Bulletproof cars have seen a great spike in both popularity and effectiveness in the last 20 years or so. People who buy bulletproof cars typically tend to be either politicians or businessmen who want to make sure that they are protected at all times. Is a Tesla bulletproof? No, there are no Tesla models that come bulletproof from the factory, at least not yet.
As such, if you want a bulletproof Tesla, you will have to go through the aftermarket route as there are some companies out there that do offer to bulletproof to various Tesla models, and the most prominent company that does that is Armormax.
If you are an OEM type of guy and you don’t want to ruin both your efficiency and your driving comfort, you could potentially wait for the Cybertruck to come out, if that ever happens. The Cybertruck is not a full-on bulletproof car, but it does come with armored glass that should be able to stop live ammunition.
Either way, buying a bulletproof car does increase your overall level of protection inside the car, yet it also ruins quite a few things in the process. For starters, your efficiency, your bank account, your range, your driving experience, and your comfort.
Tesla Model S Armormax package
After you buy yourself a Tesla Model S, you can take it to Armormax where they can help you tank it up with a $60,000 package that includes all sorts of protective panels in order to protect the car from various weapons. The entire passenger compartment of the car is covered with synthetic fiber laminates and ballistic alloy which shields you from various types of ammunition.
These materials also cover the entirety of the car’s roof, floor, and pillars which effectively creates a cocoon of ballistic shield around you. Furthermore, the package also includes layered acrylic polycarbonate glass replacements designed to both maintain the overall look and stop bullets from penetrating the cabin.
In order to manage this, Armormax added about 300lbs of additional weight onto the car which is not necessarily all that much considering what you get. The car also gets reinforced suspension, run-flat tires, an armored battery, radiator shields, fuel tank, and ECM protection while maintaining functioning power windows.
Tesla Cybertruck – A “sort of” bulletproof SUV from the future
The highly anticipated Tesla Cybertruck is certainly one of the most impressive new car concepts in the last decade or so. Tesla says that the new Cybertruck body is going to be able to withstand 9mm bullets because the car is going to be built with the same stainless steel panels used on some SpaceX rockets.
Furthermore, Elon Musk has also said that the Cybertruck is able to withstand 9mm rounds against the glass panels as they are also intended to be bulletproof. We are not completely aware of in which stage of the armorification process the car is now, but if Tesla manages to deliver on its promises, the Cybertruck should technically be a bulletproof car.
However, the Cybertruck is likely going to be one of the heaviest trucks on the market because just the doors alone should weigh around 80 pounds each. Either way, many people are not convinced about how bulletproof the Cybertruck is actually going to be, so we need to wait until it actually comes out.
What does it mean to bulletproof a car?
Bulletproofing a car is not just making it as protected as a tank because thorough bulletproofing is likely to ruin a car altogether. As such, people bulletproof cars only when that is completely necessary as it requires you to forever change the structural parts of the vehicle which can not be returned to their original state afterward.
This effectively means that you will ruin the car’s resale value and that the car will only be desired by a rather negligible part of the used car market. Secondly, adding tons of protective materials adds huge amounts of weight and the most thoroughly protected cars typically weigh more than 1000 pounds after all of these have been fitted onto the car.
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This ruins a car’s economy, especially those of an EV. Added bulletproofing makes the car less practical as it often means that you will not be able to open your windows and that the doors are going to be extremely heavy. Finally, the car’s suspension needs to be stiffened which will make the car less comfortable, and a lot less dynamic due to added weight.
FAQ Section
Are bulletproof cars worth it?
It depends on if you need a bulletproof car, or not. If you really do need a bulletproof car, a true bulletproof car can be the deciding factor between living and dying which means that it indeed is worth it. On the other hand, if you just love the novelty factor, don’t do it as it ruins the car and your bank account.
Secondly, if you really want a bulletproof car, go for something a bit more convenient than a Tesla such as a larger sedan or a beefy SUV. Be sure to go consider cars made by Armormax and other prominent armoring companies.
How much does it cost to bulletproof a car?
It depends on how thorough you want the bulletproofing to be. If you just want an added layer of protection against small arms without investing in more serious protective elements, you should expect the kit to cost you somewhere around $15,000 per car.
However, if you want to maximize a car’s protective abilities which means doing whatever you can to shield the car as best as possible, you are looking at between $50,000 and even $100,000 in some instances.
Which cars are the best fit for bulletproofing?
Choosing the best car to bulletproof is as important as the bulletproofing kit itself. That is why most people opt for bulletproofing beefy SUVs such as the Mercedes Benz G-Class, the Toyota Land Cruiser, the Cadillac Escalade, the Chevy Suburban, the BMW X5, or the Range Rover.
If sedans are more of your style, you should consider armoring a Mercedes Benz S-Class, the BMW 7-Series, the Audi A8, the Cadillac CT5, the Lincoln Continental, or other large, preferably reliable, and powerful sedans.
