Tesla’s new model has finally reached production - but there’s no comment on whether it’ll get here.

POTENTIAL Kiwi access to Cybertruck, the futuristic Tesla tray deck that has finally reached point of customer delivery, remains unknown.

Tesla’s New Zealand affairs are effectively under the wing of a regional office in Australia, which doesn’t seem set to respond to emails seeking clarification about whether the controversial new model will ever sell outside of North America.

Stonewalling is not unusual from Tesla here - it has also shied from questions raised in respect to the arrival of the updated Model 3 sedan, a fortnight ago. 

Information about that car has simply restricted to a simple media release, which gave just bare technical detail.

Talk that Cybertruck will only limit to left hand drive, and only sell in select markets - primarily North America - that prefer that format, have long abounded.

Brand chief executive Elon Musk is on record as saying it won’t be a global product - but that doesn’t mean RHD is not a potential.

Comment on national electric vehicle fan sites shows hope still seems to be held by ardent Teslarati in New Zealand, not least those who laid down deposits when the model was unveiled in its styling phase, four years ago.

Cybertruck is on the Tesla NZ website, but it has a 'Get Updates' button that allows interested buyers to join a marketing mailing list – rather than the 'Order Now' button on the Tesla US website. It’s the same in Australia.

Images from the production plant in Texas, which hit the web in July, suggested the all-electric pickup’s firewall is asymmetrical. This meant that the cutout for the steering wheel column was only on the left side of the vehicle.

In 2019 the then head of national crash test safety auditor ANCAP suggested Cybertruck’s design and construction would create significant issues in achieving good test outcomes, not least for pedestrian safety.

Nothing about this matter appears to have been broached at the big ‘Delivery Event’ reveal in the US overnight, where the make confirmed the vehicle will come out in three formats, topped by a flagship Cyberbeast model, which is priced from $US99,990 ($NZ161,575).

Cybertruck prices start at $US60,990 ($96,955) for the base, rear-wheel-drive single motor model, while a mid-range dual motor all-wheel-drive costs from $US79,990 ($129k).

The longest estimated electric range is 547km for the mid-range model. 

Tesla estimates 402km for the base RWD and 515km for the Cyberbeast, which is tri-motor, one up front and two at the back. Audi also uses this configuration on an e-tron.

Musk claims the Cybertruck will provide "off-road performance" with features including adaptive air suspension with auto-adjusting dampers and 300mm of travel, ground clearance of up to 432mm, and locking differentials.

Other features include torque vectoring and a steer-by-wire system that varies how much the front wheels turn based on speed.

Tesla concluded its Delivery Event by handing over the first production Cybertrucks, 10 vehicles, to the first owners.

Proper deliveries won't begin until next year for the AWD and Cyberbeast models, with the RWD entry model due in 2025.