Tesla is 'winding down' Cybertruck production at its Texas Gigafactory
The factory space will be repurposed to accommodate the new Cybercab, Elon Musk said.
Tesla will no longer build the electric Cybertruck pickup at its Texas Gigafactory, Elon Musk confirmed on X. Production will wind down in the middle of 2027 to make room for increased production of the company's upcoming autonomous Cybercab instead. Unless the company moves manufacturing to another location, the stainless-steel truck could be near the end of its short but drama-filled existence.
Musk didn't say if production of the Cybertruck would be discontinued altogether. Given the vehicle's Ford Edsel-like sales and export issues, no one would be shocked if the James Bond and Blade Runner-inspired vehicle is relegated to history's scrap heap.
When it was first unveiled in November 2019, the Cybertruck acquired a lot of buzz for being like no other pickup ever seen. However, as with other Elon Musk promises, things quickly went trapezoid-shaped. Tesla never came close to delivering on the promised $39,900 price tag, with the cheapest version eventually priced at $59,900.
The Cybertruck also faced multiple recalls and quality control complaints, while its controversial design (though loved by some), was widely derided. As a result, Tesla has only sold around 71,000 Cybertrucks since deliveries started in late 2023, a far cry from the 250,000 per year the company originally projected.
In place of the Cybertruck, Tesla is allocating more capacity to the Cybercab autonomous robotaxi with no steering wheel and pedals. The success of that vehicle is also by no means guaranteed, given the current federal investigation into the vehicle and Tesla's lack of progress toward fully-autonomous self-driving after more than 10 years of trying.