Musk Says Tesla Will Wind Down Cybertruck Production Next Year

0:28This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. factory next year to allow for expanded production of the cyber cab robo taxi, signaling a major shift after the company's electric pickup struggled with poor sales and quality issues. In an ex-post early on Friday, CEO Elon Musk wrote Tesla will be winding down production of the Cybertruck at Gigafactory Texas around the middle of next year. Musk didn't specify whether production for the Cybertruck would cease entirely, as Tesla's Texas factory is the only one that currently manufactures the electric pickup. The Cybertruck was initially unveiled in 2019 and finally went on sale in 2023 with a starting price of more than$60 ,000.

1:10Meanwhile, the Cybertruck was first revealed in 2024 as a two-seat autonomous vehicle without any steering wheels or pedals, and Tesla began offering paid rides in the RoboTaxi in parts of Austin in September this year. During Tesla's most recent earnings call last month, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravey said they are aiming to make the autonomous cabs available for customer purchase by the end of this year, but Musk noted that a majority of cyber cabs will be Tesla-owned and operate as part of its Ribotaxi service. Musk estimated in 2023 that the company could eventually sell between a quarter of a million and half a million trucks annually once production was fully ramped up.

1:51However, U.S. sales for the electric pickup plummeted sharply, from just under 39 ,000 trucks in 2024 to around 20 ,000 in 2025, according to estimates from Cox Automotive's Kelly Blue Book. U.S. sales have continued to slide this year as well, with Kelly Blue Book's latest figures showing just 11 ,500 Cybertrucks sold in the U.S. during the first nine months of this year, down 28 % from the same period last year. Since its launch, the Cybertruck has faced repeated recalls. In 2024, the truck was recalled over accelerator pedals that could become trapped and cause unintended acceleration. Last year, Tesla recalled more than 46 ,000 Cybertrucks because its stainless steel exterior panels could detach while driving.

2:36Another 173 Cybertrucks faced a recall in April this year over issues with its brake rotors which could cause its wheel studs to separate. For more on this story, click the link in the description.

3:08We'll see you next time.