Tesla Cybertrucks tested in New Zealand

author: FutureCar Staff    

Tesla has been intensifying its testing of the upcoming steel-bodied Cybertruck over the past two months. A significant portion of this testing is taking place in New Zealand, a popular location for winter testing.

Recently, there have been reports of up to five Cybertrucks being spotted at the test site, which is a significant increase compared to the previous sightings of only two Cybertrucks. The vehicles spotted previously were wrapped in a unique camouflage.

The sightings of the additional Cybertrucks were made possible by a Kiwi Cybertruck enthusiast named CybertruckNZ, who shared pictures on Twitter/X. One of the shared pictures shows three steel-bodied Cybertrucks parked next to a shed, with the tailgate of the Cybertruck on the far right marked as "Cybr-ute".

Other pictures also captured the camouflaged test units, bringing the total count to at least five units at the site. All of these units had the expected triangular rear side mirrors, indicating that they might resemble the production version of the Cybertruck.

Fans of the Cybertruck found the increase in the number of vehicles quite amusing, with one person commenting, "They've been sneaking them in."

To provide some context, the first Tesla Cybertruck with a large frunk opening was seen at the winter test site in June. This unit was delivered to the site in a covered trailer.

In addition to the increased sightings, new photos were shared revealing the internals of the frunk. Although it is unclear what some of the components are, the photos show that the frunk extends for a significant portion of the Cybertruck's width.

The size of the Cybertruck makes the locally found vehicles parked closer to the camera appear much smaller in comparison.

The winter testing for Tesla vehicles takes place at the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds (SHPG) in the South Island of New Zealand. This testing is happening just before the Cybertruck is expected to enter ramped production later this quarter.

The large number of Cybertrucks undergoing winter testing indicates Tesla's strong desire for the vehicle to perform well in all terrains. This would instill confidence in the hundreds of thousands of reservation holders who will be driving the Cybertruck in the coming years.

FutureCar Staff