Police officers have seized a popular Tesla electric vehicle near Manchester amid serious road safety fears as it was not road legal in the UK.
Officers from Great Manchester Police’s Transport Unit stopped a Tesla Cybertruck in Whitefield, Bury, on Thursday (January 16) evening.
While the driver was a permanent British resident, the vehicle was registered and insured abroad, which is banned in the UK.
The controversial steel-clad Tesla Cybertruck is “not road legal in the UK”, with GMP Transport reporting that it does not hold a certificate of conformity.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailingmotoring@gbnews.uk
The Tesla Cybertruck seized by Greater Manchester Police’s Transport Unit
BURY POLICE
Posting on Facebook, Bury Police said: “Whilst this may seem trivial to some, legitimate concerns exist around the safety of other road users or pedestrians if they were involved in a collision with a Cybertruck.”
The Cybertruck, which had a black wrap and “Cyberbeast” emblazoned on the front bumper, was seized under S165 of the Road Traffic Act. The driver was also reported.
The regular Cybertruck has an estimated range of 325 miles and can travel from 0-60mph in just 4.1 seconds. The All-Wheel Drive version in the United States costs $74,490 (£60,999).
However, Tesla does also sell the Cybertruck in the Cyberbeast version, which was the model spotted on the streets of Greater Manchester.
READ MORE: Tesla Cybertruck finally arrives in the UK: Could the behemoth electric car kickstart an EV revolution?
The Cyberbeast model has a lower estimated range at 301 miles and the same 11,000lb (4,989kg) towing capacity but can go from 0-60mph in 2.6 seconds. This costs $94,490 (£77,410).
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said the vehicle has been referred to Operation Wolverine. This was established in 2007 to crack down on drivers without valid insurance.
The spokesperson added that the owner would be required to “prove ownership and correct insurance prior to release”.
Despite the seizure of the dangerous vehicle, not everyone on social media was pleased with the action, with a number of sarcastic comments left under Bury Police’s Facebook post.
One person said: “Well done guys. You made our country much safer now. Can’t stand anymore to see how those Cybertruck owners are driving around stealing tools from vans, stealing catalytic converters, cars, burgling, drug dealing etc.”
The Cybertruck has divided opinions since it was first unveiled by Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk in 2019.
The electric truck quickly garnered more than a quarter of a million preorders within the first week of reservations being open.
Despite its initial popularity, the Cybertruck has been mired with criticism from road safety experts, with many suggesting that the vehicle will never be road legal in the European Union or the United Kingdom.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
According to Inside EVs, Tesla has relocated some of its Cybertruck production staff to build Model Ys instead as demand wanes for the large electric trucks.
In response to the wildfires rapidly spreading across Los Angeles, California, Elon Musk pledged on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Cybertruck deliveries would be delayed slightly.
He said: “We need to use those trucks as mobile base stations to provide power to Starlink Internet terminals in areas of LA without connectivity. A new truck will be delivered end of week.”
