Peter Lyon
April 5, 2024
Tesla Malaysia made a startling revelation yesterday—that the Cybertruck could very well be headed for our shores.
With the phrase “Stay Tuned,” Tesla Malaysia yesterday released a teaser video of their Cybertruck on its social media accounts. In the video, which resembles the teasers we’ve seen for other markets like Thailand, the Cybertruck is seen being brought down from a cargo jet at an airport while draped in black cloth. After that, the car is driven into an open garage beside the Model Y and Model 3, which were both launched in Malaysia last year.
The design of the Cybertruck is, to put it mildly, unique and radical. Since its worldwide release in 2019, the angular pickup has drawn a bucket-load of attention since its styling differs so greatly from typical pickup trucks.
But its angular exterior and raw metal look aren’t just for show with its stainless steel exoskeleton proving to be dent and bullet-resistant (small weapons). The Cybertruck has armour glass in addition to its body panels, which is supposed to be able to withstand class 4 hail and a baseball hitting at 112 km/h—which is slower than a Shohei Otani fast ball.
After a long lead time, the Cybertruck finally debuted late last year and comes in three different trim levels—the flagship Cyberbeast, the All-Wheel Drive (AWD), and the base Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD). Notably, the RWD version won’t be accessible until 2025.
The American automaker hasn’t said whether or when the pickup will go on sale in Malaysia, so it’s unclear which Cybertruck models will be available here. However, if you go to Tesla Malaysia’s website, you will see the Cybertruck there, as it has been since the beginning of December. For the record, the Model 3 Highland was first introduced in an ASEAN market in Malaysia, which suggests that the same launch protocol might be employed here too.
The flagship’s 845 hp tri-motor AWD system allows it to reach a top speed of 209 km/h and jump to 100 km/h in a supercar-beating 2.7 seconds. Its range of 515 km also ranks among the best in the segment.
In contrast, the Cybertruck AWD boasts a dual-motor AWD drivetrain that channels 600 hp to four wheels, enabling it to sprint from 0-100km/h in just 4.3 and reach a top speed of 180 km/h and boast a 547 km range.
CARLIST THOUGHTS
Overall, the Cybertruck already appears surreal, but when you think that its stainless steel body is bullet-resistant and its Cyberbeast flagship can trounce supercars to 100 km/h, then we have something to look forward to. However, to put things in perspective, the Cybertruck is roughly the same size as America’s biggest-selling Ford F-150, which rarely fits into Malaysian parking lots or residential areas. If there was ever a truck not built for Malaysian roads then the Cybertruck is that vehicle.
