Taking delivery of Australia’s first 2022 Tesla Cybertruck… kind of
It’s been a long time coming, but we’ve finally got our hands on a 2022 Tesla Cybertruck*. Batteries not included…
We were as shocked as the rest of the world when Tesla’s Elon Musk unveiled its first-ever utility vehicle, the 2022 Tesla Cybertruck. Sporting science fiction styling, and a list of boasts unmatched by other utes, the Cybertruck split opinion straight down the middle.
But despite a design that’s almost certain to fail Australian Design Rules, local enthusiasts were only too willing to slap down a $150 deposit in the hopes that it will one day grace Australian shores.
Luckily, it turns out the Tesla Cybertruck is coming to Australia after all, of sorts. It’s just a bit smaller than expected and is remotely controlled.
In the absence of the real deal, whose Australian relevancy remains a mystery, we’ve done the next best thing and picked up a 1:10 toy-spec version to see if any parallels can be drawn.
This is the 1:10 scale Hot Wheels Tesla Cybertruck which is a toy-level remote controlled (RC) car. It first went on sale in mid-September with a list price of $199, though our version was picked up through click-and-collect on launch day from Target for $159. When originally launched in the United States, a US$400 (AU$550) hardcore version with more features and specs was available, though Australian buyers are limited to the entry-level toy version.
But, for a toy grade build, initial impressions are good. It comes with the similarly styled Tesla Cyberquad ATV inside the tray, a nice little nod to the life-size car, a non-removable lithium-ion battery (kind of like the real deal), and long-travel suspension ready for all the bush-bashing you can conquer in 20-30 minutes of run time.
Both the front and rear unibeam lights work, it can apparently hit speeds of up to 18km/h, and the remote control is styled to look like the Cybertruck’s yoke-style steering wheel.
Though not particularly special, the box it comes in is pretty cool, but the way the Cybertruck sits inside is a bit average. There’s a single broadsheet style manual booklet and some protective “pre-delivery” sheets to keep it away from harm, though that didn’t stop our car from being delivered complete with a giant scratch on the bonnet. So quality control matches Tesla’s own, then.
We won’t go too in-depth on the Cybertruck just yet as it’s just been plugged in for its first 2–3-hour charge. Stay tuned for the full review coming soon.