A couple of Tesla Cybertrucks deemed “totaled”, a total loss, have shown up on auction sites as concerns about repair costs arise.
Due to its novel nature, there have been concerns about the repair costs of the Cybertruck.
For example, we learned that the truck’s giant windshield cost $1,900 to replace. An early owner was also quoted $2,800 to replace his Cybertruck’s rear quarter panel.
The vehicle’s novelty, with its straight stainless steel panels, has worried insurers. Some have refused to insure it, while others have given owners ridiculous quotes.
With new vehicles, it’s generally out of an abundance of caution, but it is sometimes warranted.
We are now seeing some of the first Tesla Cybertrucks that were “totaled” by insurers and are now up for auction on IAA’s website.
The first one has been involved in a significant front-end impact that resulted in airbag deployment:
The vehicle is in Seattle and it has 3,932 miles on the odometer.
Other than the front-end and airbag deployment, the vehicle doesn’t look too bad, but with an impact of this magnitude, you often end up with some significant suspension damages and even body alignment issues.
This second totaled Cybertruck up for auction actually looks intact and only has 26 miles on the odometer:
The problem with this Cybertruck is apparently that it was flooded.
IAA released this picture of the “flood line”, which is surprisingly still underneath the cabin:
Elon Musk has often made claims before about how Tesla vehicles could float and briefly serve as a boat.
They have never been taken too seriously as Tesla’s warranty says something different about taking the vehicle into the water.
But the CEO doubled down on the claim with the Cybertruck – for which it makes more sense since it is supposed to be an off-road vehicle.
Last year, Musk claimed Tesla Cybertruck would be “waterproof enough” to serve as a boat and cross rivers:
Cybertruck will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat, so it can cross rivers, lakes and even seas that aren’t too choppy.
The CEO added that the goal is for a Cybertruck to be able to cross the water between SpaceX’s Starbase and South Padre Island in Texas, which is about 360 meters (1,100 feet).
However, it seems that Tesla is treating the Cybertruck like any other vehicle regarding the warranty for water damage.
Tesla built a ‘wade mode’ for the truck to be able to go into the water. Tesla says the mode increases the ride height to the max and “pressurizes the battery pack.”
But when you activate it, Tesla clearly states that “damage to the vehicle while off-roading is not covered under warranty’.
Tesla doesn’t recommend going past 2’7″ of water and the flood line on this truck seems to be lower than that. However, it also says that the wade mode and pressurized battery pack only last for 30 minutes.
Therefore, it’s possible that the truck was flooded for longer than that and hence the damages warranting a total loss.
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