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What is Cybertruck Exoskeleton?

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Olle

Active Member
Jul 17, 2013
1,296
2,028
Orlando, FL
All modern cars except most pickup trucks have a frameless exoskeleton, AKA monocoque or unibody. See Mid-Size Trucks Don't Need Frames for more on this subject.

What is then different with between the Cybertruck and other exoskeleton trucks?
1. Stainless steel
2. Bed sides go all the way up to the roof, providing more bending stiffness.
3. All body panels are flat
4. Body panels are 3 mm thick, vs about 1 mm for a regular steel body.

We already know thick cold rolled stainless steel can't be easily dented as shown on stage. Here are some ideas as to why these other differences: flat surfaces because stainless steel can't be easily stamped into double bent shapes.
Lower production cost without stamping. Just cutting and bending.

Why 3 times thicker than regular cars though? Would be too expensive and heavy, no? Or could it be a sandwiched sheet metal, mostly hollow?
Or could it be just the door skins that are this thick?
 
The body panel thickness is to give the truck the strength usually derived from a frame.
Body on frame is actually rather flexible, rubber body mounts allow this.
Once going to unibody and demanding significant tow capacity you have to keep it rigid of things will crack, I believe that is why the thickness.