Is Elon Musk Right That Cybertruck Contained Explosion? What Experts Say

Elon Musk said that the car that exploded outside a hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday being a Tesla Cybertruck helped control the blast.

Newsweek spoke to car and energy experts to verify the validity of his statement.

Why It Matters

Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old U.S. Army veteran, was identified as the suspect in the explosion, which occurred in the valet area in front of the Trump International Hotel on Wednesday morning. Livelsberger was found dead inside of the Cybertruck. Officials believe he shot himself in the back of the head before the car burst into flames.

The incident is being investigated as a potential terrorist attack.

What To Know

Tesla CEO Elon Musk reacted to the explosion on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday.

“The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards,” Musk said.

Jay Whitacre, a trustee professor in energy at Carnegie Mellon University, spoke to Newsweek about the mechanics of the explosion.

“My understanding of ‘containing the explosion’ here is that the sides of the truck did not blow out, and so all the explosive force went vertically as opposed to in all directions, thus partially containing the blast,” Whitacre said. “Looking at the state of the truck, this seems to be what happened.”

He said the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 is a contrasting example of a bomb that “completely overcame the structure of the vehicle.”

John McElroy, automotive commentator and founder of the industry analysis program Autoline Daily, told Newsweek that how the explosives were packed could have played a role in the explosion’s impact.

“Not knowing the extent of the explosives and how they were packed in the truck, it’s hard to say for sure. But that truck looks to be fairly intact,” McElroy said.

He added that several gasoline cans inside the vehicle did not look “badly damaged.”

“So if some metal cans can withstand the explosion, so should a Cybertruck,” McElroy said.

What People Are Saying

Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley, on X: “After the [Cybertruck] explosion at the Trump Tower this morning, law enforcement has confirmed that there is no active threat to the community at this time and this appears an isolated incident.”

What Happens Next

The incident remains under investigation. Jeremy Schwartz, acting FBI Special Agent in Charge for the Las Vegas office, confirmed that the FBI is involved in the investigation at a press conference on Wednesday.

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