After two years of delay, tesla The first Cybertruck has finally been built. The aggressive electric pickup is built at the Gigafactory in Texas. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said his company plans to produce about 250,000 Cybertrucks a year based on demand and start selling them later in 2023.
However, there is still a big question mark over whether the Cybertruck will be sold in Europe.German TUV safety certification experts said that the car Needs “significant revisions to basic structure” to sell this side of the atlantic.
Because the Cybertruck is classified as a light truck in the United States, it is exempt from many safety regulations, including pedestrian safety regulations. However, this is not the case in Europe.
The Cybertruck has reportedly received a whopping 1.9 million pre-orders from potential buyers around the world, but exactly when (if at all) it will go on sale outside the U.S. remains unclear.
innocent bystander
Stefan Teller, Automotive Specialist, SGS-TUV Saar GmbHoutlining his concerns about the Cybertruck. “The front of the car cannot be stiff” he explained. “TBumpers and hoods must absorb energy to protect pedestrians. ”
this means The aforementioned “vigorous revision of the basic structure” was necessary. Teller said that in order to obtain type approval, Cybertruck needs obey There are 50 to 60 different regulations.
Looking back at the Cybertruck’s debut, the main focus was on the rigidity and strength of its rolled stainless steel structure and panels. Great for resisting damage, perhaps, but less so for occupants and unsuspecting passers-by.
“A daunting task for Mr. Musk”
Regulations require new cars to deform in very specific ways depending on the nature of the accident. For the occupants, the structure of the car needs to collapse in order to dissipate the energy. For pedestrians, vehicles must cushion the impact in the event of a collision.
With the Cybertruck, Stefan Teller explains, “In the event of an impact, nothing deforms. Instead, enormous forces are applied to the occupants. The airbags are no longer helpful.”
On this basis, “it is impossible to sell in this country” [Germany] as a series production vehicle based on type approval”. The same seems likely to be the case here as the UK begins to comply with EU regulations post-Brexit. “It remains a daunting task for Mr. Musk,” Taylor concluded. Maybe too big, we suspect.
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