When someone on the internet asks if it's possible to plate an entire Tesla Cybertruck in real 24-karat gold, Zack Nelson—the mastermind behind the massive tech destruction and repair channel JerryRigEverything—is the exact guy you want answering the question.In a wildly expensive and highly educational DIY engineering project, Nelson and his team successfully transformed a bare stainless steel Cybertruck into a rolling bar of pure gold.The project was entirely funded by Ridge Wallet, who handed Nelson the keys to a brand-new Cybertruck to build the ultimate promotional sweepstakes vehicle."After doing some basic math, you know, A² + B² = C², we realized that it would take about $60,000 worth of gold to accomplish the whole task," Nelson explained, noting that the price tag didn't even include the grueling labor.The Science of Giant ElectroplatingBecause dipping a 6,000-pound truck into a vat of liquid gold isn't physically possible, Nelson had to bring the chemical bath to the truck."This whole process is called electroplating," Nelson noted. "Since we don't have a bath plating beaker system big enough for a Cybertruck, electro brush plating is the method we are choosing".The process involved three meticulous steps. First, the team washed the disassembled stainless steel panels with an electro-cleaner to make the surface hydrophilic. Next came the crucial "TriVal Gold Strike," a potent acid that etched microscopic holes into the steel's oxidized chromium layer, leaving a microscopic flash of gold for the final layer to grab onto.Finally, the team used electrically charged wands wrapped in sponges to literally paint the liquid gold onto the metal."Even though it's purple, this is 99.7 pure bright 24-karat gold," Nelson explained as he smeared the strange goop onto a door panel. "There's a little bit of cobalt in there as the hardener, and again, electricity is what makes all of this possible".A Finish You Can't FakeUnlike a cheap vinyl wrap that simply covers up a car's original bodywork, electroplating molecularly binds the gold directly to the steel, maintaining every single manufacturing mark."Just like a gold bar has tarnish or imperfections, the real gold getting applied to real metal just makes this so much more realistic than a gold wrap," Nelson marveled as the project neared completion.Of course, 24-karat gold is notoriously soft and scratches easily. To prevent the world's most expensive Cybertruck from being destroyed by highway pebbles, the team shipped it off to Luxe Automotive to be covered in a self-healing, optically clear paint protection film (PPF) and high-end ceramic window tint."Between the gold plating and the clear protection, I have successfully increased the value of the Ridge giveaway truck by at least $100,000," Nelson declared at the final reveal.During the Summer of 2024, Ridge Wallet officially offered the gold-plated Cybertruck as the grand prize in their "Make the Switch" sweepstakes, giving the lucky winner the option to take the shiny EV, a Hennessey Velociraptor, or a cool $100,000 in cash.