Overview

• The U.S. Army Customs Agency said in a Sept. 29 notice that Tesla’s Cybertruck cannot be imported or registered by U.S. personnel in Germany or elsewhere in the EU.
• Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport denied the military’s request to allow imports, writing that the vehicle deviates significantly from EU legal requirements.
• Officials cited passive safety issues including a sharp-edged, stiff stainless-steel body, missing impact-protection zones, and a required speed limiter for vehicles over 3.5 metric tons.
• USAREUR-AF will not issue import certificates for the pickup, and personnel who ship one anyway risk having to return it to the United States at their own expense.
• The agency also warned the truck’s distinctive look would draw attention in traffic, undermining the purpose of U.S. military cover plates used for force protection.