A Tesla Cybertruck appeared to emerge unscathed from a head-on crash that left the oncoming vehicle in a crumpled heap, according to law enforcement and photos from the scene.
The first reported collision involving the newly released stainless steel-framed electric pickup was reported on Skyline Boulevard, in Palo Alto, California, just after 2pm on Thursday, according to a California Highway Patrol (CHP) collision report provided to The Independent.
A Toyota Corolla was travelling southbound when it left the road and hit a dirt embankment before it veered back onto the road, crossed double yellow lines and collided with an oncoming Cybertruck just south of Page Mill Road, the CHP said.
Images posted to Reddit show the Toyota sustained severe damage with its front end caved in and hood popped open.
The 17-year-old driver reportedly walked away unharmed.
Head on today on CA-17
byu/boddhya incybertruck
The only reported injury was to the Cybertruck driver, who suffered minor injuries and declined medical assistance, the CHP said.
The vehicle, which was carrying three people in their 30s, did not appear to be operating in self-driving mode at the time, according to a preliminary crash report
Dashcam footage posted to YouTube by a passing motorist showed the damaged Toyota sedan facing frontwards towards the road, with the Cybertruck a few metres away on the opposite side.
The first Cybertrucks were delivered to customers late last month, almost two years after their initial release date, marking Tesla’s first entry into the pickup market.
The stainless steel body is apparently bulletproof and its windows are smash-proof, which Tesla CEO Elon Musk illustrated in a series of stunts during its launch event in Austin on 30 November.
Safety experts have warned that the truck’s angular design and steel exterior could be dangerous to other vehicles and pedestrians.
“The big problem there is if they really make the skin of the vehicle very stiff by using thick stainless steel, then when people hit their heads on it, it's going to cause more damage to them,” Adrian Lund, the former president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, told Reuters.
Mr Musk dismissed safety concerns in a post on X this month.
“We are highly confident that Cybertruck will be much safer per mile than other trucks, both for occupants and pedestrians.”
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.
