- Van seen in Russia mimics Cybertruck with angular steel panels.
- Likely based on China’s electric Weiqiao V90 cargo van.
- Features a light bar, flat windshield, black wheels like Tesla.
No, this isn’t the newest addition to Tesla’s lineup. What you’re looking at is something far stranger, a homemade knockoff that looks uncannily like a Cybertruck, and it isn’t even American.
This oddly familiar van was spotted rumbling through snowy streets in Russia, drawing attention less for originality than for its attempt at imitation. And while plenty of people still argue over the looks of Tesla’s wedge-shaped truck, it seems there are just as many eager to copy it, for better or worse.
Watch: Russian UAZ Transformed Into A Life-Size Tesla Cybertruck Replica
This bizarre van was snapped on the city streets of Perm, covered in snow, and clad in exposed panels just like the Cybertruck. There’s no telling exactly what kind of metal this is, but it’s unlikely to match the Tesla’s famously hard stainless steel. Still, the resemblance is uncanny enough to make it stand out from just about everything else on the road.
The visual mimicry doesn’t stop at the sheet metal. Black fender flares wrap around the wheel arches, matching the dark rims underneath. Up front, there’s an LED lightbar lifted straight from the Cybertruck playbook, along with the same sharply angled flat windshield. Around back, a bulky roll-up door stands in for Tesla’s more refined tailgate setup.
Also: This $11K Homemade Cybertruck Is Both Hilarious And Impressive
Limited technical details are available about this van, but it appears to have started life as a V90 electric model from Chinese automaker Weiqiao New Energy, which you guessed it, already borrows more than a few styling cues from the Cybertruck.
Pikabu
After Western car manufacturers pulled out of the Russian market en masse following the invasion of Ukraine, Chinese companies rapidly filled the gap and now account for the majority of new car sales there.
See: This Tesla Cybertruck Looks Very Realistic But Is Actually A Replica
The standard V90 already has a design heavily influenced by the Cybertruck, at least from a distance. It features similar design elements, including the light bar, flat windshield, and geometric side glass, all of which appear on the steel-bodied van seen in Perm.
However, the donor vehicle’s usual sliding side doors and split tailgate have been replaced, suggesting the builder took some creative liberties.
Read: This Is The Story Behind THAT Fake Tesla Cybertruck
Rather than a sincere tribute or a rolling joke, the company logos on the side indicate it’s more likely a cheeky attempt to turn the thing into a mobile ad for the builder’s business. Still, it’s clear someone went to unusual lengths to assemble their own take on Tesla’s most divisive vehicle. And despite the limitations of both material and origin, they’ve managed to capture the essence surprisingly well.
