Elon Musk Went Full “Godfather” on the Cybertruck with a Tommy Gun To Test Its Bulletproof Design

Elon Musk first announced the Tesla Cybertruck in 2019 when he and his team of engineers famously misjudged the strength of the prototype’s “bulletproof” glass by throwing a steel ball at them. “At least it didn’t go through,” joked Musk. Not the most graceful humiliation caught on camera, but it seems that the CEO has aimed to rectify this situation with the final Cybertruck model.

Now in October 2023, with only five weeks left before customer deliveries begin, it seems that Musk has taken this task to heart by putting the Cybertruck’s bulletproof steel body panels through the paces by actually getting shot up with real bullets.

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In a video shared to the Tesla Owners Silicon Valley Twitter/X account, a Cybertruck prototype was spotted driving down the highway riddled with gunshots. Naturally, this image was making a lot of impressions all over social media, and it took Elon Musk to chime in to set the record straight.

As it turns out, this Cybertruck was shot up on purpose to test its bulletproof durability.

“We emptied the entire drum magazine of a Tommy gun into the driver door Al Capone style,” Musk said on Twitter/X. “No bullets penetrated into the passenger compartment.”

It wasn’t disclosed what kind of caliber rounds were being used in the test. But if they did use a real Thompson submachine gun, it would be firing .45-caliber ammunition. However, it could also be possible that the truck’s door stainless-steel panels could have been penetrated with a higher-caliber firearm.

So even though the doors appear to be bulletproof for the most part, the strength and durability of the Cybertruck’s infamous windows remain unknown. Since its famous unveiling incident in 2019, it could be very possible that Musk’s team managed to outfit this vehicle with stronger glass. Of course, the internet will want to see proof of this.

While the concept of a fortified electric pickup truck doesn’t seem like it would resonate with most prospective Cybertruck customers, this demonstration does show that it would be much harder to create a dent in it in the event of a crash. More protection means more safety to the driver and its passengers. Of course, the price to replace one of those stainless steel panels remains unknown.