RIP the Cybertruck: Elon Musk says Tesla will wind down production of its most polarizing EV

BUSINESS INSIDER 1 hour ago 4
A Tesla Cybertruck passes the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse.It's the end of the road for the Tesla Cybertruck.
  • Tesla is bidding farewell to the Cybertruck.
  • Elon Musk said production of the electric pickup would end to free up space for Tesla's Cybercab.
  • Tesla's attempt to conquer the US truck market didn't quite go to plan.

Farewell Cybertruck, we hardly knew ye.

Elon Musk said on Friday that Tesla would wind down Cybertruck production from the middle of next year.

It comes after sales collapsed and the science-fiction-inspired pickup became a target of vandalism and ridicule.

The Tesla CEO wrote in an X post that Cybertruck production at the EV giant's Texas gigafactory would end to make room for Tesla's Cybercab robotaxi.

Tesla shares were up slightly premarket, after collapsing over the past few days amid concerns that Texas' Democratic sweep in the midterm elections will impact Musk's business empire, and a broader AI sell-off.

It marks the end of the road for the polarizing angular electric pickup, which launched in 2023 after years of delays. The Cybertruck amassed over 1 million reservations before launch, and Musk initially predicted Tesla could sell at least 250,000 a year.

However, the truck's unique trapezoid design and its higher-than-expected sticker price meant it struggled to get a foothold with customers.

Tesla sold 20,000 Cybertrucks last year, per data from Cox Automotive, and has shipped around 16,000 so far in 2026.

Cyber Forever pic.twitter.com/cUKDHOz7SV

— Cybertruck (@cybertruck) November 6, 2026

The Cybertruck's distinctive stainless-steel-clad appearance also made it a target of anti-Musk and anti-Tesla protests. Owners told Business Insider in March 2024 that they had faced vandalism and abuse as backlash against Musk's government cost-cutting at DOGE swept the nation.

The truck also attracted a cult following among Tesla fans, with some turning their Cybertrucks into mobile pizza ovens and launching guerrilla campaigns to get it past Europe's notoriously strict vehicle regulations.

Wes Morrill, Tesla's Cybertruck lead engineer, confirmed that the truck was ending its four-year production run in a separate post on X.

"Cybertruck was an incredible technology development platform and lives on through Cybercab. Thanks to everyone who contributed to making the future looking like the future," Morrill wrote.

Elon Musk CybertruckThe Cybertruck got off to a smashing start at Tesla's unveiling event in 2019.

The biggest buyers of Cybertrucks in recent years have been Musk's other companies. Last year, SpaceX bought $131 million worth of Cybertrucks to use as support vehicles. Responding to a post on Friday that the vehicle had been discontinued, Musk said: "True, but the Cybertruck fleet will be around for a long time."

The Cybertruck is Tesla's latest conventional vehicle to face cancellation as the EV pioneer pivots toward robotaxis and humanoid robots.

The company discontinued its Model S and X premium EVs earlier this year to free up factory space for its Optimus humanoid robot.

Tesla is gradually expanding its robotaxi service, which now operates in multiple cities in Texas and Florida. Musk told investors last month that Optimus production has begun, with deliveries to customers expected by the end of next year.

Tesla's board is also weighing up a potential merger with SpaceX, which would see Musk's two trillion-dollar-plus public companies combine into a mega-conglomerate covering everything from robotaxis to rockets.

The Cybertruck's discontinuation caps a rough week for Musk. Tesla and SpaceX's stock slide wiped around $80 billion off his fortune on Thursday, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, reducing Musk's wealth to $785 billion.

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