Tesla knows the full-size, stainless-steel Cybertruck wouldn't be to the tastes of all Australian ute buyers – so it wants to launch it here alongside a smaller model to rival the nation's top sellers.
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A smaller ute than the Cybertruck – closer in size to the popular Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger – is at the top of the wishlist for Tesla in Australia.
But there are no confirmed plans for such a vehicle, five years after Tesla CEO Elon Musk hinted at the possibility of a not-as-large electric pick-up for markets for which "you can't just make a giant truck".
In the meantime, a right-hand-drive version of the full-size Cybertruck is no closer to reality, though the changes needed for local sale once the steering wheel is swapped over are less significant than you think, according to the boss of Tesla Australia.
"For me, I personally would love to see a true competitor to the Ranger and the HiLux," Tesla Australia country director Thom Drew told Drive.
"Cybertruck to one side – being the top end – I'd really love to see that. I have absolutely no insight as to if that's coming, but as an Australian segment, that's pretty key for us."
Once thought to be an outside chance for sale in Australia, the Cybertruck is now confirmed to be under consideration for Australia, with Drew telling Drive in March he is "working pretty hard" to get a right-hand-drive version developed.
It has long been suggested – by car-industry analysts and 'armchair experts' on social media – the Cybertruck's bluff shape would not pass Australian crash-safety rules, but Drew refuted the notion.
"Look, the exterior design would be largely unchanged," he said when asked this week what would need to change on the vehicle to meet Australian Design Rules (ADRs), mandatory for all new cars sold locally.
"I think there's a bit of misconception out there with how ADRs work for that segment. So, yeah, the vehicle, if we did get it here, it would look very, very similar, if not almost identical.
"It's more some of the engineering changes that need to be made to satisfy ADRs."
It is thought "engineering changes" refer to details such as headlight and child-seat anchor specifications, which can differ in Australia compared to the rest of the world, as a number of car brands have learnt the hard way.
Tesla has confirmed plans for "more affordable models" later in 2025, widely believed to begin with a shrunken, stripped-down version of the Model Y that would cost 20 per cent less to build.
Executives told investors and media last month the first of the cars is due to enter production in June 2025, and will use elements of its next-generation vehicle architecture but be produced on an existing production line.
"I'd love to fill every category to meet the demand, right? Obviously," said Drew.
"We have famously had a very small range of vehicles, so I know there are different ideas being bounced around, but I'm not privy to actual timelines or what's coming through.
"As far as less expensive vehicles go, I know obviously our executive team have talked about this for some time.
"I expect we will see something soon, but again, they don't tell me too much around what's upcoming."
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Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
