Norway is a world leader in EV adoption and people use their electric cars for everything, even tasks that would be best handled by some kind of truck... or a tractor. In a new video just posted on Instagram, two Tesla Model 3s can be seen towing trees behind them, with the caption saying Norwegian farmers are waiting for their Tesla Cybertruck and that until then they will use what they have, in this instance the smallest Tesla available.
Tesla vehicles are extremely popular in Norway, even though the country is also home to a large number of other EVs from all brands that offer them, even Chinese brands whose products are not available elsewhere in Europe. And it looks like Norwegians, especially those living in more rural areas, are actually thinking of buying a Cybertruck.
However, it’s still not completely settled when the Tesla Cybertruck will debut or how much it will cost. The automaker has said that it intends to complete Cybertruck development this year and that it is on track to meet its most recent production start deadline estimate, which has been set for mid-2023, after being postponed several times (after it was unveiled as a concept in 2019 with the promise that it would reach production in two years’ time).
But it is likely that Tesla will not allow the Cybetruck to be postponed again, especially since in the meantime after its unveiling three years ago, other companies have stepped in and launched their own rival electric pickups. So even though Tesla was the first to show a concept for an electric truck, albeit a very left field one, it lost that lead and is now scrambling to catch up to the likes of Ford, Rivian or General Motors.
And even once the Cybertruck does debut in the US, it will probably not be immediately made available in Europe, not even in EV-friendly Norway, since Tesla has lots of pre-orders to fulfill and demand for its angular, stainless steel truck is still high and it’s going to go even higher once actual production commences. Europeans will still get their Cybertrucks eventually, but Americans will of course get theirs first.
Tesla also stopped taking Cybertruck orders from Europe and China earlier this year, citing very strong demand in North America that it needs to cater to first. The first three years of production are already fully reserved, and Tesla will only build the Cybertruck at one manufacturing location, the Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, which one ramped up will reportedly be able to build up to 750,000 vehicles per year.
Source: Knut Skinnes / Instagram