strong case in the crowded SUV market
440 miles of range from Lucid is pretty incredible in an SUV
Lucid Gravity SUV driving on a road

Lucid Motors doesn’t just make luxury electric vehicles, but it also holds the record for designing the longest-range electric car. Its magnum opus is the Lucid Air Dream Edition with an EPA estimated range of up to 520 miles — and so far, no electric vehicle has come close to beating that record. Beyond that, Lucid has been working on the Air Sapphire, which is expected to be quicker than a Bugatti Chiron.

Just when you think Lucid Motors couldn’t pull another rabbit out of a hat, it unveiled the Lucid Gravity SUV with an exceptional range. According to Lucid Motors, the Lucid Gravity SUV is expected to have a range "in excess of 440 miles." If it delivers on that promise, the Lucid Gravity SUV could hold the record for the second longest-range EV alongside the Chevy Silverado EV.

Read more
New VW ID.7 EV has nearly 400-mile range and an AR heads-up display
The new VW ID.7 EV has an impressive range
2024 Volkswagen ID.7 flagship EV is rated for nearly 400 miles per charge.

The results of Volkswagen's electric car investment are coming faster now. Like other large automakers, Volkswagen's promised transition to electric vehicles took a while to start putting production EVs in customers' driveways. The overall pace of EV launches is picking up, even if sales volumes are backing off a bit -- such is the pace of progress. On November 13, VW announced its new EV flagship model, the 2024 Volkswagen ID.7.

There's a lot to talk about with the ID.7 announcement, and it will probably be a few months into 2024 before VW delivers the first cars to customers in the U.S. According to the vehicle launch announcement, the ID.7 will have a new power unit, advanced driver interface technology, and sumptuous luxury features. However, the ID.7's headline attraction is the driving range per charge.
2024 Volkswagen ID.7 range
According to VW, the ID.7 Pro with an 82 kWh battery has a WLTP range per charge of 386 miles. Let's start with disclaimers. While a hefty number, 386 miles isn't the same as 400 miles, it's nearly there. The second qualification is that the WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure) rating VW quoted is a European mileage standard typically more optimistic than the U.S. EPA ratings. The consensus is that WLTP ratings are roughly 20% greater than EPA ranges. If that's the case with the ID.7,  the EPA ratings will likely be closer to 300 than 386 miles.

Read more
The Tesla Cybertruck specs have allegedly leaked: This is everything we know
The Tesla Cybertruck can power a clothes dryer
Tesla Cybertruck at a camping site

While a production version of Tesla's Cybertruck still hasn’t entered the world four-years after the divisive vehicle was announced, we may now know more about Elon Musk’s polygonal electric pickup. Many of the vehicle’s apparent final specs and features were recently leaked online in a YouTube video from TFLEV and show something comparable to its direct rivals -- many of which are already on the market.

In terms of actual pickup truck practicality, the vehicle has an alleged bed length of 72.8 inches and a width of 51 inches. Its tow hitch can support a maximum tongue weight of 1,110 pounds, and the truck can pull 11,000 pounds in total. That last part is a bit of a contradiction with Tesla’s official line -- as the company’s site claims the truck can tow up to 14,000 pounds. There’s still a chance both are correct, and the larger number relates to the top-end tri-motor variant’s capabilities.

Read more