Tesla’s futuristic stainless steel Cybertruck has been spotted on Australian streets, but locals eager to buy the sharp-angled electric vehicle shouldn’t hold their breath.
The Cybertruck – which was described by a caller to Sydney radio station 2GB as “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 spotted parked outside the swanky Royal Oak Hotel in Double Bay during his unheralded tour of the city, which was faithfully captured on social media.
However, the vehicle is only a demonstrator that has been issued temporary number plates for limited ‘road use’ by the Queensland Department of Transport.
The model appears to have left-hand drive, unlike standard right-hand Australian vehicles.
Tesla’s futuristic Cybertuck, which is not for sale in Australia, has been spotted in Sydney
Drive.com editor-in-chief Trent Nikolic dismissed the sightings as a “publicity stunt” to get people talking about Tesla and their other products.
“The latest 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 at a 2GB breakfast. .
The vehicle’s uncompromising design means it is unlikely to meet Australian safety standards in its current US form, as there is now no timeline for an Australian model.
Although Tesla initially accepted Cybertruck pre-orders from Australian buyers, this has now been discontinued and Australians can only request updates on the official website.
Those who made the $150 deposit were given the chance to spend the money on the US-based company’s Model Y SUV or Model 3 sedan.
The standard Cybertruck costs over AU$93,000 in the US and has a fully charged range of around 400km.
The shiny electric truck was spotted at several iconic Sydney locations including Bondi Beach (pictured)
It can go from 0 to 100 km in about seven seconds and tow about four tons.
Higher range models cost more than AU$122,000, up to the so-called Tesla Cyberbeast at $153,000, and offer longer range, quicker acceleration and more powerful towing capacity.
Instead of a normal instrument panel, the Cybertruck has one mounted touchscreen as the only control, together with the steering wheel and two driving pedals.
Tesla and its celebrity CEO Elon Musk are facing major problems in the US due to their inability to deliver Cybertrucks, with production delays exacerbated by having to issue a major safety recall due to a design flaw with the accelerator pedal.
A major downturn in electric vehicle sales worldwide has also led to Tesla recently announcing plans to lay off more than 10 percent of its global workforce, which amounts to about 14,000 employees.
The Cybertruck’s heavy weight, large width and rigid steel exoskeleton, which result in fewer crumple zones, pose safety concerns and would almost certainly prevent it from being sold in Australia in its current design.
Elon Musk demonstrates the Cybertruck as a concept vehicle in 2019 (photo)
In response to a query from Cars Guide, Transport and Regional Development said upon request it would provide Tesla with Australian Standards “to plan and integrate our requirements in the design and manufacture of on-road vehicles”.
The Cybertruck was launched as a concept vehicle in 2019 in a burst of publicity by Elon Musk, who said its hardened 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 broke.
The company originally said Cybertrucks would hit the streets in 2021, but the first models weren’t delivered until late 2023.
The massive recall of Cybertrucks in the US followed reports of the accelerator pedal sticking after the cover slipped off, causing vehicles to reach top speed in seconds.
Mr Musk stated on X that ‘no injuries or accidents have occurred as a result. We’re just being very careful.”
However, Musk has not made it clear when Cybertruck deliveries will restart – many customers have been told they have “two weeks at best” or nothing at all.
The Cybertruck has ditched the traditional panel of readouts and controls for just one touchscreen
Hundreds of Cybertrucks have been spotted at the Tesla Gigafactory in Texas as customers await their deliveries.
Cars Guide journalist Richard Berry wrote about the backlog and how it could impact the arrival of Cybertrucks in Australia. He was pessimistic.
“Unless another factory is used to produce the Cybertruck, it could take at least eight years before it gets here – and that’s based on Elon Musk’s own production forecasts,” he wrote.