Tesla ends Cybertruck production by mid-2027

Elon Musk announced on Friday that Tesla will stop building the Cybertruck by the middle of 2027. The move clears the way for increased manufacturing of the company’s Cybercab robotaxi at the facility outside Austin, Texas. Musk confirmed the plan in a brief post on X, stating that production of the stainless-steel vehicle "will be winding down."

The decision ends a contentious era for the model, which launched to viral attention in 2019. During the debut event, a designer threw a metal ball at the truck’s window to test its glass, only for it to shatter. Despite the flawed demonstration, Musk maintained the truck was his best product. He told Automotive News he aimed to create a "futuristic battle tank" that combined the aesthetics of science fiction with high functionality.

Sales figures did not match Musk’s early forecasts. He once predicted annual production of 250,000 units. Kelley Blue Book data shows Tesla sold just 20,237 Cybertrucks last year, a decrease of about half from the prior year. Sales through September of this year fell another 28 percent according to the same source.

The truck’s polarizing image was exacerbated by Musk’s close ties to right-wing political figures, including President Donald Trump. The alignment alienated some customers who viewed the vehicle as a reflection of Musk’s shifting public persona. Ross Blankenship, a Cybertruck owner in Sunnyside, Colorado, said he purchased the vehicle for its technology rather than its politics. He described the discontinuation as "a sad moment" because the truck had become a political symbol rather than just a vehicle.

Critics and former colleagues noted the model’s divisive nature. Spencer Penn, a former Tesla executive, called the truck’s initial appearance "madness" but later admitted its design drove innovation. He resigned from the company before the launch and did not purchase a truck when prices exceeded the initial sub-$40,000 promise. Armen Hareyan of Torque News described the Cybertruck as a cultural symbol that was both "loved, mocked and impossible to ignore." The end of production marks a pivot for Tesla toward autonomous driving, a sector Musk says is central to the company’s future.