Cybertruck in Europe?

[Gonçalo Duarte]

Hello fellow forum members,

I hope you're all doing well. I've been following the developments around the Tesla Cybertruck, and I'm particularly interested (not biased at all by my order :O ahaha) in its potential commercialization in Europe. I've come across some information regarding size and weight reductions, as well as the global testing of the Cybertruck. I'd like to discuss these aspects and gather your thoughts on the likelihood of seeing the Cybertruck on European roads.

Size and Weight Reductions: There have been discussions in various sources about potential size and weight reductions for the Cybertruck. It's been suggested that Tesla might be considering adjustments to better suit European road regulations and preferences. While I'm aware that the Cybertruck's unique design sets it apart, do you think these changes could significantly impact its appeal and feasibility for the European market? Are there any insights or updates you've come across regarding these modifications?

Global Testing and European Trials: I've read conflicting reports about the global testing of the Cybertruck. Some sources have mentioned test locations in Sweden or Norway, while others have not provided any specific details. Have any of you heard about the Cybertruck being tested in Europe, particularly in those Nordic countries? It would be interesting to know if Tesla is actively conducting trials in European environments to ensure the vehicle's suitability for different climates, road conditions, and user preferences.

Probability of European Commercialization: Considering the potential adjustments to size and weight, as well as the global testing efforts, how likely do you think it is that the Cybertruck will be commercialized in Europe? Are there any regulatory challenges or market factors that could impact Tesla's decision to bring the Cybertruck to the European market? I'd love to hear your opinions and insights on this matter.

Overall, I'm excited about the prospect of the Cybertruck making its way to Europe, and I believe the discussions on this forum could shed some light on the probability of this becoming a reality. Let's share our knowledge and thoughts to gain a better understanding of the situation.

Looking forward to your input!

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[COLAB]

Possible but it will be very long !!!!!!!

 

[Gonçalo Duarte]

Possible but it will be very long !!!!!!!

We do have some “seriously” big pick up trucks around here.

Toyota Hilux
VW Amarok
Mercedes X
Ford Ranger Raptor

Hopefully

 

[COLAB]

As you said !

 

[JBee]

We used to import an Australian off-roader into europe a while back for overlanding vehicles, so I know that Germany and Europe have special requirements. Let me do a quick list of what I think might be an issue for the CT:

1. Dimensions: Although the CT is "large" and definitely bigger than a Hilux/Amarok/X, the height should not be an issue even in under cover parking. It can also vary the height using it's air suspension setup so that shouldn't be an issue and should be able to it's roof down to about 180cm. Width wise it should also be fine with it being around 2m side, which is on the larger side, but not wider than a Sprinter van etc. The length is a bit more of an issue, but only for finding an adequate parking spot. The trick here would be to find a parking spot to reverse over with the rear overhang, that way you should fit on most parking spots without the front sticking out to far. Whilst driving and navigating sharp corners however, you can expect the CT to have a similar if not better turning circle than the Tesla MY, which to be honest isn't actually great anyway. The reason it will have a good turning radius is because it has 4 wheel steering, so this will more than compensate for the long wheel base it has.
2. Weight: Being a BEV and large, along with a high capacity payload means the CT might not fit under the 3500kg car classification in Europe, meaning you probably need a light truck licence to drive it there that goes up to 7500kg. There are couple of ways this could go though, in that it is actually possible to reduce the payload capacity of the CT so that it stays under the 3500kg limit. Although we don't really have a good indication of the final vehicle weight of the CT, it's likely to be under 2800kg empty, meaning it would have about 700kg of payload. Now with 5 seats for 5 100kg adults that would only leave 200kg for luggage or gear in the bed or frunk. That's not much weight but it is similar to that of a 7 seat SUV, so would suffice for many applications and most daily use, unless you needed to haul lots of people and a bed full of gear. Now technically of course the CT will still be able to carry more load than that still, it just would not allowed to do so on the paper registration. The other version to accomplish a better capacity would be to get a vehicle exemption, and get the vehicle licenced as a RV/specialty vehicle, like that in some EU countries you could then get it licenced up to around 3900kg meaning you would have another 400kg, so about 1100kg all up. But obviously well short of the expected rear bed load of 1500kg. So given we don't have exact CT weights or capacities yet, it's a bit hard to tell which way it will fall. Ideally the CT would weigh less, but the Model X, which is also aluminium and a fair bit smaller is already 2770kg. It would be a bit of a feat of engineering if they can get it the same, let alone lower. A truck licence might be easier than trying to get the mass down to get under the 3500kg limit.
3. The other major hurdle is front pedestrian impact protection. Given the CT has a fairly boxy and sharp edged front shape, and the use of fairly rigid stainless exterior panels, means its quite possible that it won't meet the EU regulations for pedestrian protection, which are quite strict on manufacturers there. The obvious solution here is actually the same as above, in that "if" they licence the CT as a small truck instead of a passenger vehicle, they can avoid the pedestrian protection rules all together as well.

These three are the main ones from what I can tell. From most other metrics the CT should comply and should be quite capable in European countries.

 

[Gonçalo Duarte]

We used to import an Australian off-roader into europe a while back for overlanding vehicles, so I know that Germany and Europe have special requirements. Let me do a quick list of what I think might be an issue for the CT:

1. Dimensions: Although the CT is "large" and definitely bigger than a Hilux/Amarok/X, the height should not be an issue even in under cover parking. It can also vary the height using it's air suspension setup so that shouldn't be an issue and should be able to it's roof down to about 180cm. Width wise it should also be fine with it being around 2m side, which is on the larger side, but not wider than a Sprinter van etc. The length is a bit more of an issue, but only for finding an adequate parking spot. The trick here would be to find a parking spot to reverse over with the rear overhang, that way you should fit on most parking spots without the front sticking out to far. Whilst driving and navigating sharp corners however, you can expect the CT to have a similar if not better turning circle than the Tesla MY, which to be honest isn't actually great anyway. The reason it will have a good turning radius is because it has 4 wheel steering, so this will more than compensate for the long wheel base it has.
2. Weight: Being a BEV and large, along with a high capacity payload means the CT might not fit under the 3500kg car classification in Europe, meaning you probably need a light truck licence to drive it there that goes up to 7500kg. There are couple of ways this could go though, in that it is actually possible to reduce the payload capacity of the CT so that it stays under the 3500kg limit. Although we don't really have a good indication of the final vehicle weight of the CT, it's likely to be under 2800kg empty, meaning it would have about 700kg of payload. Now with 5 seats for 5 100kg adults that would only leave 200kg for luggage or gear in the bed or frunk. That's not much weight but it is similar to that of a 7 seat SUV, so would suffice for many applications and most daily use, unless you needed to haul lots of people and a bed full of gear. Now technically of course the CT will still be able to carry more load than that still, it just would not allowed to do so on the paper registration. The other version to accomplish a better capacity would be to get a vehicle exemption, and get the vehicle licenced as a RV/specialty vehicle, like that in some EU countries you could then get it licenced up to around 3900kg meaning you would have another 400kg, so about 1100kg all up. But obviously well short of the expected rear bed load of 1500kg. So given we don't have exact CT weights or capacities yet, it's a bit hard to tell which way it will fall. Ideally the CT would weigh less, but the Model X, which is also aluminium and a fair bit smaller is already 2770kg. It would be a bit of a feat of engineering if they can get it the same, let alone lower. A truck licence might be easier than trying to get the mass down to get under the 3500kg limit.
3. The other major hurdle is front pedestrian impact protection. Given the CT has a fairly boxy and sharp edged front shape, and the use of fairly rigid stainless exterior panels, means its quite possible that it won't meet the EU regulations for pedestrian protection, which are quite strict on manufacturers there. The obvious solution here is actually the same as above, in that "if" they licence the CT as a small truck instead of a passenger vehicle, they can avoid the pedestrian protection rules all together as well.

These three are the main ones from what I can tell. From most other metrics the CT should comply and should be quite capable in European countries.

Really interesting! Thanks for the answer.

In one way I’d prefer for the CT to maintain the original sizing so there’s no doubt that it will not come to Europe. now with the resizing and “worldwide tests” makes up for the possibility of coming to Europe.

TBH i think, in the end, it will come to Europe. Money wise it’s a smart move to make a worldwide product given that teslas (specially Y and 3) are the best selling cars around here.

Just a side-not-side note, I hope the turning circle is better on the CT because of the rear wheel action, I have model Y and sometimes looks like I’m driving a tesla with tracks instead of wheels

 

[JBee]

Really interesting! Thanks for the answer.

In one way I’d prefer for the CT to maintain the original sizing so there’s no doubt that it will not come to Europe. now with the resizing and “worldwide tests” makes up for the possibility of coming to Europe.

TBH i think, in the end, it will come to Europe. Money wise it’s a smart move to make a worldwide product given that teslas (specially Y and 3) are the best selling cars around here.

Just a side-not-side note, I hope the turning circle is better on the CT because of the rear wheel action, I have model Y and sometimes looks like I’m driving a tesla with tracks instead of wheels

The resizing was more of an optimisation of the prototype dimensions more than anything else.

Smaller better packaged vehicle also means better aerodynamics, less weight, so less batteries and motors for same performance and range, and of course also less cost.

That it fits into a garage was more of a bonus, just not what everyone thinks atm. It's only shrunk a few inches here and there. I'm sure it was planned for global release from the beginning, it's just that they wanted to capture the US truck market with it first.

 

[Gonçalo Duarte]

The resizing was more of an optimisation of the prototype dimensions more than anything else.

Smaller better packaged vehicle also means better aerodynamics, less weight, so less batteries and motors for same performance and range, and of course also less cost.

That it fits into a garage was more of a bonus, just not what everyone thinks atm. It's only shrunk a few inches here and there. I'm sure it was planned for global release from the beginning, it's just that they wanted to capture the US truck market with it first.

Indeed!

 

[HaulingAss]

Hello fellow forum members,

I hope you're all doing well. I've been following the developments around the Tesla Cybertruck, and I'm particularly interested (not biased at all by my order :O ahaha) in its potential commercialization in Europe. I've come across some information regarding size and weight reductions, as well as the global testing of the Cybertruck. I'd like to discuss these aspects and gather your thoughts on the likelihood of seeing the Cybertruck on European roads.

Size and Weight Reductions: There have been discussions in various sources about potential size and weight reductions for the Cybertruck. It's been suggested that Tesla might be considering adjustments to better suit European road regulations and preferences. While I'm aware that the Cybertruck's unique design sets it apart, do you think these changes could significantly impact its appeal and feasibility for the European market? Are there any insights or updates you've come across regarding these modifications?

Global Testing and European Trials: I've read conflicting reports about the global testing of the Cybertruck. Some sources have mentioned test locations in Sweden or Norway, while others have not provided any specific details. Have any of you heard about the Cybertruck being tested in Europe, particularly in those Nordic countries? It would be interesting to know if Tesla is actively conducting trials in European environments to ensure the vehicle's suitability for different climates, road conditions, and user preferences.

Probability of European Commercialization: Considering the potential adjustments to size and weight, as well as the global testing efforts, how likely do you think it is that the Cybertruck will be commercialized in Europe? Are there any regulatory challenges or market factors that could impact Tesla's decision to bring the Cybertruck to the European market? I'd love to hear your opinions and insights on this matter.

Overall, I'm excited about the prospect of the Cybertruck making its way to Europe, and I believe the discussions on this forum could shed some light on the probability of this becoming a reality. Let's share our knowledge and thoughts to gain a better understanding of the situation.

Looking forward to your input!

For Europeans, the unfortunate truth is that Cybertruck will not be available in Europe for some time due to the amount of unmet demand in N. America. Because of the substantial expense of shipping a large vehicle from Texas to Europe, Tesla will not export them overseas until production is high enough to saturate the N. American market. And I think the N. American demand will much higher than traditional auto analysts realize.

For that reason, Europeans best hope of taking delivery in the next several years may be the possibility of a production line being set up at GigaBerlin, which I think is likely once production in Texas is running smoothly.

As to suitability for northern climates, N. America gets at least as severe of winter weather in the northern latitudes as N. Europe, so I don't see that as being a problem specific to the Cybertruck. Northern European nations already have some of the highest EV penetration rates in the world, mostly Tesla.

As to pedestrian safety standards, I think people worried about this don't understand how Tesla operates. They will make sure it's at least as safe as existing vehicles in terms of pedestrian impact, even if that means the frunk lid will not be bullet resistant. The sharp corners that so many Tesla naysayers cite as problematic are not the issue they make them out to be. The Cybertruck will pass pedestrian impact requirements with flying colors! That's just how Tesla rolls.

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