Tesla Cybertruck Lead Engineer Says Stainless Steel Bodywork Is NOT Rusting

The Tesla Cybertruck is the must-have truck for EV fans at the moment, but some owners are less than happy with their experience, citing early rust issues on the stainless steel body — but according to Cybertruck lead engineer Wes Morrill, they have nothing to worry about.

Several Cybertruck owners have reported strange rust-colored spots on the vehicle's exterior after the truck was parked or driven in the rain. They have no reason to fear the dreaded tin worm, says Morrill, who explained what the unusual marks are caused by.

After reposting a video on X (formerly Twitter) that explains the issue, the lead engineer wrote, «Stainless steel is reactive, and free iron that sits on it will rust. It's surface contamination only and can be cleaned off easily.» Morrill also shared tips with owners on how to clean these contamination spots off their vehicles.

So, it would seem the Cybertruck is not suffering from a premature rust problem. Instead, small iron particles are clinging onto the stainless steel bodywork and rusting. After all, stainless steel is known for its durability and corrosion resistance.

In defense of the Cybertruck, several Tesla fans rushed forward with evidence of the same problem on vehicles with a traditional paint finish. This is a common occurrence in many cars. As with the Tesla, it can be cleaned or polished out of the bodywork. Morrill also noted that Tesla's stainless steel has a higher corrosion resistance value than «marine grade» stainless steel. However, there's no doubt it's more difficult to remove these spots than from paint.

Those who would much rather not worry about contamination spots can pay to have Tesla's urethane-based color paint film wrap applied to their electric pickup, offered in Stealth Black, Satin Ceramic White, Slip Grey, Satin Rose Gold, and Satin Abyss Blue.

In the video below, YouTuber Bearded Tesla Guy looks into the issue and corroborates what Morrill says, remarking, «Of course, a rational person would be rather alarmed by this. It's totally natural if you see these on a brand new $100,000 truck [that] appears to have rust.»

Contaminants can come from anywhere, including the air and rain. These deposits end up