Funky features on Tesla's Cybertruck
With a bulletproof body and 500-mile battery-powered range, Tesla's electric pickup isn't like every other truck.
The Tesla Cybertruck is set to be a hot model, possibly in more ways than one.
The Cybertruck prototype was unveiled in November 2019. ( FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
The pickup will be made from stainless steel, which is difficult to paint. Elon Musk has said that colors other than silver will be made available by offering vinyl wraps, but there may be another way.
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One of his Twitter followers brought up the fact that the color of steel can be changed by tempering it with fire.
This changes the thickness of the iron oxide on the surface of the metal, which creates an effect called thin-film interference that can modify the color across a rainbow of yellows, browns, purples and blues depending on the temperature.
THE TESLA CYBERTRUCK WILL BE BUILT IN TEXAS
The method has never been used on a series production car and is difficult to create a uniform color with, but Musk said the effect would be possible with the unique 304L stainless steel alloy that will be used for the truck and the Starship rocket being built by SpaceX.
Musk didn’t confirm that Tesla would offer the option, but did say that he’d go with the color Blue Steel.
The titular character from the comedy "Zoolander" was a model who called his signature look Blue Steel. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
Zoolander would approve.