Outlawed! Illegal British Tesla Cybertruck Seized by Police

Despite its controversial looks and questionable quality, there’s no denying that there are people who want a Tesla Cybertruck. It turns out, however, that just because you are able to import one abroad doesn’t mean it’s legal to drive it there, as one owner in the U.K. found out the hard way.

According to the Independent, a British online news site, the owner was driving their Cybertruck through northwest England when the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) spotted the truck driving on their roads. Once they pulled the Tesla-branded truck over at a nearby convenience store, they informed the owner that the vehicle isn’t approved for road use in the U.K. The GMP Transport Unit then posted the news on their social media, stating “The Tesla Cybertruck is not road legal in the UK and does not hold a certificate of conformity.” The truck was then turned over to their specialized task force on vehicle seizures, Operation Wolverine.

A certificate of authority is “a paper document issued by the manufacturer of a vehicle. Its purpose is to ensure the free movement of goods between EU countries … This means that the vehicle complies with the relevant safety and environmental regulations and can be registered.” It is the legal requirement in the U.K. for dealers to provide a COC—that is, if one is able to be obtained. It appears that until the Cybertruck is approved for road use there, owners can’t get a COC, and thus can’t drive them.

According to the rest of the story the owner will need to prove ownership and correct insurance before it’s released back to them, but a GMP spokesperson said “he will likely struggle with” that. “Unfortunately, we can’t say what will happen to the vehicle until that has happened,” as quoted from the spokesperson by the Independent.

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