As the Tesla Cybertruck was listed on the NHTSA's website, many people wondered why the electric pickup has no official safety ratings. The reason is that neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS have tested the Cybertruck, and they might never do so. Here's what you need to know.
Much has been discussed on the Tesla Cybertruck safety, most of the talks being based on the videos and photographs of the electric pickup. Built using a new manufacturing process with a stainless steel exoskeleton, the Cybertruck should withstand a crash like a tank. Intriguingly, this is also one of the reasons for concern. Tanks are great when they hit lighter vehicles, but when hitting a wall that is strong enough, the occupants will suffer.
When Tesla teased the Cybertruck crash tests on April 1, it didn't reveal the outcome. It was a good April joke, with people not getting tired of playing the videos in a loop. With the Cybertruck Delivery Day past us, we finally got to see the crash test videos until the end, and the images prompted a persistent question: how safe really is the Cybertruck, considering there's almost no crumple zone?
Indeed, the Cybertruck remained almost intact after it hit the barrier, and so it happened during other tests. Most cars are designed with a deformable zone to absorb the energy of the impact. If the car's body is too rigid, the energy is instead passed to other parts of the vehicle and onto its occupants. The higher the crumple zone and the heavier the vehicle, the more protection its passengers get. The Cybertruck appears to only score points in the weight department.
With so many questions, people eagerly waited for regulators like the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) to release the Cybertruck safety results. They didn't, as you can see by looking into their databases. The Tesla Cybertruck has been officially listed on the NHTSA's website, but with no official safety ratings.
This is not unusual, as the two agencies don't crash-test every vehicle that sells in the US. Based on a Consumer Reports study, most big SUVs and luxury cars are never tested, as the agencies don't waste their resources on low-volume models. Based on their budgets, they choose the models that are relevant to most buyers to test first. Newer and less popular models are tested later or not at all.
Every new model sold in the US must be crash-tested by its manufacturer to show that it meets the minimal federal crash safety standards. The Cybertruck makes no exception, and Tesla had to prove its pickup met Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards before it was allowed to be sold to customers. Since the deliveries have already begun, it's safe to assume Tesla's data showed the regulators that the Cybertruck is safe.
This doesn't mean the Cybertruck will not be tested in the future. Even if the NHTSA or the IIHS doesn't include it in their tests because of budget constraints, Tesla could move things up by offering the vehicles necessary for testing free of charge. Until then, don't expect an official rating for the Cybertruck. Rest assured, though, the Tesla pickup truck still complies with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) crash test standards.
When Tesla teased the Cybertruck crash tests on April 1, it didn't reveal the outcome. It was a good April joke, with people not getting tired of playing the videos in a loop. With the Cybertruck Delivery Day past us, we finally got to see the crash test videos until the end, and the images prompted a persistent question: how safe really is the Cybertruck, considering there's almost no crumple zone?
Indeed, the Cybertruck remained almost intact after it hit the barrier, and so it happened during other tests. Most cars are designed with a deformable zone to absorb the energy of the impact. If the car's body is too rigid, the energy is instead passed to other parts of the vehicle and onto its occupants. The higher the crumple zone and the heavier the vehicle, the more protection its passengers get. The Cybertruck appears to only score points in the weight department.
With so many questions, people eagerly waited for regulators like the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) to release the Cybertruck safety results. They didn't, as you can see by looking into their databases. The Tesla Cybertruck has been officially listed on the NHTSA's website, but with no official safety ratings.
This is not unusual, as the two agencies don't crash-test every vehicle that sells in the US. Based on a Consumer Reports study, most big SUVs and luxury cars are never tested, as the agencies don't waste their resources on low-volume models. Based on their budgets, they choose the models that are relevant to most buyers to test first. Newer and less popular models are tested later or not at all.
Every new model sold in the US must be crash-tested by its manufacturer to show that it meets the minimal federal crash safety standards. The Cybertruck makes no exception, and Tesla had to prove its pickup met Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards before it was allowed to be sold to customers. Since the deliveries have already begun, it's safe to assume Tesla's data showed the regulators that the Cybertruck is safe.
This doesn't mean the Cybertruck will not be tested in the future. Even if the NHTSA or the IIHS doesn't include it in their tests because of budget constraints, Tesla could move things up by offering the vehicles necessary for testing free of charge. Until then, don't expect an official rating for the Cybertruck. Rest assured, though, the Tesla pickup truck still complies with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) crash test standards.
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