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Tesla U-turns on controversial rule for Cybertruck resellers

Tesla CEO Elon Musk behind the wheel of a Cybertruck.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk behind the wheel of a Cybertruck. Tesla

Tesla has removed a clause in its purchase agreement that said it could sue Cybertruck owners for at least $50,000 if they tried to sell it within a year after purchase without first getting a written agreement from the company.

The clause threatening to take action against resellers of the Cybertruck, which launches on November 30, was added to the agreement last week and was viewable online.

It even said that resellers may be prevented from buying Tesla vehicles in the future.

But following a rethink, the automaker has removed the controversial clause from its purchase agreement, giving Cybertruck owners total freedom over what they do with their electric pickup once they take ownership of it.

Electrek, which first reported on the removal of the clause, points out that it seemed like an odd rule to impose in the first place. Such a clause sometimes appears with rare or pricey motors, and automakers like Ferrari, Ford, and Porsche are known to sometimes use them. The Cybertruck isn’t expected to enter mass production until 2025, so it’s possible Tesla wanted to discourage scalpers and sell the early trickle of Cybertrucks to genuine customers, rather than seeing them immediately hitting the used market at a vastly inflated price. But for whatever reason, the automaker appears to have had a change of heart on the issue.

Tesla unveiled the Cybertruck in 2019 and the electric pickup will be presented to the first customers at a special event on Thursday, November 30. The new owners can then take a look at the final purchase agreement to confirm its wording on reselling — not that many of them will be thinking of immediately putting it on the market.

Reports in July claimed that Tesla had received around 1.9 million orders for the long-awaited Tesla Cybertruck, with each customer asked to put down a $100 deposit. In the same month, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that demand for the Cybertruck is “so off the hook, you can’t even see the hook.”

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