Tesla’s futuristic stainless steel Cybertruck has been spotted on Australian streets, but locals keen to buy the sharp-edged electric vehicle shouldn’t hold their breath.
The Cybertruck – which a caller to Sydney radio station 2GB described as looking like “a fridge on wheels” – was spotted near Sydney Airport in North Sydney and parked between two other Tesla models at Bondi Beach, in the eastern suburbs.
He was also seen parked outside the upscale Royal Oak hotel in Double Bay during his never-before-seen tour of the city which was faithfully captured by social media.
The vehicle, however, is only a demonstration model that has received temporary number plates from the Queensland Department of Transport for limited “road use”.
The model appears to have left-hand steering unlike standard right-handed Australian vehicles.
Tesla’s futuristic Cybertuck, which is not yet available for sale in Australia, has been spotted in Sydney
Drive.com editor-in-chief Trent Nikolic called the sightings a “publicity stunt” aimed at getting people to talk about Tesla and their other products.
“The most recent information from Tesla is that the Cybertruck will not be produced in right-hand drive and therefore will not be built in a way that will be sold in Australia,” he told Ben Fordham during a 2 GB breakfast. .
The vehicle’s rigid design means it is unlikely to meet Australian safety standards in its current US form… with no timetable yet for an Australian model.
Although Tesla was initially accepting Cybertruck pre-orders from Australian buyers, this has now been discontinued and Australians can only request updates on the official website.
Those who put down a $150 deposit were offered the chance to invest that money in the US-based company’s Model Y SUV or Model 3 sedan.
The base Cybertruck costs over AU$93,000 in the US and has a fully charged range of around 400km.
The sparkling electrically charged vehicle has been spotted in various iconic locations around Sydney, such as Bondi Beach (pictured)
It can go from 0 to 100 km in around seven seconds and tow around four tonnes.
High-end models cost upwards of AU$122,000, up to the $153,000 Tesla Cyberbeast, offering greater range, quicker acceleration and more powerful towing capacity.
Instead of a normal dashboard, the Cybertruck has a touchscreen mounted as a single control, along with the steering wheel and two driving pedals.
Tesla and its famous CEO Elon Musk are facing significant problems in the United States due to their failure to supply Cybertrucks, with manufacturing delays compounded by the need to issue a major safety recall due to a Accelerator pedal design flaw.
A significant decline in electric vehicle sales worldwide also led Tesla to recently announce plans to lay off more than 10% of its global workforce, or about 14,000 employees.
The Cybertruck’s heavy weight, large width and inflexible steel exoskeleton, which result in reduced crumple zones, pose safety concerns and would almost certainly see its sale banned in Australia in its current design.
Elon Musk introduced the Cybertruck as a concept vehicle in 2019. Somewhat embarrassingly, he claimed that windows couldn’t be broken by someone throwing a large metal ball bearing at them, but when it was demonstrated , the glass broke.
In response to a question from Cars Guide, the Department of Transport and Regional Development said upon request it would provide Tesla with Australian standards “for planning and incorporating our requirements when designing and manufacturing road vehicles”.
The Cybertruck was launched as a concept vehicle in 2019 in a burst of publicity by Elon Musk, who said its reinforced sides were so strong they were bulletproof.
He also claimed that the windows could withstand someone throwing a large metal ball bearing at them – but when this was demonstrated, the glass shattered.
The company originally announced that Cybertrucks would hit the streets in 2021, but the first models weren’t delivered until late 2023.
The massive recall of Cybertrucks in the United States follows reports that the accelerator pedal stuck after its cover slipped, sending the vehicles to top speeds within seconds.
Mr. Musk said on X that “there have been no injuries or accidents as a result of this.” We’re just being very careful.
However, Musk did not say when Cybertruck deliveries would resume – many customers were told “two weeks at best” or nothing at all.
The Cybertruck has ditched the traditional display and controls panel for a single touchscreen.
Hundreds of Cybertrucks have been spotted piling up at the Tesla Gigafactory in Texas as customers wait for their deliveries.
Writing about the backlog and how it could affect the arrival of Cybertrucks in Australia, Cars Guide journalist Richard Berry was pessimistic.
“Unless another factory is used to produce the Cybertruck, it could be at least eight years before it gets here – and that’s using Elon Musk’s own production forecasts,” he said. -he writes.
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