Tesla Cybercabs spotted in New Zealand ahead of winter testing

At least two Tesla Cybercabs have been spotted on a car transporter in New Zealand, with the autonomous electric vehicles (EVs) believed to be heading to the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds for cold weather testing.

The sighting was captured on video by a member of the ‘Rare and Unique Car Spotting New Zealand’ Facebook page, which was posted to the group showing a transporter loaded with several Teslas, including the two-seat autonomous Cybercab models among them.

The exact location where the video was filmed has not been confirmed, but the vehicles are widely expected to be bound for the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds near the Cardrona ski field – a facility regularly used by international manufacturers for cold weather vehicle testing.

A Tesla representative was not available to comment on the Cybercab sighting.

What we know about the Cybercab

Technical details on the Cybercab have only recently come to light, with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) document revealing key specifications for the autonomous model.

According to the EPA filing, the Cybercab is powered by a 48kWh battery with a claimed electric driving range of up to 672km. A single electric motor mounted on the front axle produces 163kW.

At 1.4 tonnes, the Cybercab is notably lighter than the Tesla Model 3 rear-wheel drive – previously the lightest model in Tesla’s line-up. The two-seat configuration reflects its intended role as an autonomous ride-share vehicle rather than a conventional passenger car.

The appearance of Cybercabs in New Zealand signals that Tesla is moving ahead with real-world testing of the model in Southern Hemisphere conditions, ahead of any confirmed release timeline for the region.