4 ms·

Why not make body panels out of bare aluminum instead of PITA stainless? The look would be similar, it would be lighter, and cheaper/easier to repair.

by mjhay 3y ago

idlewords 3y ago
I think it's because Starship is made out of stainless steel and Musk grew enamored with the material.
Ancapistani 3y ago
My first thought is that galvanic corrosion could be a real issue in humid areas with bare aluminum attached to a (presumably) steel subframe. I looked it up, though, and the difference in anodic index between iron or carbon steel and stainless steel is larger than that of aluminum - so it it is an issue, it'll be worse with stainless, unless Tesla doesn't use any steel frame or subframe components at all. That aside, 304 stainless steel has a Rockwell hardness (B scale) of 88, while aluminum is only 20 to 40, depending on the specific alloy. It should be substantially more resistant to scratches. That also means scratches are correspondingly harder to buff out, of course. The only true advantage I can think of is that "door dings" should pretty much be eliminated by using stainless. All of that said - I'd be willing to pay a premium for stainless steel body panels in general; doubly so if those body panels are largely flat and angular. That should make repair and replacement significantly easier for my own potential use case. I think the Cybertruck has the potential to be an excellent, long-term "rural/agricultural utility vehicle". There are several "ifs" to that statement: if the batteries have sufficient range and life span, if the suspension is simple and rugged, if the cargo capacity (weight) is high enough to be useful, if the bed is large enough to carry low-density stuff, if the towing capacity is sufficient, etc. I've not yet seen one in person, so I can't say if the Cybertruck would be at all suitable. Maybe it meets half of the above requirements, and could be built into a capable off-road vehicle. I'd love to have one to use like a beater Jeep - sort of like a modern, electric International Scout. It's a shame they're so expensive. I'm really hoping that some of the features of the Cybertruck - including the stainless steel body panels and flat/angular aesthetic - eventually end up finding their way into a less expensive model. I may end up buying a Cybertruck, but what I'd really like is a "Model 3, truck version". Alternatively, maybe the Cybertruck will have end up successfully scaling production, develop a healthy aftermarket for parts and modifications, and they'll be available on the used market for much less. I'm not holding my breath, though :)
- dzhiurgis 3y ago
  > Alternatively, maybe the Cybertruck will have end up successfully scaling production, develop a healthy aftermarket for parts and modifications This. Since 3 and Y are so insanely popular there are tons of 3rd party mods. My guess this is going to be even more popular with Cybertruck.

Why not make body panels out of bare aluminum instead of PITA stainless? The look would be similar, it would be lighter, and cheaper/easier to repair.

by mjhay 3y ago

Why not make body panels out of bare aluminum instead of PITA stainless? The look would be similar, it would be lighter, and cheaper/easier to repair.

idlewords 3y ago

I think it's because Starship is made out of stainless steel and Musk grew enamored with the material.

Ancapistani 3y ago

My first thought is that galvanic corrosion could be a real issue in humid areas with bare aluminum attached to a (presumably) steel subframe. I looked it up, though, and the difference in anodic index between iron or carbon steel and stainless steel is larger than that of aluminum - so it it is an issue, it'll be worse with stainless, unless Tesla doesn't use any steel frame or subframe components at all. That aside, 304 stainless steel has a Rockwell hardness (B scale) of 88, while aluminum is only 20 to 40, depending on the specific alloy. It should be substantially more resistant to scratches. That also means scratches are correspondingly harder to buff out, of course. The only true advantage I can think of is that "door dings" should pretty much be eliminated by using stainless. All of that said - I'd be willing to pay a premium for stainless steel body panels in general; doubly so if those body panels are largely flat and angular. That should make repair and replacement significantly easier for my own potential use case. I think the Cybertruck has the potential to be an excellent, long-term "rural/agricultural utility vehicle". There are several "ifs" to that statement: if the batteries have sufficient range and life span, if the suspension is simple and rugged, if the cargo capacity (weight) is high enough to be useful, if the bed is large enough to carry low-density stuff, if the towing capacity is sufficient, etc. I've not yet seen one in person, so I can't say if the Cybertruck would be at all suitable. Maybe it meets half of the above requirements, and could be built into a capable off-road vehicle. I'd love to have one to use like a beater Jeep - sort of like a modern, electric International Scout. It's a shame they're so expensive. I'm really hoping that some of the features of the Cybertruck - including the stainless steel body panels and flat/angular aesthetic - eventually end up finding their way into a less expensive model. I may end up buying a Cybertruck, but what I'd really like is a "Model 3, truck version". Alternatively, maybe the Cybertruck will have end up successfully scaling production, develop a healthy aftermarket for parts and modifications, and they'll be available on the used market for much less. I'm not holding my breath, though :)

dzhiurgis 3y ago
> Alternatively, maybe the Cybertruck will have end up successfully scaling production, develop a healthy aftermarket for parts and modifications This. Since 3 and Y are so insanely popular there are tons of 3rd party mods. My guess this is going to be even more popular with Cybertruck.