Musk: Tesla to end production of the Cybertruck electric pickup
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed the company will discontinue the Cybertruck electric pickup. Output at the Texas plant will begin to wind down next summer to make room for Cybercab robotaxis.
Elon Musk, chief executive of US electric carmaker Tesla, has confirmed on the social network X that the company plans to end production of the Cybertruck electric pickup. Output at the Texas factory will be scaled back gradually starting next summer. The freed-up capacity and floor space are meant for assembling the new autonomous taxi, the Cybercab. The model will thus have spent just under four years on the market since deliveries began in late 2023.
Sales fell short of expectations
The Cybertruck drew heavy attention when sales began, but interest faded quickly. Sales never reached the levels Tesla had envisioned when it first presented the concept. In the third quarter of this year, 4,323 vehicles were sold. Industry experts estimate total deliveries at around 70,000. By comparison, Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y sell hundreds of thousands of units every quarter.
Changes to the lineup and prices
Alongside the announcement, Tesla has stopped taking orders for the base dual-motor all-wheel-drive version. Only the Premium trim and the more powerful Cyberbeast remain on the company's website. Prices for both have been raised again, and the remaining models now start at roughly $90,000.
Technological innovations
The Cybertruck's design has always divided opinion, but the vehicle introduced several technical innovations, including fully electronic steer-by-wire steering and a 48-volt low-voltage electrical architecture. That was not enough to justify continued production of the expensive, complex pickup as the company focuses on autonomous driving and robotaxis.
