Tesla prepares to end Cybertruck production
· BehindLines newsroom
Tesla is going to scale back production of its electric pickup truck, the Cybertruck. Elon Musk wrote on X that manufacturing at the Texas plant would be wound down around the middle of 2027 to make room for the Cybercab, in the wording reported by DW. Ars Technica reads the announcement as an end to production at that date.
An announcement that remains to be clarified
The BBC notes that Musk did not say whether Tesla was abandoning the model altogether or moving its manufacturing elsewhere. The project's lead engineer, Wes Morrill, nevertheless appeared to confirm the end by writing that the Cybertruck had been a technology development platform that lives on through the Cybercab. Asked by a user who spoke of it being discontinued next year, Elon Musk replied "true", adding that the Cybertrucks already sold would be around for a long time. According to the BBC, Tesla shares rose 4.7% on Friday.
Sales far below forecasts
The vehicle, unveiled in 2019 and launched in 2023, won over enthusiasts but never reached the announced volumes. According to the BBC and DW, which cite Kelley Blue Book, Tesla sold 20,237 of them in the United States in 2025, against 38,965 a year earlier. At launch, Elon Musk had talked of sales close to 250,000 units a year. The BBC says the Cyberbeast version costs $102,000 in 2026. DW specifies that Tesla does not publish figures by model and that the pickup's shape and size keep it from being registered in Europe, where safety rules place heavy weight on pedestrian protection.
DW adds, based on SpaceX's initial public offering, that this company was the biggest buyer of Cybertrucks in 2025, with $131 million of purchases.
The Cybercab takes over
The Cybercab is a vehicle with no steering wheel, no pedals and no mirrors, designed to operate without a driver, DW describes. According to the same outlet, about 300 are registered and have been running for a few months on approved roads around Austin, in an area of about 680 square kilometres, alongside autonomous Model Ys. Elon Musk says the model will supply a global network of robotaxis.
For current owners, Musk says the Cybertruck fleet will stay on the road for a long time. For Tesla, the announcement confirms a refocusing of the Texas plant on autonomous vehicles, at the expense of a model Tesla wanted to pit against the big American pickups. Cybertruck sales for 2026 are not quantified in the sources consulted.