Picture this: The year is 2054. Your Neuralink implant has just transmitted a signal to your occipital lobe. The wait is over – you’ve finally been assigned the VIN for your Cybertruck pre-order!
As the emotions of joy and excitement flow through your computer-brain interface, the system doesn’t fail to remind you that your Cybertruck comes with a lifeless stainless steel finish, and that it is imperative to choose from the variety of color wrap options offered by your local Tesla service center in Aonia Terra.
“Shoot! I forgot all about that!” you think, as your anxiety protocol triggers. A frantic scouring through the Tesla Gigasite yields less than a dozen color-change options. “That’s all!?”, you silently exclaim to your embedded assistant. “I’ve already seen these a million times. There has to be something else I can do to give my new ride some personality”.
Back to reality
Thankfully, it’s present day, and you have plenty of time to prepare as you await your beloved electric chariot. If you perform a quick Google search today for “Cybertruck Color Change”, you’ll be bombarded with the influencer circus and ads from those sportline companies – all trying to steal the spotlight for your attention and vacuum up your money.
What won’t you find?: a simple source that can actually show some examples of Cybertruck wraps and provide some insight on what’s actually out there. That’s where we come in.
“What is PPF? What is Vinyl? What is Colored PPF? Why does any of it matter?” are all questions that are bound to go through your unmodified brain as you begin your quest to find the right solution for your Cyber-steed.
In this article, we aim to address all of that for you with the most “matter-of-fact” approach possible, so that you can be armed with knowledge when you decide to upgrade your Cybertruck with Tesla directly, or with any 3rd party in your area.
Tesla Cybertruck Wraps: What Are Color Wraps?
Short answer: Color Wraps are opaque, colored films that are installed directly on the body panels of your vehicle in order to change its appearance.
Long answer: There are a variety of different ways to approach the re-styling of a vehicle. Most are done through the installation of vinyl or paint protection film. There are pros and cons to each, so we’ll get into that.
Vinyl has been around for decades, and its application serves as the quintessential example of what goes through people’s heads when they think of a “wrapped” car.
Vinyl Pros: Your styling options are virtually limitless, allowing you to get any color and finish you can imagine. You can use vinyl to transform your vehicle into a one-of-a-kind masterpiece!
Vinyl Cons: These “wraps” don’t survive much longer than a typical lease period. Even when abiding by a proper hand-washing regimen, the wrap will suffer from rock chip damage, UV fading, and acid damage from bugs, bird droppings, and more. If you plan to own your wrapped car for more than a few years, it’s important to be aware of what awaits you in due time.
Up next is Paint Protection Film (or PPF, for short). Unlike vinyl, PPF is exceptionally durable – and in most cases should last 10 years or more.
Most modern PPF products also feature a self-healing property that melts away fine surface scratches when exposed to sunlight; aiding in maintaining a pristine condition. I almost forgot to mention – it’s entirely clear and colorless (like a screen protector for your phone).
PPF Pros: The long lifespan and self-healing properties make it the ultimate choice when looking to preserve the already-existing appearance of a vehicle. The durability and thickness of the product is capable of saving your paint from the vast majority of road debris that progressively chews up its finish.
PPF Cons: PPF may be at the top of the food chain when it comes to performance, but it’s also at the top of the food chain when it comes to cost.
The material is consistently more expensive, and the labor involved is often more demanding. Generally speaking, professional PPF installations tend to cost roughly 20-30% more than standard vinyl installations. Additionally, PPF has traditionally only been offered in the “clear” variety, offering no color change options until…
Colored PPF! This new innovation in the world of car care aims to bring together the best of both worlds: the customization of vinyl with the durability of PPF. In theory, this product should make vinyl obsolete within the automotive space.
What’s the catch?
Well….it’s brand new. There is not much real-world data out there that proves that it can actually achieve what it sets out to do long-term.
Most of the larger and well-established PPF brands out there have been tiptoeing around the technology, and leaving this innovation to smaller, lesser-known PPF manufacturers to experiment with.
As of the writing of this article, color-change PPF options are notably absent from the websites of industry goliaths such as 3M, SunTek, and XPEL.
How will the color hold up over time? Is the self-healing property just as effective? Does it safely remove from the surface it’s applied to? These are some of the key questions that can only be answered by those willing to embrace early adoption.
Style Points Matter
Let’s face it. The Cybertruck is a statement piece. Everyone has their reasons for wanting (or not wanting) one. Among those reasons on everyone’s list is the way that it looks. For those that revel in it, you can’t help but acknowledge the opportunity for customization.
The monolithic stainless steel finish is a blank canvas begging for an artist to intervene. You’re already driving the biggest spectacle in town. Why not kick it up a notch? Along with protecting the surface underneath, this is arguably one of the best reasons to pursue a color wrap.
What Are The Available Color Options?
If your first stop is Tesla’s website or app, you may be surprised to find only a handful of color wraps available. “Aren’t there thousands of color options out there?” would be a reasonable question to think to yourself – and you’d be onto something.
Herein lies the (perhaps temporary) drawback of Colored PPF. With it being such a new product, color options are extremely limited. It will certainly be years before the level of customization comes anywhere close to what can currently be achieved through vinyl.
According to Tesla’s website, a 1-year (or 12,500 mile) installation warranty is paired with a 5-year material warranty for Colored PPF. While it’s nice to have some assurance, it does raise an eyebrow in regard to its purported longevity when compared to the 10-year material warranty offered with the clear (traditional) PPF options.
The moment you decide to approach a 3rd party installer is where the fun really begins though. If you contact a professional shop offering color wraps, a whole new world opens up to you – but more on that later.
Does it Come in Black?
According to Google Analytics, “Matte black Cybertruck” is one of the most highly searched keywords surrounding the elusive vehicle. If you’ve seen it, you’ll probably understand why. The “murdered out” look that’s been championed by enthusiasts in automotive communities for over a decade finds itself right at home with the brutalist design and sharp body lines of the Tesla Cybertruck. We expect it to be a common request, and we’re not upset about it.
So What Should I Get?
The real magic behind this is that it’s totally up to you. You’re the one with the vision. With thousands of vinyl color options (and a smattering of Colored PPF options) available, you shouldn’t feel pressured to get whatever is “trendy”.
You could probably throw a dart at a dartboard marked with dozens of color options and end up with a showstopper that will launch the appeal of your Cyberstruck straight through the stratosphere. Luckily for you, there are resources out there that can help you narrow down your choice without throwing anything sharp.
Sites like Wrapmate offer an interactive virtual display of all the modern vinyl color wraps from 3M – and that’s just scratching the surface. Explore the websites of Avery Dennison, Inozetek, and more to discover a vast spectrum of options to inspire your vision.
What’s Next?
You have an idea of what you want, and now it’s time to take action. The next logical step is to begin your search for an installer. Click Here to learn about the most important factors you should consider as you narrow down the right installer for your Cybertruck wrap.
