Tesla Inc. founder and CEO Elon Musk had promised us to make the Cybertruck pickup street-legal in Europe, but we know how his promises tend to go by now. Let’s face it: the bulky stainless-steel e-truck is simply too dangerous for pedestrians and far too big to fit in some historical town streets. Nonetheless, a solution is in the works.
Switzerland-based tuning company Teslab is looking into the specific issues that prevent the Cybertruck from being approved in Europe. For starters, the goal is to make it legal in that country by replacing the front bumper with a safer design, covering all sharp edges with rubber trims and rewiring the electronics to conform with the local legislation.
According to Raven Seeholzer, the owner of the company, his modified Cybertruck has already passed a number of crucial tests in Switzerland. It is now underway to obtaining a number plate. If the plan succeeds, other owners in the country will be able to order these mods to make their e-trucks legal. Europe is a different matter, though: it may take a year or two obtaining permits from all relevant authorities and making region-specific safety adjustments.
Another reason why Musk’s over-the-top futuristic truck struggles with conformity in Europe is its sheer weight of 3.5 metric tons (6,600 lbs). Teslab has found a way to drop it just enough to be legal, but Seeholzer admits that carrying heavy loads in this alleged “electric workhorse” may still not be an option. Similar difficulties exist in other EU countries, but the company is optimistic that they can all be solved given enough time.
All pricing is pending.
