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Tesla Armor Glass patent reveals ‘bulletproof’ secret to Cybertruck durability
Tesla rolled out several new patents related to the Cybertruck today, one of them being the “bulletproof” Armor Glass that CEO Elon Musk talked about on several occasions. The Cybertruck’s durability has been one of the vehicle’s most notorious features. The patent describes the multi-layered design that Tesla will use across several of its cars to prevent owners from spending big bucks on new windshields or windows after a scratch, crack or chip.
Perhaps the most notable memory from the Cybertruck event in November 2019 was when Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen threw a metal ball at the Cybertruck’s driver’s door glass after slamming the stainless steel exoskeleton with a sledgehammer. After claiming the glass was durable enough to sustain several blows without cracking, the window did smash with the signature broken spheres imprinted into everyone’s mind who watched the event.
(Credit: Tesla)
Elon Musk stated that Franz’s initial sledgehammer hits damaged the base of the glass, weakening them to the point that the steel balls were able to easily break it. Musk proved later that the windows really were super durable by releasing a video of Franz throwing the same metal balls at the glass right before the Cybertruck was rolled out on stage. Now, the patent explains how Tesla created durable and near-indestructible automobile glass.
According to the patent, the combination of the “multi-layer glass stack” has about a 10% chance of failure with an impact of 2 J.
Tesla’s multi-layer glass stack is comprised of the following: an inner-facing layer that has been chemically strengthened with high strength in flexibility. It measures between .5 and 1.1 millimeters thick and has an adhesive interlayer, which conjoins it to an outer-facing layer that has energy absorptive properties. The outer layer includes “non-soda lime, low-CTE, high densification glass” that measures between 2 and 5 millimeters thick. The two layers and then joined together by the energy absorbent adhesive. The outer layer is comprised of borosilicate, a low-melting-point glass made from silica and boric oxide that is more resistant to thermal shock than any other common glass.
Tesla focused heavily on the process of creating a highly durable automotive glass that would be able to withstand normal instances on the road and remain damage-free during operation. The patent states that, typically, automotive glass can be chipped, cracked, or broken without much external force; something as small as a pebble that is launched into the air by another vehicle can cause enough damage to warrant an entire windshield replacement. Tesla wanted to avoid this as windshields can be expensive and difficult to replace.
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- Credit: US Patent Office
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- Credit: US Patent Office
In fact, the external-facing layer, in some embodiments, has the ability to resist crack initiation and crack propagation, making it durable in the event of a collision or if a foul ball happens to hit some glass when you’re at your kid’s little league game. It doesn’t appear that the Cybertruck will be the only vehicle to utilize the glass, as another illustration within the patent shows a sedan.
When Musk joined Jay Leno in a Cybertruck ride that was aired on MSNBC’s Jay Leno’s Garage a year ago today, the former late-night TV show host asked the Tesla CEO why anyone would want bulletproof, armored glass on their truck.
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“Because it’s badass, and it’s super cool,” Musk quickly replied. “Do you want your truck to be bulletproof or not?”
The full patent for Tesla’s Armored Glass is available below.
Tesla Cybertruck Armored Glass by Joey Klender on Scribd
Tesla is nearing its long-awaited unveiling of the all-electric Tesla Roadster, a new report from The Information claims, as the company has said several times this year that the event would take place “soon.”
Now, it appears there is movement on Tesla’s end regarding when it will happen.
The report says that Tesla will unveil the Roadster as soon as this month with a SpaceX version that will utilize cold-gas thrusters to help the vehicle float for a short period of time. This is something CEO Elon Musk has talked about with the Roadster for years.
🚨 The Information is reporting this morning that Tesla is ready to unveil the “flying” Roadster as soon as this month
It’s almost here, folks. pic.twitter.com/IdL4atsucQ
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 14, 2026
Additionally, due to the delays, Tesla explored “a variety of designs” for the Roadster, potentially planning to abandon the design it showed off for the first time in 2017 and adopting an entirely new aesthetic.
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According to The Information, Tesla considered utilizing a repurposed Model S Plaid and even wanted to upgrade the look to something like a Lamborghini Countach.
We’ve heard all of these things before, including teases about the date and how “soon” the Roadster will finally be ready to be shown off to the world (for the second time). Musk said that the event would occur in April, then May, then Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen continued to say it would be coming “soon.”
We do expect to see the Roadster by the end of the year, and now with this new report swirling, it appears it could be sooner rather than later.
The wait has been incredibly long, but there is likely a good reason for it. Tesla’s desire to make the Roadster the craziest vehicle on the road was non-negotiable, and it likely took a lot of time and resources to develop and perfect into something that was safe and suitable for a vehicle like this.
Featured
Tesla finally got its Nevada Robotaxi Permit but with a few catches hard to miss
Nevada granted Tesla’s robotaxi permit, but capped the fleet at just ten vehicles for now.
Tesla has received its robotaxi permit in Nevada, more than two months after regulators closed the public comment period on the company’s application. News of the approval surfaced Wednesday night when Tesla investor and longtime company watcher Sawyer Merritt posted a copy of the interim order, and the Nevada Transportation Authority’s own carrier registry now lists the permit, AVNC Permit 002 under Docket 26-05015, as active for Tesla Robotaxi, LLC.
Tesla asked Nevada in June for authority to run up to 5,000 vehicles in Clark County within a year, however the permit the NTA issued is initially capping Tesla at ten fully autonomous vehicles and confines them to a defined geofence along the Las Vegas Strip corridor. Any expansion of that operating area, or any increase to the fleet size, requires the NTA’s approval first.
Tesla has received its Autonomous Vehicle Network Company permit in Nevada.
The Nevada Transportation Authority says that operations are limited to a maximum fleet of 10 fully autonomous vehicles and shall be conducted only within the Authority-approved Operational Design… https://t.co/Cxfd6GIfDk pic.twitter.com/iOO6wSZkHF
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) August 13, 2026
The order also sets rules that look more restrictive than what Tesla runs in Austin. Rides are barred on roads with posted speed limits above 45 miles per hour, pickups are off limits within a quarter mile of Harry Reid International Airport without separate authorization, and every vehicle has to carry visible “Robotaxi” markings while notifying riders before each trip that no one is driving. The order also requires “appropriate human supervision”, language that suggests Nevada isn’t ready to let Tesla offer the rides without a safety monitor that it has run in parts of Austin since January. As with standard protocol with robotaxi services, Tesla must report any accident, system failure, or vehicle that becomes stranded on a Nevada road within five business days.
Tesla is entering a market Nevada already knows well. Zoox, the Amazon owned robotaxi company, has run its own autonomous vehicle permit in the state since last year, building up to roughly 100 vehicles and 350,000 rides along the Strip. That history likely explains why the NTA started Tesla at ten cars rather than the fleet size the company asked for. The agency has a template for scaling a permit up once a company proves out its safety record.
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Tesla’s Nevada application first surfaced in June, when the company filed for the permit alongside plans for a maintenance hub in southwest Las Vegas. The company has said it won’t meaningfully scale its robotaxi fleet anywhere until FSD v15 ships, expected in late 2026 or early 2027, which makes the ten vehicle cap less of a constraint today than it might look on paper. For now, Tesla has the legal right to start Nevada rides. Whether it starts before FSD v15 arrives is a separate question the permit doesn’t answer.
Tesla Energy has introduced the Powerwall Lease in conjunction with Tesla Electric, making the service available in Texas. This new option delivers whole-home backup power using two Powerwall units for a net monthly cost of $35 after credits, accompanied by a low fixed electricity rate.
Under the lease terms, customers pay a one-time order fee of $100. The base lease payment for the two Powerwalls is approximately $122 per month during the first year, subject to a 3 percent annual escalator thereafter. Enrollment in a qualifying Tesla Electric Backup plan or Virtual Power Plant plan provides an $87 monthly credit.
Powerwall Lease is now available with Tesla Electric in Texas
Whole-home backup for $35/month, with a low fixed electricity rate
– Two Powerwalls, $0 installation
– Storm Watch outage protection
– One app to manage it all pic.twitter.com/oTzqc6K3aF— Tesla Energy (@teslaenergy) August 13, 2026
This credit lowers the effective cost to roughly $35 per month plus applicable tax.
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Installation of the standard system carries no additional charge. The package features Storm Watch for outage protection and allows complete management through a single Tesla application. The system supplies continuous whole-home backup capability.
The Powerwall system enables households to maintain electricity during severe storms that disrupt the utility grid. When outages occur, the batteries automatically provide seamless backup power to the home.
Tesla announces 100k Powerwalls are participating in Virtual Power Plants
Tesla Storm Watch monitors weather forecasts and ensures the units are fully charged ahead of anticipated severe weather events so that power remains available throughout the disruption, keeping lights, refrigeration, and other essential systems operating without interruption.
Availability is restricted to select Texas locations where retail electric choice exists. Participants must lease exactly two Powerwall units and maintain continuous enrollment with Tesla Electric. Solar panels cannot be included under this particular lease arrangement.
The monthly credit activates automatically once the system is installed, receives permission to operate, and enrollment is confirmed. To retain the credit, customers are required to stay enrolled in Tesla Electric and fulfill all program conditions.
Nonstandard installations that involve electrical upgrades or special permitting may lead to extra expenses and might impact eligibility for the credit, so be sure to check with either your installer or Tesla to ensure you will still qualify.
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Tesla Roadster unveiling nears, and it will fly: The Information
Tesla finally got its Nevada Robotaxi Permit but with a few catches hard to miss
