The much-anticipated Tesla Cyberquad toy car designed for children aged 8 to 12 years old was met with consumer frenzy as it hits shelves in China. The electric all-terrain vehicle with an official price tag of 11,990 RMB (1,679.67 USD) was snapped up soon after its launch on the EV maker’s China website at 10 AM (local time) on Friday 14 July.
Tesla’s official site is reported to have crashed around 11 AM due to an influx of traffic from eager buyers flocking to the space, attempting to secure the first toy car introduced by Tesla in China. While its website showed “Out of stock” as of 2.30 PM on Friday, the buying frenzy continued, pushing the price up to 60,000 RMB (8,405.36 USD) on second-hand platforms.
It is understood that the miniature vehicle is equipped with Tesla’s iconic LED headlights and tail lights. It is powered by a 21.6V Flight Speed lithium-ion battery with a maximum load capacity of 50 kilograms and can travel up to 13 kilometres on a full charge. The driving speed of the Cyberquad can be controlled in two gears: the first gear is 4 kilometres per hour and the second gear is 8 kilometres per hour.
Although making a debut in the Chinese market, the toy car saw its overseas launch as early as late 2021. It wasn’t until 11 July that the EV label announced its arrival in China. The announcement soon sparked online enthusiasm, propelling the hashtag to attract nearly 1.6 million views on China’s microblog mecca Weibo in a matter of 24 hours.
The online discussion soon sparked several other hashtags related to the buying rush which emerged after the sale kicked off. Although the toy car is intended for children, some adult netizens have also shown interest in buying it for themselves. While the model car is also jokingly dubbed “the cheapest Tesla”.
