Why Tesla Cybertruck was seized by UK police at petrol station over ‘legitimate safety concerns’
Police in the UK have seized a Tesla Cybertruck while reporting its driver for offences relating to driving it.
But there is a reason behind the actions of the officers, who located the vehicle while it was stopped on a petrol station forecourt in Greater Manchester.
The incident happened last Thursday (16 January) with many people taking to social media to give their opinion on the incident concerning what is arguably Elon Musk's most famous vehicle.
Naturally, some have taken the p*ss (as they always do when it comes to social media reaction). But others gave a more reasonable response as police explained the reasoning behind their actions.
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Why the Tesla Cybertruck was seized
It is one of the most recognisable names in the car industry, but Tesla's unique looking Cybertruck doesn't have the same standing in the UK that it does over in the US where Musk and his company are making major strides in the automative sector.
Announced back in 2019, it was introduced in 2023 by Musk and is the first pick-up truck designed by Tesla.
The announcement went rather wrong after Musk ended up smashing the windows of the truck in trying to demonstrate its strength.
A sensation over in the US, the Cybertruck has yet to really land in the UK.
That's mainly because it is not a road legal car.
In the UK, all cars need a 'certificate of conformity'; something the Cybertruck is yet to obtain.
Stopped and seized: the law explained
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers seized a Cybertruck on UK roads at the end of last week.
The modified Cybertruck, which was matte black rather than the standard stainless steel exoskeleton, had customised wheels and additional lights on its roof rack area.
Seized in Whitefield, an area of Bury north of Manchester itself, police explained the law behind the seizure of the vehicle.
The full statement, published to social media by GMP's Bury division, said: "Officers from GMP Transport Unit stopped this Tesla Cybertruck in Whitefield last night.
"The driver was a permanent UK resident but the vehicle was registered and insured abroad which is prohibited in the UK. The Tesla Cybertruck is not road legal in the UK and does not hold a certificate of conformity."
It added: "While 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 vehicle was subsequently seized under S165 of the Road Traffic Act and the driver reported."
It's safe to say reaction was split despite the car being illegal to drive on UK roads and it not having the correct insurance.
"What an absolute joke," one person said.
Another said the car was seized 'because Keir Starmer has been embarrassed by Elon'. We're not sure about that one.
But on the flip side, others backed the move by police. One said: "Great work. It isn't trivial. It's UK law."
Another said: "If you live in this country, you don’t register and insure a car in another country by accident! The owner knew the risk he was taking trying to fr*g the system."
A third said: "Just how did the driver think that they would get away with driving this illegally in the UK, it stands out like a sore thumb."
A fourth wrote: "I saw it at Manchester Airport the other day and did wonder how they’d got it legally on the road. Turns out they haven’t."
Topics: Cars, Crime, Driving, Elon Musk, Tesla, UK News, Viral
Tom Earnshaw