Selling its Cybertruck in Qatar, Tesla expands Middle East presence to counter slowing demand and rising competition.
Tesla has begun selling its Cybertruck in Qatar, marking the latest step in the electric vehicle maker’s Middle East expansion. The move follows the company’s April launch in Saudi Arabia, where it unveiled the Cybertruck alongside a refreshed Model Y.
Qatar now joins the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia as the first wave of markets for Cybertruck sales outside North America. Tesla plans to support regional operations with online ordering, pop-up showrooms, Supercharger stations, and service centres. The expansion reflects the company’s strategy to offset slowing demand in its core U.S. and Chinese markets and intensifying competition from Chinese EV makers BYD and Zeekr, as well as U.S. rival Lucid.
Tesla has not broken out Cybertruck sales by region, though U.S. filings indicate that 46,096 units were produced between November 2023 and early 2025. The Saudi launch also symbolised a reconciliation with the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, following a 2018 dispute over Musk’s “funding secured” plan to take Tesla private.
The company posted record deliveries in the third quarter, driven by U.S. buyers racing to claim a $7,500 tax credit before its expiry on 30 September. Analysts expect a slowdown in the fourth quarter as the incentive ends, making Tesla’s international push increasingly important to sustain growth and market presence.
