The Tesla Cybertruck is one step closer to going on sale in the US after photos of the electric pick-up’s interior appeared online. But its Australian debut is still in the air following Tesla’s decision to end right-hand-drive production of the Model S and Model X.
Photos of the ‘production-ready’ Tesla Cybertruck’s interior have leaked online, less than six months before the controversial electric pick-up is due to go on sale in the US.
Uploaded to the Cybertruck Owners Club online fan forum, the photos show Tesla’s electric pick-up adopts a familiar, minimalist interior design – with a large landscape-oriented touchscreen sitting in the middle of a suede and white plastic dashboard.
The Tesla Cybertruck’s centre console is also not connected to the dashboard, which could allow front-row occupants to ‘step-through’ from one seat to the other.
While Tesla originally planned to launch the Cybertruck as a six-seater – with three seats in the front and three in the back – it appears the middle front seat has been removed, due to space constraints.
Another noteworthy piece of design is the Cybertruck’s rectangular steering wheel, which is reminiscent of the Tesla Model S’s ‘steering yoke’ – though some online commenters have likened it to the Austin Allegro hatchback built in the UK in the 1970s.
Unlike the Model S and Model X’s yoke, the Cybertruck has a consistent rim that stretches around the full wheel – not just the bottom half – that drivers can grab during hand-over-hand manoeuvres.
As with the Model S, the Cybertruck’s indicator buttons are located on the left-hand side of the steering wheel – not on a stalk behind it – and additional controls for the touchscreen are on the right.
As previously reported, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has claimed final prices and specifications for the Cybertruck will be announced in August or September 2023 – after a series of delays since the vehicle was revealed as a concept in 2019.
While the first Tesla Cybertruck deliveries were due to commence by the end of 2021, the start of production was most recently pushed back to mid-2023 – with production expected to ramp up by early next year.
Until mid-2022, interested Australian customers could place a $150 refundable pre-order on a Cybertruck, however this was removed in July 2022 – suggesting it may not come to local showrooms.
The Tesla Cybertruck also faces an uphill battle to pass Australia’s stringent motor vehicle regulations. The company’s recent decision to not produce the Model S and Model X for right-hand-drive markets has put the pick-up’s local future under a cloud.
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