An Anti-Elon stunt has turned into a testament to Tesla toughness.
A lot of the anti-Elon stuff targeting Tesla’s CEO is over the top and often has the opposite of the intended effect. A recent stunt that purports to be crushing “fascism” shows a World War II Sherman tank running over and crushing a Tesla Model 3. (Artwork last year by artist Chavis Marmol, at top, shows a Tesla 3 car crushed by a nine-ton Olmec-inspired head.)
While the Sherman tank video (trending toward 1.8 million views as of Sunday) received many comments supporting it, there were just as many commenters impressed that the Model 3 held up so well after being run over by a tank that weighs up to 38 tons. Only the glass roof and windows appear to be crushed (Teslarati) and everything below the windows in the lower body looks to be intact.
The stunt also had the unintended result of underscoring NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) crash test results for the Model 3. In 2023, the Tesla Model 3 earned 5-star overall safety ratings in NHTSA crash tests, excelling in frontal, side, and rollover tests. In other words, a strong structural design, which the video inadvertently demonstrates.
And the crux of the comments supporting the Model 3 reflect the structural integrity. “Crushed? Musk builds great cars that can withstand the weight of a WW2 tank. Only the glass roof shattered,” said one commenter. “Safest cars on the road today! Bet he drove home in his VW. (Oh, the irony).”