The Cybertruck has recently encountered problems with hitting the European market. While the vehicle has been incredibly popular in the US, being one of the best selling trucks of 2024, the same type of success has not quiet been seen in European markets. Recently, the Cybertruck hit the streets of Europe, much to the owner’s dismay, was met with much criticism from European road safety organizations.
The Cybertruck’s success in the US
The electric pickup truck, the brainchild of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has seen massive success in the US. When it was first announced in November of 2019, the truck received over one million pre-orders from interested buyers. Since its release, it has continued to do well in terms of sale numbers. For 2024, Just under 39,000 vehicles were sold, making it the fifth best-selling electric vehicle. It has also been the best selling electric pickup truck, beating out the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and the Rivian R1T in 2024 in terms of overall sales for the year.
However, vehicle sales have been slowing down, and Tesla has even announced that they are moving employees over from the Cybertruck project to other projects within Tesla. Part of the reason sales may be slowing down is due to the release of the brand new Model Y. However, it could also be just down to consumer preference, The vehicle has a peculiar design, which has garnered it much attention online. Because of this, the car has received a cult-following of both lovers and haters. It’s design, however, has not helped its popularity in the European market.
Europe campaigns against the Cybertruck
Recently, a few Cybertrucks have been seen being imported from the US to Europe by individual buyers. This has prompted mass outrage from many road safety groups across Europe. The crux of the matter is the design of the truck, which safety groups say is not suited for European roads. Having it on the road is, according to them, a safety hazard which cannot be accommodated for.
The outrage originated with the Czech Republic’s decision to register the Cybertruck as a passenger vehicle. Because it is now registered, the car can be legally imported into the country, However, some reports say that the owner did not accurately report the sheer weight of the car (which currently sits at 3.5 tones when at max capacity), which, if reported accurately, would most likely not have gotten it entry into the country,
Campaign groups have written an open letter to the European Commission and the Czech Republic authorities, advocacy groups are asking that all Cybertruck which are currently in Europe and registered to be removed from the roads as soon as possible.
“Very oversized pickup trucks [are] now being increasingly imported and bringing danger to our streets,” said James Nix of the nonprofit Transport & Environment, which co-signed the letter.
The Cybertruck has been controversial in Europe due to it failing to meet a number of European road safety standards. This directly contradict the truck’s standing in the US, where the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has consistently given it a high ranking. Despite these, European safety groups are not convinced that the size, weight, and geometric design of the car is safe for European roads.
Tesla continues to drive innovation
Not to be deterred, the electric vehicle company continues to see success worldwide. While the Cybertruck may be struggling to gain entry into Europe, other Tesla models remain popular on the road. The Model Y is consistently ranked as the best selling electrical vehicle in the region, even in 2024 despite sales dropping slightly by 17% compared to 2023 sales data.
