Tesla Cybertruck production to end in 2027 due to poor sales

Tesla will wind down production of the Cybertruck sometime around mid-2027, CEO Elon Musk confirmed in a recent tweet. This announcement comes just three years after the Cybertruck hit the market, and seven months after the discontinuation of the Tesla Model S and Model X.

Originally revealed in 2019 as a concept and scheduled for launch in 2021, the Cybertruck was marred by delays until it finally entered production at the brand’s Texas Gigafactory and went on sale in 2023. Tesla positioned the Cybertruck as its flagship passenger vehicle and a rival to electric pickup trucks like the Ford F-150 Lightning. As it stands, the Cybertruck is sold in the US, Mexico, Canada, the UAE, Qatar, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia.

Why is Tesla pulling the plug on the Cybertruck?

Controversial styling, higher-than-expected pricing, and poor sales

The Cybertruck attracted a lot of hype and good sales figures initially, but things went downhill in subsequent years. Its polarising and edgy exterior, built from a proprietary stainless steel alloy, did not clear European safety regulations, excluding a major market from the Cybertruck's sales reach.

At launch, the Cybertruck’s price was also much higher than what was promised during the 2019 reveal, and controversies surrounding Musk played a role in the truck’s popularity decline too. So far, the Cybertruck is estimated to have sold over 63,000 units cumulatively, which is an incredibly far cry from the 250,000 units a year Musk predicted before the truck’s launch.

Cybercab to take over Cybertruck's production capacity

Much like how Tesla axed the Model S and Model X to prioritise production of Optimus robots, the Cybertruck’s discontinuation will liberate capacity for the Cybercab. Built without a steering wheel, pedals, ORVMs, or rear windscreen, the Cybercab is a fully autonomous electric taxi with butterfly doors that will serve as the basis of Tesla’s ride-hailing service.

Only the Model 3 and Model Y will remain in Tesla’s global passenger vehicle arsenal after the Cybertruck goes out of production. That is until 2028, which is when deliveries of the next-gen Roadster are promised to begin. Tesla is also rumoured to be working on a small, affordable EV, though a release timeline for the same remains unknown at the moment.