Cybertruck remains banned in Germany – also for the US military

Tesla's Cybertruck may not be imported to Germany or registered here, even by members of the US armed forces. The Federal Ministry of Transport has rejected a corresponding request from the US armed forces following a legal review. This is the result of a letter from the armed forces to military personnel that has been circulating online. According to the letter, the electric pickup does not fulfil European safety standards and even deviates significantly from them.

The US armed forces had asked the Federal Ministry of Transport whether members of the US military could import and register the Cybertruck in the USAREUR-AF system. After a legal review, however, the Ministry came to a clear conclusion: the Tesla Cybertruck does not have EU type approval and cannot receive it due to serious safety concerns.

The bodywork of the vehicle is particularly problematic: the sharp-edged, rigid stainless steel panels of the Cybertruck violate EU safety regulations, which primarily serve to protect vulnerable road users. While US safety standards focus primarily on the protection of vehicle occupants, European regulations place particular emphasis on the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.

EU regulations require passive safety features such as impact protection zones and prohibit sharp edges on the vehicle body. In addition, speed limiters are mandatory for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes – Requirements that the Cybertruck does not meet. Safe participation in public road traffic in Germany, which is a prerequisite for the approval of private vehicles by the US armed forces according to the Supplementary Agreement to the NATO Status of Forces, is therefore not guaranteed.

No individual national approval possible

The Federal Ministry of Transport also emphasized that the Cybertruck could not receive individual national vehicle approval. The deviations from EU legislation are too significant. This means that even German private individuals would not be able to legally operate the vehicle on German roads.

Another aspect of the rejection concerns military security: the Cybertruck would attract considerable attention on public roads. This would run counter to the actual purpose of the USAREUR-AF license plates, which are intended to protect the armed forces. The conspicuous appearance of the vehicle makes inconspicuous use impossible.

The US Army Customs Agency will not issue import certificates for Tesla Cybertrucks as a result of this decision. Members of the US armed forces who nevertheless import a Cybertruck risk having to ship the vehicle back to the USA at their own expense. In the USA itself, sales of the futuristic pickup are sluggish: in the second quarter of 2025, initial registrations halved to just 4,306 vehicles.

The import ban applies not only to Germany, but to the entire European Union. As long as Tesla does not make any fundamental changes to the design of the Cybertruck, the vehicle will remain excluded from the European market. It is currently unclear what technical modifications would be necessary to obtain EU type approval – However, the necessary modifications to the characteristic stainless-steel bodywork are likely to be considerable.

(mki)