How does an electrical truck, claimed to be “practically impenetrable” by its maker, and constructed with “extremely onerous 30X cold-rolled chrome steel,” fare in a crash take a look at? New footage from a drone flyover may need some preliminary clues.

Drone pilot Joe Tegtmeyer launched photos of a crash-tested Tesla Cybertruck from a flyover above the Gigafactory Texas. The photographs are unclear, and the aerial rear-three-quarters angle isn’t notably revealing of what was presumably a frontal offset take a look at. However some particulars are seen.

The entrance airbags are deployed, the sharply raked windshield is severely cracked, however not utterly shattered, and the doorways are knocked off their hinges. The frunk seems to have absorbed the influence and is severely bent – though that’s not essentially a nasty signal as crumple zones within the entrance and rear are designed to crush and take in the influence vitality.

It’s unclear whether or not a number of Cybertrucks had been crash-tested, or if the photographs are of the identical unit. The drone pilot claims that this was the primary verified crash take a look at of the Cybertruck, nevertheless it’s actually not the primary time Tesla has examined the structural energy of its EV. In September 2023, photos of a Cybertruck that went by way of a ditch rollover take a look at emerged on social media.

The protection outcomes of that take a look at had been unclear as effectively, however the prototype’s roof was bent, airbags deployed, and several other exterior elements like fender flares had been seen mendacity within the EV’s mattress.

Tesla had additionally teased an official Cybertruck crash take a look at, nevertheless it quickly took the video down. The video showcased the Cybertruck in a full frontal influence take a look at, they usually reduce the clip simply earlier than the EV was about to hit the crash barrier.

Nevertheless, the injury seen above is not indicative of any conclusive outcomes. When authorities just like the Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance coverage Institute Of Freeway Security (IIHS) conduct their complete checks with dummies, and a plethora of sensors, we’ll have a greater concept of the place the apparently “impenetrable” Cybertruck stands in comparison with different EVs.

As a reminder, Tesla’s present line-up has earned high security scores in American and European crash checks. Most just lately, each the 2023 Mannequin Y and Mannequin 3 earned IIHS’ highest High Security Decide+ award. The Mannequin X and Mannequin S have additionally earned 5-star NHTSA scores previously. Tesla would probably be gunning for comparable outcomes for its electrical truck.