Tesla China has clarified that the company currently does not have plans to release the Cybertruck in the country. The announcement was made following a report from Chinese media outlet Jiemian News, which indicated that the Tesla China team had denied any immediate plans to introduce the electric pickup truck to the market.
The Cybertruck, first unveiled in November 2019, officially began deliveries in the United States on November 30, 2023. At present, the vehicle has only been delivered to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Tesla China’s official website lists only the Model Y, Model 3, Model S, Model X, and Powerwall for order, with the Cybertruck notably absent.
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
Elon Musk had previously mentioned the challenges of launching the Cybertruck in China. On the social media platform X, he commented, “Getting Cybertruck road legal in China would be very difficult, but we could ship some prototypes over for display.” Despite these remarks, Musk did not elaborate on the specific regulatory hurdles that would need to be overcome. Pickup trucks in China face stringent regulations, which may be one reason Tesla referred to the Cybertruck as a “crossover touring vehicle” during its tour of China.
Reports indicate that regulatory restrictions on pickup trucks in China are significant. These vehicles face a speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour on highways, compared to the 120 kilometers per hour allowed for passenger cars. Additionally, pickup trucks have a mandatory scrapping requirement after 15 years of use, and they face urban access restrictions in many cities.
These restrictions contribute to a relatively small pickup truck market in China. According to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), pickup truck sales in the country totaled 427,000 units from January to October this year, compared to 17.84 million passenger car sales during the same period. Despite this, Tesla has experienced strong success in the Chinese market, particularly with the Model Y. In the first ten months of 2024, Tesla delivered 373,852 units of the Model Y in China, representing 74.67% of the company’s total deliveries in the country. Tesla’s overall deliveries in China for the same period reached 500,685 units, marking an 8.29% increase compared to the previous year.
