Exclusive: Tesla Cybertruck firms for Australian release to fill a “real gap in the market”

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Nearly three years after Tesla ceased accepting Cybertruck deposits in Australia, the US-based manufacturer is undertaking extensive internal preparations to launch the all-electric pick-up locally, spurred by growing Australian interest in electrified utes, including the BYD Shark.

Speaking to Chasing Cars, Tesla’s Country Director for Australia and New Zealand, Thom Drew, shared rare insights into the company’s planning for a local Cybertruck release, including key considerations around pricing for the Australian market.

“The only [product] we’re missing at the moment that we really want here is the Cybertruck, and we are in conversations trying to make that happen. That’s something we are trying to influence,” Drew said. 

“Our leadership overseas recognises the importance that utes [have] in our market, and we certainly see the potential. That is somewhere we are trying to have some leverage.”

Tesla’s leadership considers Australia a mid-tier market. Structurally, the country falls within Tesla’s Asia-Pacific (APAC) sales region and ranks second only to China in terms of volume. Drew noted that Australia holds greater influence than many European markets.

The Cybertruck is a widely recognised battery-electric dual-cab clad in unpainted stainless steel panels. About 30cm longer than a Ford Ranger, it offers three motor configurations in the US market with the flagship Cyberbeast boasting a 2.7-second 0–100km/h sprint, easily outpacing a Ranger Raptor.

Other headline figures are just as eye-catching, including maximum braked towing and payload claims of 5000kg and 1100kg respectively in the United States market, while Tesla plans to allow buyers to option an additional range extender battery that consumes a third of the tray.

The eye-catching electric ute could revitalise Tesla’s lineup in Australia. While the brand is on the cusp of launching an upgraded version of its Model Y mainstay, overall Australian sales dropped 17 percent in 2024 and demand has flagged further in the first two months of 2025.

Sudden demand for electrified utes gets Tesla’s attention

The recent surge in demand for electrified utes—exemplified by the BYD Shark plug-in hybrid, which has already surpassed 2000 deliveries—has played a key role in Tesla reconsidering the timing of an Australian Cybertruck launch.

While hybrid utes like the BYD Shark – as well as the upcoming GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV and Ford Ranger PHEV – offer buyers a taste of electrification and conveniences like onboard power for appliances, Tesla believes Australians are ready for full electrification.

“There is nothing else like Cybertruck in the market, looks aside – it is not for everyone. As far as capability: look, PHEVs have some benefits. Something like the BYD Shark which has an interesting range extender type model, with a lot more EV capability,” Drew said.

“[But] there is still nothing here that is a real workhorse, full EV that has the range and capability that Cybertruck does. We think there is a real gap in the market that still needs to be filled and we would love to be the ones to do it first.”

Strong demand for the BYD Shark has caught Tesla’s attention – especially given that rivals like the Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T remain unavailable in Australia, leaving the market wide open for the Cybertruck.

“It is definitely untapped potential,” Drew confirmed. 

Two more Cybertrucks land in Australia for expanded marketing activities

Under Drew’s leadership, Tesla Australia has launched – and now expanded – a campaign to bring Cybertruck demonstrators Down Under, aiming to gather positive buyer feedback and prove to head office that local demand justifies an Australian launch.

Tesla initially imported one Cybertruck to Australia for a national roadshow, showcasing it in Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth. It was displayed in a mix of Tesla stores and public venues as part of the feedback tour.

Tesla’s leadership has taken note of the Cybertruck’s local popularity. The positive feedback was strong enough to warrant the arrival of two additional demonstrators in Australia in recent weeks for further promotional activity.

“We want it here. Part of the tour was to get fresh eyes onto it, get a true perception of what people think about it and what the potential demand might be…we have a couple more that have just arrived. We are really gunning for feedback, helping us to hopefully bring it to market,” Drew explained.

The first Cybertruck demonstrator was left-hand drive, but Drew confirmed to Chasing Cars that there are no mechanical barriers to producing a right-hand-drive (RHD) version, as the steer-by-wire system simplifies RHD conversion and lowers production costs.

“There are a few other changes that need to occur to meet local requirements…but it does not have [an RHD] limitation,” Drew said, noting that switching from Tesla’s NACS American charging port to an Australian/European CCS2 port was an “accommodation” to be made.

Cybertruck’s likely Australian pricing detailed

Two Cybertruck variants are currently available in the US: the dual-motor All-Wheel Drive and the tri-motor Cyberbeast. Both utilise an 800-volt platform and a 123kWh battery, delivering 550km and 515km of range, respectively—while an optional range extender adds another 220km.

While adaptive air suspension promising 440mm ground clearance is standard, power and torque differ between the two with the dual-motor generating 450kW/1000Nm for a 4.1sec 0-100km/h time, while the 630kW/1396Nm Cyberbeast cuts the sprint by another 1.4sec. 

The Cyberbeast’s US pricing offers the best indication of its potential cost in Australia.

“Realistically…we would take current US pricing [with] conversion and tax [added], and that is where we would likely land,” Mr Drew said, warning that pricing negotiations are a later stage of planning. 

Factoring in currency conversion, plus Australia’s goods and services tax (GST) and luxury car tax (LCT), Drew’s estimate suggests prices that may shock some buyers: around $150,000 for the All-Wheel Drive and $200,000 for the Cyberbeast.

But there is good news: a more affordable single-motor Cybertruck Rear Wheel Drive trim is about to launch in the US with what appears to be a smaller battery providing 400km range. Power is lower (235kW for a 6.5sec 0-100km/h time), but so is pricing.

With conversions and tax, the Rear Wheel Drive could sit close to $100,000 in Australian dollars—providing a strong temptation for Tesla to go the extra mile by, potentially, pricing that trim just below the LCT threshold.

Even with a potential price tag of $200,000, a Cyberbeast would not be the most expensive vehicle Tesla has sold in Australia. In 2017, the brand’s then-full size SUV, the Model X, cost $261,132 before on-road costs in P100D trim ($325,725 adjusted for inflation). 

Australian price points of $100K, $150K and $200K for the three Cybertruck trims (before on-road costs) would mean that the ute was considerably more expensive than even the dearest versions of the brand’s Model 3 sedan and Model Y midsize SUV.

As a result, Drew was cautious about the Cybertruck’s overall sales volume, agreeing that “based on where the price point would sit” it woud be fair to say that sales would be lower than Model 3 (17,094 in 2024) and Model Y (21,253 in 2024). 

For comparison, the Australian distributor of the BYD Shark – which costs just $57,900 before on-road costs – has declared that it expects to sell around 10,000 units of the plug-in hybrid pick-up in 2025.