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When many of us were kids, trucks were for work. Barren of luxury features, trucks were meant for things like hauling hay, doing landscaping work, running cattle or fixing up fences on farms and ranches. They were all about capability and getting the job done. Like our great grandparents’ horses, you had to take excellent care of them if you wanted the truck to take care of you. Cosmetic things, like “desert pinstriping,” rust and dents in the bed would happen, but not on purpose.

But, today the world is a little upside down. Not only are people buying an expensive pickup truck, but they’re intentionally shooting it, burning it and otherwise abusing it. Even stranger, they’re doing it because it might be profitable!

In today’s information economy, not all information is useful. Entertainment is a great way to get attention, and if you want eyeballs on your Instagram, YouTube or other monetized platform, you’ve gotta do things few other people are willing to do. So, people are buying a perfectly good truck (at least as “perfectly good” as a strangely shaped Tesla can be) and doing crazy things to it for attention.

On the surface, this seems super strange, but it all goes back to the original Cybertruck announcement and unveiling in 2019. Elon Musk told people that the stainless steel skin was bullet resistant, and even provided some high-speed camera footage of 9mm FMJ rounds slamming into samples of the steel. But, anything much faster than a subsonic pistol round tends to rip through at least part of the time. So, some of these guys have had to make repairs when a round found itself going into the cab or bed.

But, some people drive them around with the dents and holes from now on to show how cool they are.

But, if you need some clicks and don’t want to put dents or holes in the truck, there are other options:

Personally, I’d rather do the old school thing and take a Cybertruck to Moab and do something more fun with it, like take on Hell’s Gate. You know, normal 4WD Moab stuff:

But, that takes at least some skill and there’s some personal risk involved if anything doesn’t go right on that climb. So, we can expect many YouTubers and other influencers to be taking the easy way out and sending lead downrange to meet with their truck’s body panels.

But, there is one big danger that people who just got one of these trucks needs to keep in mind: the incompatibility of battery cells with bullets. It’s fairly well established at this point that lithium battery cells like to stay in their original shapes. Even a small pinhole in one, or worse, a bullet smashing through most of the cell, can bring the negatives and the positives inside in contact with each other and cause the whole thing to go up in flames.

So, I would highly recommend NOT shooting rounds into an electric pickup truck to see what happens just to impress people on the ‘Gram. The results could literally be pyrotechnic if something goes wrong.

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51 COMMENTS

  2. Doing it for the gram. The future is now, and the future is stupid.

    I mean besides, all they’d have to do to test this is drive through Chicago. Then again, if the test fails the may spring a leak so range time with a Tesla is probably safer.

    • Interesting case and result.
      It would seem t me that since the First Ten Ammendments are natural rights not arising from nor dependent upn government, that their reasoning is sound and correct. UNTIL this man had been in a situation where he unlawfully used his firearm offensively and without justification, I see no reason he should NOT have the natural right to arms for his own protection, or even the protection of this nation while he is present herein.
      It would further stand that since this ns a natural right not given by government, that this man’s use of the right can NOT be infringed by government simply on its face because of his illegal staus present here. He is a human, right? God has given HIM the right to self-protection irrespecive of his citizenship or immigration status.

      Yes he DID break the law jumping the border. Pu ish him on that (deportation would seem appropriate). But his possession of that weapin while here is not in and of itself a crime, and must not be so treated.

      Consider this, as well: how many of those in possession of arms and participating in the fight to secure our independence from the yoke of Brotain were US Citizens? None. Because we were not yet a nation for anyone to have citizenship here. Yet they all had, and at will made use of, the right to arms. Even after the Brots got shagged back to their sorry homeland, none here were citizens as the nation did not yet exist. And Yes, Mr. Kirk, your rationing concerning the OTHER rights ennumerated (but not conveyed by) in that Bill of Rights are also fully operational in this man’s life here, in spite of his illegal presence here.

    • Yep, I’ve pointed this out before, one need not be a citizen of the United States to bear arms under the second amendment.

      Federal code under the militia act specifically grants membership in the militia to ‘citizens or those who have declared their intent to become citizens’.

      And, as another commentor notes above, not one person who fought in the revolutionary war was a citizen of the United States.

      Interestingly, under these provisions not one member of the Confederate Army was authorized to bear arms in the United States, considering they were no longer citizens and specifically renounced any intention to ever become a citizen of the United States by swearing an oath to the Confederate States of America when they enlisted.

      History is just so fascinating!

      • Interesting fact: the right to keep and bear arms applies to all people in all nations and in all times.

        Amendment II is an explicit protection of that right from infringement by the US (Federal) government.

        That’s the end of the story. Understand that simple thing and you understand all there is to know about it.

        The right is not conferred by the amendment, law, congress, constitution, or citizenship, or anything else for that matter, other than birth.

      • “And, as another commentor notes above, not one person who fought in the revolutionary war was a citizen of the United States.”

        I’m constantly surprised by the stupidity, you would think I’d be accustomed to it but here we are “like the very first time”. They were Citizens of the Colonies and by extension the Crown, they were BORN here thus had every right to be here. To compare them to hordes of invaders who are only coming here to secure free welfare, and have no intent of assimilating or even becoming citizens (too many obligations) for that matter. If We had properly secured borders I would be agree that people visiting and residing enjoy 2A protections. But the same could be said for any aspect of a high trust society, the TRUST part is the most essential and that simply cannot exist when you have open boarders. But I’m convinced you know all this as well as I do, you’re just on the other side of the issue. I want Liberty, peace, and domestic tranquility but what you want is chaos, strife, and terror.

  4. Criminal full-auto use up 5,000% due to Glock switches coming over the open border. (Note: The Left wing and Obama/Biden administrations – the greatest single source of gun running, illegal guns, and greatest cause of violent crime and victim death and injury in history of the United States)

  5. Personally, I think the cyber truck is kind of cool looking, not $100k cool, but interesting. I like trucks that stand out, guess that’s why I drive a Hummer.

    I wish I had a channel that makes so much money I could blow $100k on something just to make a video and not even care.

  6. Some people have more money than common sense. Chris Kyle said if you want to stop a vehicle you shoot the driver not the car. Might be somewhat bullet resistant but I’m sure it would explode if you shot the lithium battery with a squirt gun filled with saltwater.

    • EV batteries can be very sensitive. Even a small dent in the outer casing can damage one or more of the 7000+ cells to initiate a thermal runaway. If a EV is emitting a light grey cloud of gas, RUN away fast and upwind. That gas is highly toxic. When the fire starts it can burn at over 4000F or 2500C which can cause nearby objects to catch fire and weaken structures.

      This is why EVs that have been in what would be considered very minor accidents are written off. No one trusts the batteries and wants to reuse them. And why EV insurance is rising rapidly.

    • I saw a Model S in Detroit take 2 9mm rounds through the floorboard into the pack without losing it’s cool. The car was isolated from others and the pack removed and dismantled by a regional specialist, but it never went thermal.

    • What? Cars have a deadman switch?
      —*BLAM*— as he slumped forward dead, his foot depressed the accelerator pedal and he ran head long into Happy the Elephant.
      The only way to stop a car is with a STOP sign.

    • “Chris Kyle said if you want to stop a vehicle you shoot the driver not the car.” Paul Harrell is living proof of the truth in that statement.

  7. I don’t understand the appeal of this social media/influencer/masturbating narcissist stuff that apparently makes millionaires out of degenerates with no skills, talents, training or education.

    I don’t fault them or hate them or anything. I just can’t relate to the attraction or square the apparent value they seemingly generate for their sponsors. None of it seems sustainable or real.

    Maybe I’m just not autistic enough to get it.

    • Let’s not connect these social media detritivores with autistic folks – I’ve worked with enough autistic children to tell you these “influencers” aren’t a patch on some differently wired but basically sweet kids. Heck, I probably shouldn’t call them detritivores, those critters at least serve a useful purpose keeping rotting stuff cleaned up.

      But we’re on the same page Shire-man – no clue as to why anyone pays these social media types a dime for what they do, future alien archaeologists will probably consider them part of some oddball religious mystery cult…

    • My recommendation is to do as I do:

      I simply do not watch them.

      the one regular exception I used to make was that crzy guy FPS Russia.. a total hoot until the Feds manufactured some bizarre claims and shut him down.

  8. We’ve been tempted to shoot a few vehicles over the years, for a different reason. And we’ve had a few customers who would have thanked us. We’ve got a 2005 Accent coming in later this week that will be tempting fate.

  9. We’ve been tempted to shoot a few vehicles over the years, for a different reason. And we’ve had a few customers who would have thanked us. We’ve got a 2005 Accent coming in later this week that will be tempting fate.

    • Friend of mine had an Escort Wagon that left us all stranded in Missouri I would have gladly shot. Same with my 96 Contour that died. Then again, that thing shot its self far as I could tell…

  14. That is about the ugliest truck I’ve ever seen. I mean, I’d rather drive around in an old Deuce and a half than that turdbucket. Who thought that was cool? It’s like a reject from an old Judge Dredd Movie. I wouldn’t give $100 for it.

    • And bed is so small you can’t even load a bicycle without one of the wheels overhanging the tailgate.

      A pure posing vehicle for virtue signaling narcissists.

      • Looks like I could probably haul more stuff on my bicycle than that thing can haul. And do it almost as quickly for lng trips, considering his lost time taking another drink of electrons to top off his tank.
        I jave an old Ford dump truck that can haul en times what that thing wull haul,and toss a few of those Tesla “trucks
        in just to fill up the corners. and I got it for the time to haul it away for the former owner, whom it had served well for a number of years on his construction project. (acreage development)

      • Aw c’mon! Plenty space up on the dash. More than the bed, looks like. But cleaning that windshield on the inside is going to take special tools.

        I admire ol’ Elon, but don’t think this is a winner out here in the sticks. Maybe if it will come when you call it, or do your taxes…

      • “A pure posing vehicle for virtue signaling narcissists.”

        I would not go quite that far – it might be near perfect for urban adventures.

        Who made the 1930s “delivery” vehicle? I forget – windows/windshields little slits, heavy gauge body, trunk exactly big enough for a case of hooch. Very popular in Chicago….

    • Whaddaya got against a deuce and a half? If you want to get rid of one, let me make an offer! Or, how ’bout an old six-pack?

      Odd – quick search online, I can’t find an image of a six-pack. Basically a crew cab pickup truck, generally used for shuttle service, changing of the guard at remote stations, etc. Mostly made by International, or Dodge. Pretty unattractive vehicles, unless you’re freezing cold, waiting to get off-watch, so you can sit in front of the heater blower on the way back to barracks.

    • President Joseph Robinett Biden.
      America starves while it feeds the world.
      Bush legs in Russia?
      Uhh huh, a chicken in every pot.

      • A nation so addled and gormless that it doesn’t understand which half of the road is the proper side to drive on. Redcoats gonna Redcoat. We should have stayed out of both world wars.

  16. 300 miles on a full charge at 45mph.
    The one thing good about that is maybe humans will learn to slow down.
    Rushing here, rushing there, just can’t go fast enough to get to the end.
    How did we ever build a country when 20 miles a day was considered making good time.
    Ohh, gotta hurry to work to operate a machine that makes products faster so they can sit on a shelf for months before someone buys them.
    Why?
    Because America is still in War mode fighting the Japs.
    Can’t getter done fast enough.

  17. The doors, tailgate, and hood of Cybertruck can be considered to provide level 1 ballistic protection. The same standard as level 1 ballistic glass. They’re good to about 150 grains at 1800fps (adjust speed down as mass increases) That’s not nothing, but the bed sides and fenders, though they’re the same material, are not as thick and are not structurally supported by more stainless like the closures are, they-re clipped onto a plastic structure bolted to the body castings. Additionally the pack is heavily protected but not invulnerable, especially from above.

  18. If the truckm was bullets 200proof giverment wouldn’t letm makem.
    What ever happened to the Goodyear Run Flats?
    There is U.S. military satellites with lazer beams on them that can zap EV’s and just about anything else from space.
    Boing made a special 747 to test it. 14ft beyond the nose and ran to the tail, fired three lazers, distance to target, refraction of atmosphere, and an iodide enhanced burn it lazer.
    Peeps in Wichita Boing was tickled shitless to get rich, then after two were built pfffffft. Nope all that went to skunk works, then NASA.

  19. Calling this thing a Truck is an extreme stretch of the definition of a work vehicle. A lot of full-sized sedans have more cargo space than this overgrown electric golf cart.

    As for today’s social media “influencer” phenomenon, our society has reached full electrolytes Frito. Idiocracy is here 1000 years earlier the that movie prophesized.

    • It’ll carry what the average pickemup is used to haul : two cases of some cheap domestic pilsner and a slobbering german shepherd, and those can ride up front when you need to pick up the broken down harley.

  20. AK/Cybertruck/hyper-tatted-guy is just another type of person you’ll have to be concerned about while roaming the post-apocalyptic landscape. He definitely fancies himself a future warlord. Shoot first, ask questions later when you come across this type.

  21. That’s not an actual AK-47 in the video. It’s just a pistol-caliber carbine firing 9mm rounds. Look at the mag — it’s a 9mm pistol magazine, not an AK mag. And the 9mm rounds still penetrated the steel.

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