The Tesla Cybertruck arrived in New Zealand last month for winter testing, and on Friday two versions of the electric truck were spotted playing in the snow and ice.
For several months now all the signs have been pointing towards the start of Cybertruck production this summer, putting the potential first deliveries to take place towards the end of Q3, as CEO Elon Musk suggested a few months ago. Perhaps the best sign that production was close was the arrival of the Cybertruck in New Zealand, where it was heading to the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds (SHPG) for winter testing.
Since it’s arrival last month we have only seen glimpses of a camouflaged Cybertruck, and mentions from local Cybertruck watchers that a second, uncamouflaged version was also on site (as well as several Project Highland Model 3s).
On Friday we got our first good footage from one of those watchers, @CybertruckNZ on Twitter, showing both Cybertrucks playing in the snow and ice. Here’s the “naked” Cybertruck after just coming out of what is referred to as “the ice tunnel.”
Big day at SHPG again but worth it. 😎 Lots of footage. 🥳 Here is the silver CT just coming out of the ice tunnel. pic.twitter.com/CwM0q0Ken7
— CybertruckNZ (@CybertruckNZ) July 7, 2023
Here is some more footage of the camouflaged version performing some cornering maneuvers on snow, also getting sideways on a sheet of ice.
The camouflaged CT at SHPG playing in the snow. pic.twitter.com/A3dwtLVltp
— CybertruckNZ (@CybertruckNZ) July 7, 2023
And afterwards playing on the ice (with a tiny drift session 😅) pic.twitter.com/ybOMV5sUVQ
— CybertruckNZ (@CybertruckNZ) July 7, 2023
With both the Cybertruck and Model 3 refresh undergoing winter testing in New Zealand right now, that likely means both vehicles are on track for a similar launch date. Since we have heard nothing about Fremont’s production lines shutting down to switch to Highland production, we assume that Highland will first be released in China, where trial production began in early June, while the Cybertruck will launch in the US. Canadians were never going to be first in line to receive the Cybertruck, but with Tesla’s recent logistical change to import cars from China, we could get the new Model 3 before our friends in the US.
