The Cybertruck Buzz: A Look Back at 2019 and the evee Booking That Broke the Internet
By Slava Kozlovskii, Founder & CEO of evee
When Elon Musk stepped onto the stage at the Tesla Design Center in Hawthorne, California, on November 21, 2019, the automotive world held its collective breath. What rolled out of the shadows was not just a new electric vehicle; it was a stainless-steel wedge that looked like it had been driven straight off the set of Blade Runner. The Tesla Cybertruck had arrived, and the buzz it generated was unlike anything we had ever seen.
Even with the infamous “armour glass” demonstration—where a steel ball unexpectedly shattered the supposedly unbreakable windows—the hype was undeniable. Within the first week, Tesla had secured a staggering 250,000 reservations globally. The excitement was not confined to North America; here in Australia, the interest was absolutely massive. Thousands of Australians eagerly put down their $150 refundable deposits, dreaming of the day they could drive this sci-fi behemoth down our local streets.
The evee Host Who Was Ahead of the Curve
At evee, we had a front-row seat to this phenomenon. One of our most dedicated and supportive hosts, Alan, was an early adopter. Alan was already sharing his Tesla Model 3 on our platform, providing fantastic experiences for renters in Ultimo, Sydney. When the Cybertruck was announced, Alan did not just place a reservation—he immediately listed his proposed Cybertruck on evee.
At the time, Tesla was promising delivery within three years. So, we set the listing’s availability to begin in 2022. What happened next completely blew us away.
Almost straight away, Alan received a booking for his yet-to-be-built Cybertruck. It was a three-day reservation at $300 per day. The fact that someone was willing to commit $900 to rent a vehicle that did not even exist yet—and would not for at least three years—was insane. Even more incredibly, the booking came from a repeat evee customer who simply had to be among the first to experience it.
It was a testament to the sheer magnetism of the Cybertruck and the passion of the Australian EV community. You can still view Alan’s original Cybertruck listing on evee today. Even though the vehicle is marked as unavailable, the page continues to receive clicks and visits from curious enthusiasts.
The Long Road to Reality
The journey from that 2019 unveiling to actual production has been long and complex. The promised 2021 production date slipped to 2022, and then to late 2023. When the first US deliveries finally took place on November 30, 2023, the Cybertruck had evolved, but it retained its unmistakable, polarising design.
For Australian reservation holders, the news was less encouraging. In May 2022, Tesla officially closed Cybertruck reservations for markets outside North America, including Australia. The vehicle was removed from the local website, and customers were offered refunds on their deposits. The primary hurdle? The Cybertruck is currently manufactured exclusively in left-hand drive, and its unique steer-by-wire system and sharp stainless-steel edges present significant regulatory challenges for Australian roads.
| Milestone | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Global Unveiling | November 21, 2019 | Revealed in Los Angeles; reservations open globally |
| 250k Reservations | November 26, 2019 | Quarter of a million deposits secured in under a week |
| Australian Orders Halted | May 2022 | Tesla stops taking orders outside North America |
| First US Deliveries | November 30, 2023 | Production models finally reach customers |
| IIHS Safety Award | March 2026 | Cybertruck earns Top Safety Pick+ in the US |
Will the Cybertruck Ever Reach Australia?
Despite the setbacks, the dream of an Australian Cybertruck is not entirely dead. Recent reports from early 2025 suggest that Tesla Australia is seriously considering bringing a right-hand drive converted model Down Under to fill a “real gap in the market.” There are even rumours of a slightly smaller “CyberUte” designed specifically for export markets.
If it does arrive, it will not be cheap. Estimates suggest that after currency conversion, GST, and the Luxury Car Tax, the All-Wheel Drive model could cost around $150,000 AUD, with the flagship Cyberbeast pushing $200,000 AUD. However, a more affordable Rear-Wheel Drive variant could potentially sit closer to the $100,000 mark.
While we wait to see if the Cybertruck will ever officially grace our shores, its impact is undeniable. It pushed the boundaries of automotive design and proved that there is a massive appetite for bold, unconventional electric vehicles. Just this month, the Cybertruck earned the prestigious 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award in the US, becoming the only pickup truck to achieve this rating.
Experience the Future Today
I am personally still incredibly excited about the Cybertruck. The buzz it created back in 2019 was a defining moment for EV awareness, and the fact that our community was so eager to embrace it—booking a car three years in advance—shows just how forward-thinking Australians are.
While you cannot rent Alan’s Cybertruck just yet, you do not have to wait to experience the thrill of driving a Tesla. Whether you want to test drive a Model 3 or Model Y, or you are planning an epic EV road trip, we have hundreds of incredible electric vehicles ready for you right now.
Rent an EV with evee.com.au today and make your next trip electric. Who knows? Maybe one day soon, you will be able to book a Cybertruck for real.
