Elon Musk said the Tesla Cybertruck's side mirrors will be 'easy to remove'

• Elon Musk tweeted Tuesday that Tesla's Cybertruck will have side mirrors that are easy to remove.
• The prototype Cybertruck unveiled by Musk in 2019 had no side mirrors.

Elon Musk said Tuesday that Tesla's hotly anticipated Cybertruck will come with side mirrors, but that they will be easily removable.

Musk tweeted in response to a Twitter user who said they were "not ok" with the Cybertruck having side mirrors. Musk replied, "They're required by law, but designed to be easy to remove by owners."

-Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 19, 2021

The tweet came after footage surfaced online of what appeared to be a Cybertruck prototype with side mirrors. When Musk first unveiled the Cybertruck in November 2019, it had no side mirrors.

Side mirrors are a legal requirement by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but the agency has hinted that future legislation could allow some vehicles to rely solely on cameras. The NHTSA held a public comment period in 2019 on whether cameras could replace mirrors.

The NHTSA did not immediately respond to an email sent out of hours by Insider asking how removable side mirrors fit into its rules.

The Cybertruck was supposed to start shipping this year, but in August Tesla's web page said customers would be able to order Cybertrucks "as production nears in 2022."

In July, Musk dismissed criticism of the Cybertruck's unusual design, saying he doesn't care if it flops. "Other trucks look like copies of the same thing, but Cybertruck looks like it was made by aliens from the future," said Musk.