In brief: One of the many claims that Elon Musk makes about the Cybertruck is that it’s bulletproof – the panels, not the windows – but is this true? YouTube channel JerryRigEverything decided to put this to the test by shooting the vehicle with a variety of weapons, ranging from a 9mm Glock 19 to a .50 cal rifle.
JerryRigEverything’s Zack Nelson, famed for the torture tests he carries out on the latest phones, turned his attention to the Cybertruck in his latest video. He begins by noting that “nothing is actually bulletproof” as there is always a bullet that can get through.
Starting with the 9mm Glock 19, a caliber that Musk previously said wouldn’t penetrate the Cybertruck, Nelson found that the bullets did indeed fail to get through the panels, leaving only dents. However, hitting the same spot more than once left cracks.
The .22-caliber bullets also failed to do any significant damage, but the .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire round went through the panel due to it traveling at over 2,000 feet per second. The good news for any passengers is that it failed to burst through the other side.
Next was the .223 Remington rounds moving at 3,200 feet per second when fired from an AR15. This bigger, faster bullet shredded through the stainless steel door and passed through the interior panel.
Finally, it was the turn of the .50-caliber rifle round. While slower than the AR15 (2,896 feet per second), the bullet is massive. Unsurprisingly, it left finger-sized holes in both sides of the door, with noticeable damage on the inner panel. What was a bit more surprising is that the window of the truck never shattered from the impact of the bullet.
Lower-velocity pistols are the most popular guns in the US, so the Cybertruck should offer at least some protection against most shootings – again, this is assuming people don’t aim for the windows, which once famously failed to stop a steel ball from shattering the glass. Against larger caliber/high-velocity rounds, the truck is definitely vulnerable.
