Elon Musk said Friday that Tesla will wind down production of its Cybertruck pickup truck at its Texas factory by mid-2027 to make room for increased output of its self-driving Cybercab.1,4,5,6
Musk made the announcement in a post on X, saying Cybertruck production at Gigafactory Texas in Austin would wind down "to make room for increased Cybercab production." The move would close out the angular stainless-steel pickup launched in 2023 after years of delays and disappointing sales, and shift factory space to the Cybercab taxi that Musk has made central to Tesla's robotaxi ambitions.1,4,5,6
It is not yet known whether Tesla plans to stop making the Cybertruck entirely or shift production elsewhere. The Austin plant is the only known Tesla facility equipped to manufacture the model's specialized components, and Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment sent outside regular business hours.1,5
The project's lead engineer, Wes Morrill, appeared to suggest the vehicle was being discontinued, writing on X: "Cybertruck was an incredible technology development platform and lives on through Cybercab." When one user lamented that the model was being "discontinued next year" and called it "the best vehicle Tesla has ever made," Musk responded with the word "true," adding: "But the Cybertruck fleet will be around for a long time." Musk also called the wind-down the "end of an era."1,5
Tesla does not officially disclose individual sales figures for the Cybertruck, grouping it instead in an "Other Models" category. That category accounted for just 8,295 deliveries in the third quarter, down from 12,364 deliveries in the second quarter, while The New Republic put the third-quarter figure at 8,300. Since launching the Cybertruck in 2023, Tesla has struggled to meet the vehicle's sales target of 200,000 per year.3,5
Wall Street analyst Dan Ives, senior managing director of Yorkville Ives & Co, told CBS News in an email that "the writing was on the wall" for the Cybertruck given the vehicle's high price and subpar demand. Tesla shares declined 11 percent Thursday, following midterm elections that flipped both chambers of Congress. CNBC reported aggregate market cap losses for Tesla and SpaceX of more than $420 billion since Tuesday's close.3,4
Tesla first unveiled the Cybertruck in 2019, drawing attention for its boxy, futuristic look. The company described it as a rolling fortress that could tow 14,000 pounds and withstand hits from sledgehammers and even firearms. Its introduction was inauspicious when Musk attempted to show off its apparently unbreakable glass, only for it to shatter during a live demonstration. Despite that, Musk said in 2019 that the vehicle had received 146,000 orders while still in development. Ahead of its initial release, Musk said on an earnings call: "We dug our own grave with Cybertruck."1,3,4
The truck launched in 2023, keeping its novel design with an angular shape and a body made of stainless steel. Musk had touted it as a futuristic competitor to pickup trucks from General Motors and Ford. Fans praised its retro-futuristic look, with some saying it looked like something "straight out of Blade Runner," while critics joked about its appearance and labelled it "ugly as sin."1,5
Often described as polarizing, the Cybertruck's unorthodox sharp-edged design limited its prospects outside the United States. Regulatory approval became difficult to come by in parts of Europe, depriving Tesla of major markets that could have helped turn the pickup into a higher-volume product.5
The vehicle was also beset by quality problems and multiple recalls and quality-control issues, while Tesla repeatedly revised prices. One recall in 2025 affected more than 46,000 Cybertrucks over concerns part of its trim could fall off. "We need to make it at a price that people can afford," Musk told Wall Street analysts that year, which ended up being $61,000 for all the "bells and whistles." In 2026, the so-called "Cyberbeast" model comes in at $102,000.1,4,5
The Cybertruck remained a passion project for Musk. He said in March that it was "way more awesome than people realise" and called it in April the "best product Tesla has ever made to date." Tesla fans have been mourning the news online.1
Musk's new bet is the Cybercab, which has butterfly doors and no steering wheel, pedals or mirrors, and is one of his key bets in his push to turn Tesla into an AI and robotics company. He has said he sees it as Tesla's main autonomous model within a larger driverless network and that it will eventually be the company's highest-volume vehicle, supplying a global network of robotaxis. After years of delays to Musk's self-driving targets, Tesla began offering paid rides in a small fleet of Cybercabs in Austin in September.5
The automaker still has to answer the United States auto safety agency's questions on whether it properly self-certified Cybercab to demonstrate compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards.5
