Czechia sees its first-ever registered Cybertruck on Prague streets

For the first time in history, Czechia saw its first registered Cybertruck from American automotive firm Tesla on Prague streets earlier this week. Despite not meeting EU safety standards, a Czechia-based Slovak followed a special process that allowed him to drive the Cybertruck legally in the country.

Igor Norton, a Slovak IT specialist and Tesla enthusiast, ordered the CyberTruck the moment it was unveiled in 2019. "We wanted to prove to those who said it couldn't be driven here [in Czechia] that it is in fact possible," he told Czech media outlet Deník N. 

However, the car did not (and still doesn’t) have the necessary approval for driving in the EU; Tesla has it certified for use in the U.S. but not in the EU. Its ultra-strong exoskeleton, sharp edges, and powerful engine would likely cause serious injuries in a potential vehicle- or pedestrian-related accident.

Tesla founder Elon Musk said himself that the truck was designed for North America, and that to drive it in Europe or China, the firm would need to create a completely new prototype that would meet stricter conditions. However, according to Czech law, one can legally drive the truck with appropriate modifications.

To obtain official registration in Czechia despite the lack of EU certification, Norton hired a specialist to handle the import and began the process of individual approval from the Czech government, costing him hundreds of thousands of crowns.

He then needed to make changes to the truck. These included covering the sharp edges on the hood with a rubber strip and replacing the red direction lights with orange ones. After these modifications, Czech authorities registered the vehicle in the national driver’s database, classifying it as a truck and making it suitable for operation with a regular driver's license.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport František Jemelka said: "The car passed its MOT and met all the applicable regulations. The City Hall and the City of Prague then approved the vehicle."

Critics of the Tesla invention say the car is not fit for normal roads. "We hope that Tesla will not bring this car to Europe," the European Transport Safety Council, a Brussels-based non-profit organization, told Reuters, for example. "A vehicle of this size, power, and enormous weight will be fatal to pedestrians and cyclists in a collision,” it added.

According to a recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study (from the U.S.), this type of car is generally much more dangerous for pedestrians than a normal type of vehicle. However, Norton believes that the car's active crash-safety systems make it safe to drive. 

Defenders of the Tesla truck point out that, in general, all current models have received the highest five-star rating from the independent organization Euro NCAP, which evaluates car safety.

Norton plans to use his Tesla for marketing purposes, renting it out for company events and offering it for advertising stickers. "It wasn't meant for business; we just wanted to be able to get it here," he said. "But by lending it [out], I will have at least some of my money paid back,” he explains.