Tesla Cybertruck UK: why right-hand drive looks dead
Tesla has cancelled Cybertruck reservations in Australia and New Zealand, the markets most likely to get a right-hand-drive version first. Here is what that means for UK buyers, and why a private import is not a way round it.
Quick answers
- Tesla told Australian and New Zealand reservation holders on 23 October 2026 that plans to produce the Cybertruck for those markets have been discontinued, nearly seven years after deposits opened in November 2019.
- The Cybertruck is built only in left-hand drive, and Australia and New Zealand were the most likely first markets for a right-hand-drive version, so their cancellation leaves no visible route to a UK model.
- The truck has no UK or EU type approval, mainly because its rigid stainless steel body and sharp edges conflict with pedestrian protection rules, and no Cybertruck has been reported passing the UK's Individual Vehicle Approval in 2026.
- Tesla delivered 8,295 'Other Models' in the third quarter of 2026, almost all Cybertrucks, which Electrek puts at a pace of about 30,000 a year on a line built for 250,000.
- At the 1 November 2026 exchange rate, the $74,990 US Dual-Motor AWD converts to about £56,000 before shipping, duty or VAT, by EV Compared's calculation.
- The Cybertruck weighs 3,020 kg to 3,130 kg unladen, and the heaviest versions may sit above the 4,250 kg limit for zero-emission vehicles on a standard car licence.
A UK Cybertruck now looks dead. Tesla builds the truck only in left-hand drive, it has no UK type approval, and on 23 October 2026 Tesla cancelled the right-hand-drive markets most likely to get it first, Australia and New Zealand.
What did Tesla announce?
The day after its third-quarter results, Tesla emailed Australian and New Zealand reservation holders. Electrek quotes the message: “After careful consideration, plans to produce Cybertruck for Australia and New Zealand have been discontinued.” Reservations are being cancelled and deposits refunded within 30 days.
Australians had paid A$150 deposits since November 2019, so some waited almost seven years. Elon Musk told shareholders in 2024 that the truck “might” be certified for other markets “sometime next year”. No right-hand-drive version appeared.
Why does Australia matter for the UK?
Australia and New Zealand were the obvious first customers for a right-hand-drive Cybertruck, with a strong pickup culture; Australia made up about 3% of global reservations in a 2020 crowdsourced survey cited by Electrek. If Tesla will not engineer a right-hand-drive truck for them, there is no business case for one aimed at the UK, Ireland or Japan.
Engadget reports that, when deliveries began in 2023, sources said Gigafactory Texas was not set up to build right-hand-drive Cybertrucks.
Is the Cybertruck still selling?
Not well. Tesla does not report Cybertruck sales separately, but it delivered 8,295 “Other Models” in the third quarter of 2026, and with the Model S and Model X out of production, almost all were Cybertrucks.
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US sales, 2024 | about 39,000 | electrive |
| US sales, 2025 | about 20,200 | electrive |
| ”Other Models” deliveries, Q3 2026 | 8,295 | Electrek |
| Annual pace now | about 30,000 | Electrek |
| Line capacity | 250,000 a year | Electrek |
Outside North America the truck is sold in South Korea, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with configurators open in Qatar, Jordan and Israel. All of those markets drive on the right.
What would a Cybertruck cost in pounds?
Tesla raised US prices by $5,000 in August 2026. The Dual-Motor AWD now costs $74,990, the Premium AWD $84,990 and the Cyberbeast $99,990, according to electrive.
EV Compared calculation: $74,990 × 0.746878 (the 1 November 2026 rate) = about £56,000 for the cheapest Cybertruck, and $99,990 × 0.746878 = about £74,700 for the Cyberbeast. Both are before shipping, import duty and VAT. For what the same money buys in a UK-market Tesla, see our guide to which Tesla to buy.
Charging would not be cheap either. EV Compared calculation: 123 kWh maximum pack capacity × 8p/kWh home off-peak = £9.84 for a full charge, against 123 × 79p/kWh public rapid = £97.17. That uses the gross pack, so a real full charge would cost a little less.
Can you import a Cybertruck to the UK?
You can ship one here, but you cannot easily register it. A single imported vehicle needs Individual Vehicle Approval, and there are no reports of a Cybertruck passing. The sticking points are the ones that block it in the EU: the stiff stainless steel body and sharp edges conflict with pedestrian protection and external projection rules.
Foreign plates are not an answer for UK residents. In January 2025 Greater Manchester Police seized a Cybertruck in Bury that was registered and insured abroad and lacked a certificate of conformity, Carwow reported.
Weight is a further problem. The Cybertruck weighs 3,020 kg to 3,130 kg unladen. A standard category B licence covers zero-emission vehicles up to 4,250 kg maximum authorised mass, but the truck’s VIN coding puts its gross weight in bands reaching 4,536 kg, so the heaviest versions could need a C1 entitlement.
What can UK Tesla fans buy instead?
For now, the Model 3 and Model Y are the whole UK range, and Tesla’s September sales show that is where its volume is. If you want something different, our ranking of Tesla alternatives compares nine rivals on price per mile of range. Company car drivers should check how benefit-in-kind applies to a Tesla, and anyone tempted by Tesla’s next halo car should read what the Roadster reveal showed.
Is there any chance of a UK Cybertruck later?
Only with a different truck. A UK-legal version would need a redesigned body to pass pedestrian rules, a right-hand-drive layout and a factory set up to build it. Tesla has announced none of those, and it has just walked away from the two right-hand-drive markets with the strongest case.
How we test and where our numbers come from
Range figures are official WLTP combined values taken from manufacturer UK specification pages, with real-world estimates drawn from independent comparative testing. Prices are UK list prices at the time of the latest update. Tax, grant and charging-scheme figures come from GOV.UK and HMRC publications. We re-check every guide when pricing, specification or policy changes. Last checked 1 November 2026. How we work out our own figures.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Tesla Cybertruck coming to the UK?
No, there is no sign of it. Tesla has never confirmed a UK launch, the truck is built only in left-hand drive, and on 23 October 2026 Tesla cancelled right-hand-drive plans for Australia and New Zealand, the markets that were expected to get it first.
Will Tesla make a right-hand-drive Cybertruck?
It looks very unlikely. Tesla's email to Australian reservation holders said plans to produce the Cybertruck for that market have been discontinued, and with sales at about 30,000 a year, there is little case for engineering a second steering layout.
Can I import a Cybertruck to the UK?
You can ship one in, but no Cybertruck has been reported as passing Individual Vehicle Approval, so it cannot be registered with the DVLA. Greater Manchester Police seized a foreign-registered Cybertruck driven by a UK resident in Bury in January 2025.
Why is the Cybertruck not allowed in Europe?
It lacks type approval, mainly because its stiff stainless steel body and sharp edges conflict with rules on pedestrian protection and external projections. Engadget also cites crumple zones, lighting and weight classes as obstacles.
How much would a Cybertruck cost in pounds?
The US Dual-Motor AWD at $74,990 converts to about £56,000 at the 1 November 2026 rate, and the $99,990 Cyberbeast to about £74,700. Both figures exclude shipping, import duty and VAT, and neither truck can currently be registered in the UK.
Can you drive a Cybertruck on a normal UK car licence?
Possibly not. A post-1997 category B licence covers zero-emission vehicles up to 4,250 kg maximum authorised mass, and the Cybertruck's VIN coding puts its gross weight in bands that reach 4,536 kg, so the heaviest versions could need a C1 entitlement.
Sources and further reading
- electrek.coTesla cancels Cybertruck in Australia and NZ after 7 years of depositsTesla's cancellation email wording, November 2019 deposits, refunds within 30 days, left-hand drive only, Q3 2026 'Other Models' deliveries of 8,295, 250,000 line capacity, markets where the truck is sold, Musk's 2024 certification comment.
- engadget.comTesla says it will no longer release the Cybertruck in Australia and New ZealandConfirms the 23 October 2026 cancellation, the Texas factory not being set up for right-hand drive, and the European obstacles: crumple zones, pedestrian safety, lighting and weight classes.
- electrive.comTesla raises Cybertruck prices again in the USUS prices from August 2026: Dual-Motor AWD $74,990, Premium AWD $84,990, Cyberbeast $99,990; 2024 and 2025 US sales.
- carwow.co.ukPolice seize Tesla Cybertruck near ManchesterJanuary 2025 seizure in Bury of a foreign-registered Cybertruck driven by a UK resident, with no certificate of conformity.
- gov.ukIndividual vehicle approvalExplains the IVA scheme for single imported vehicles, including basic IVA for left-hand-drive personal imports.
- gov.ukDriving licence categoriesCategory B covers zero-emission vehicles up to 4,250 kg maximum authorised mass; C1 covers 3,500 kg to 7,500 kg.
- insideevs.com2024 Tesla Cybertruck VINs reveal two weight ratingsVIN gross vehicle weight classes G (3,629 kg to 4,082 kg) and H (4,082 kg to 4,536 kg).
- wikipedia.orgTesla CybertruckKerb weights of 3,020 kg (Dual-Motor) and 3,130 kg (Cyberbeast) and the 123 kWh maximum pack capacity.
- x-rates.comUSD to GBP currency calculatorExchange rate of 1 USD = 0.746878 GBP on 1 November 2026, used for EV Compared's sterling conversion.
EV Compared
The EV Compared editorial team tracks the UK electric vehicle market full time: new model launches, list prices, WLTP and real-world range, public charging tariffs and the tax rules that decide what an EV actually costs to run. Every guide is checked against manufacturer specifications and official GOV.UK figures, and updated whenever the numbers move.
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