Cybertruck with Polish license plates removed from A99 near Munich. Driver had category B license.
A Swedish driver of a Cybertruck ended his journey on the A99 highway near Munich. His category B driving license does not cover vehicles with a permissible gross weight of 4.2 tons. The pickup is now parked outside the police station in Hohenbrunn, waiting for someone with a license of at least category C1.
According to TZ, the 50-year-old Swedish man was driving a vehicle registered in Poland. Category B permits vehicles up to 3.5 tons, while the Cybertruck is 700 kg heavier. EU recommendations for vehicles with alternative powertrains raise this limit to 4.25 tons, which is 50 kg higher than the weight of the seized pickup. Germany does not recognize this (unlike Poland).
Why EU recommendations were insufficient
The higher limit was already adopted in the past decade, but as a recommendation. It therefore did not automatically become law across the entire Union. In Germany, drivers with a B category license are still limited to 3.5 tons, and the police did not care that it was an electric vehicle.
The Cybertruck does not have European homologation, and Tesla does not plan to sell it in the Old Continent for now. Polish registration means the vehicle has been approved for use in Poland. According to a source, this might not work in Germany because the sharp edges of the body are dangerous for pedestrians. The Swiss company Teslab is trying to adapt the Cybertruck to European regulations, but that is a separate story.
What Polish law says
Poland introduced the higher limit through an amendment to the Electromobility Act, but with reservations:
The Cybertruck falls under category N2 (delivery vehicles weighing 3.5–12 tons). The registration document should include a note stating that the higher DMC is due to alternative propulsion.
The driver must hold a valid driving license for at least two years.
It is subject to the same speed limits as trucks, meaning a maximum of 80 km/h on expressways.
The vehicle requires a speed limiter set to a maximum of 90 km/h.
A road toll fee (ViaTOLL) is required.
It appears that the Cybertruck, according to Polish regulations, is technically considered a small truck. Elektrowoz.pl even states that such a vehicle practically requires a driving license of a higher class than B. Those who purchase such a car through gray import should read the regulations before their first trip abroad. There is no expectation that a German police officer will recognize the Polish annotation.
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