Tesla Cybertruck back on for Oz

Tesla is actively evaluating the potential introduction of a right-hand drive (RHD) Cybertruck for the Australian market.

If the vehicle does make it to Australia – and Tesla Australia director Thom Drew wouldn’t rule it out – it would completely own the full-size American pick-up truck segment seeing as there are no direct rivals offered here.

That is until the Ford F-150 Lightning and BYD Shark 8 arrive.

Asked if the Tesla Cybertruck was off the menu for Australia (following Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s contention the vehicle would be a ‘worse’ product if it had to adhere to stricter global design standards), the Aussie Tesla boss told carsales: “We’ve certainly never said it’s not coming.”

The Tesla Cybertruck was recently showcased across Australia as part of a global tour to gauge consumer interest and this month made an appearance at the Everything Electric exhibition in Sydney.

Tesla Australia’s most senior executive addressed speculation about the vehicle’s future in the local market, stating: “We wanted to put it in front of customers, really test their reactions, to see how Aussies really feel about that vehicle in Australia [and if] it can help us make a decision on proceeding with that vehicle in market.”

If approved for the Australian market, the 3.1-tonne Cybertruck would require significant re-engineering – for RHD – and potentially face modifications to comply with local regulations.

For reference, North American-delivered Tesla Cybertrucks measure 5682mm long, 2201mm wide and 1791mm tall with a payload capacity of 1134kg and claimed towing capability of almost 5000kg.

According to Drew, customer feedback suggests the Cybertruck would find favour with Aussie buyers.

“Look, I wish we had an order book open [during the Everything Electric expo]. The queues were not only in front of the truck but wrapped around the stage. It was just constant, particularly over the Saturday and Sunday,” he said.

Tesla Australia conducted informal market research during the various events that took place Down Under, asking attendees about their purchase intent based on US prices and Drew told carsales there were countless responses of ‘yes’.

“Whether or not that translates to orders is obviously another consideration but the response on the day and through the previous events that we've been putting on throughout the country has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Utes and/or pick-up trucks are very popular in Australia, accounting for approximately one in five (18.5%) of all new vehicle sales in Australia last year.

Australians placed huge numbers of Cybertruck pre-orders ahead if its launch via the Tesla website but the brand halted Aussie orders shortly after.

While the Cybertruck is firming for Australia, an official timeline has not been confirmed.

“To be clear, no decisions have been made yet but we definitely haven’t said no," Drew said.

The polarising electric pick-up, which has already launched in the United States with its controversially angular design and stainless-steel body panels, is roughly the same size as a Ford F-150 and has a claimed range of up to 547km.

The vehicle’s unconventional design, while divisive, doesn’t appear to have dampened enthusiasm in Australia.

“Whilst people do have some opinions around the styling of the vehicle, even if they didn’t particularly warm to it, they still loved it for its capability and what it did. But the overwhelming response was super positive,” Drew added.

If the Tesla does get green-lit for Australia, the burning question will be the asking price, which is almost certainly expected to comprise six-figures.

Prices start at around $US80,000 in the USA, which translates to an Aussie price of around $115,000, give or take. However, expect pricing to match top-spec petrol-powered American pick-up trucks which are priced closer to $140,000.

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