FILE PHOTO: Elon Musk holds up a chainsaw onstage during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, U.S., February 20, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo
Elon Musk announced that Tesla is winding down Cybertruck production at its Texas gigafactory around mid-2027, and critics hooted with derision.
Reuters reported that the tech mogul's stated goal is to free up room to build more of the newly launched Cybercab, the steering-wheel-free vehicle Musk has made central to Tesla’s robotaxi ambitions.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether production will move elsewhere or end entirely. However, the Austin plant is the only known Tesla facility equipped to make the truck’s specialized parts.
Musk called the Cybertruck the “best vehicle Tesla has ever made” and the wind-down the “end of an era.”
Before its launch, Musk predicted 250,000 Cybertrucks a year, but Tesla sold just 20,237 in the U.S. last year, according to Kelley Blue Book. That was down 48 percent from 38,965 in 2024.
“It doesn’t make sense to keep it going when it’s not meeting its targets,” former Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer told Reuters. “Every rational auto guy would say the same.”
The truck was trouble from the start. At its 2019 unveiling, Musk tried to prove the windows were shatterproof by having metal balls thrown at them, but two of them cracked. Pickup purists mocked the angular design, and the stainless-steel body also kept the truck out of markets like Europe, where pedestrian-safety rules apply.
“Anywhere where you have crash regulation that takes into account pedestrian impact, that Cybertruck won’t go, can’t go,” Palmer said.
Musk’s new bet carries its own risks. Federal safety regulators are still waiting for Tesla to answer questions about whether it properly self-certified the Cybercab.
Critics online wasted no time piling on.
"Installed tooling to build 125k Cybertrucks a year," observed popular X user Ben McCombe. "Sold 70k over 3 years. Spent $2bn on research and development. Made just $100m in gross profits from sales. Net project loss of $1.9bn Genius."
"'.. after years of persistently weak sales ..'" quoted journalist Carl Quintanilla.
"I've sold more copies of hello sunshine than Elon sold cybertrucks this year," marveled graphic novelist Keezy Young.
"Good morning. Many are calling it the automotive flop of the century," chuckled investor Tom Hearden.
"Anyone foolish enough to buy a Cybertruck will soon learn that the only thing less reliable and more costly to maintain as a Cybertruck is a Cybertruck after production is discontinued," advised attorney Mitchell Epner.
"We have to take every opportunity to say flaccid, just to piss him off," suggested sociologist Tressie McMillan Cottom. "Flaccid Cybertruck sales. Flaccid."
"Explaining this incident to future generations in velvet underground terms: 'they didn't sell that many but everyone who bought one started a militia,'" joked culture writer Craig Jenkins.
"Tesla abandoning its worst ever decision for its second-worst is just too perfect," opined political and media researcher Craig Harrington. "Elon Musk is a dumb person with bad ideas."
"Genuinely one of the dumbest products ever made," jeered science journalist Dave Levitan.
"Reminder that Trump 2.0 started with a Trump/Elon cult member setting his cybertruck on fire," recalled legal analyst Marcy Wheeler.
"It’s been quite the week, hasn’t it!" harrumphed historian Greg Jenner.
"Texas turned blue and Tesla blew," agreed communications professor Jen Mercieca.
"You also ruined the look of the Roadster. Not to mention killed the Flagship S & X. If you're bored with the company just get out and let Lars/Franz take over," seethed Tesla superfan Lisa #TeslaTruth.
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