Tesla is set to bring the Cybertruck, its all-electric pickup with a polarizing design, to China for display in several showrooms. However, selling the pickup in the country still seems unlikely, as CEO Elon Musk said a few days ago.
Tesla will start displaying the Cybertruck later this year on what is similar to a “tour,” letting fans decide where the pickup will be shown.
According to a poster that was put out by Tesla China earlier today, those interested in seeing the Cybertruck will have until March 31 to submit the cities where it will be displayed.
However, this might be the only way Tesla owners in China will be able to see a Cybertruck. CEO Elon Musk said earlier this week that he is not sure if the pickup will be able to jump through regulatory hurdles in China as it would be difficult to get it approved to be “road legal.”
Instead, Musk hinted that units could be shipped over to China for display:
Getting Cybertruck road legal in China would be very difficult, but we could ship some prototypes over for display
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 14, 2024
The Cybertruck’s massive size makes it difficult to consider for countries outside North America. In Europe, where roads are very slim, pickups are a rare breed, and while they exist and are driven, they are not ideal for the market.
The same could go for China, but it is not immediately clear whether its size is the issue. It could have to do with safety regulations. Tesla could ultimately develop an even smaller Cybertruck design that would conform to international laws, but there have been no hints put down by the company or Musk that this would happen.
Initially, Tesla needs to focus on ramping up production of the Cybertruck in the United States before it can even begin thinking about other markets. For now, there is a long list of backorders that Tesla needs to shorten, and it will only get longer if production does not get to a point where it outpaces demand for the vehicle.
Musk has said in the past that the Cybertruck has over one million orders, which means it will take several years to get it to a point where customers get their pickups. Some customers placed deposits down in 2019 and may not get their trucks for another two years.
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