--- title: "Aha! There’s an All-Black Cybertruck" description: "Tesla is offering Cybertruck customers a \"self-healing\" coat of \"premium color paint films\" to fully black out their vehicle." date: "2023-12-01" modified: "2023-12-01" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/all-black-cybertruck" categories: - "Advanced Transport" tags: - "cybertruck" - "elon musk" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Aha! There’s an All-Black Cybertruck ![Tesla is offering Cybertruck customers a "self-healing" coat of "premium color paint films" to fully black out their vehicle.]() *\Image: Tesla\* ## Dark Mode Despite arguing that its brand-new Cybertruck's stainless steel body panels don't need any paint for protection, Tesla is now offering customers a "self-healing" coat of "premium color paint films" to fully black out their vehicle, as seen on the [company's website](). The result is a matte-black, polygonal wedge of metal on four wheels that makes it stand out even more on public streets, for better or for worse. Tesla claims the coating "protects against scratches" and is "more environmentally friendly than traditional vinyl wraps." But there's one little problem: the privilege will cost a whopping $6,500, putting the cost of a blacked-out, top-trim Cybertruck [well over $100,000](). Sure, the truck technically starts at $60,990 for a much less powerful single-motor variant — but it won't be available until 2025, according to the company, if it ever sees the light of day. That's not to mention the company's insistence on making the Cybertruck bulletproof. Why cover a stainless steel armor with a flimsy coat of paint if it's designed to [withstand the bullets of an unloading Tommy Gun]()? ## Wrapped Up The film comes in two finishes: Satin Black and Satin White. The white, in particular, looks like a substantial departure from the truck's naked stainless steel look. It's an interesting change of heart, considering Tesla CEO Elon Musk previously [said]() in 2021 that "Tesla Cybertruck can come in any color as long as it’s nothing." We got our [first glimpse]() at a matte black Cybertruck a couple of weeks ago, when Tesla chief designer Franz von Holzhausen was spotted driving around Southern California. The fit and finish of his truck, however, [left plenty to be desired](). As [*Electrek* points out](), Tesla already offers similar wraps for its Model 3 and Y, which are made out of more expensive PPF film compared to a more conventional vinyl material. PPF is often used to protect paint and tends to last longer. If customers want to save $1,500 and retain the stainless steel look of their Cybertrucks, they can opt for a "[satin clear paint film]()," which may not protect their vehicle [from bullet holes]() — but at least it might make it slightly less of a [fingerprint magnet](). **More on the Cybertruck:** *[Tesla Fans Furious at Disastrous Cybertruck Reveal]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()