2023 was the year of glory for Elon Musk’s ultimate vehicle: the Tesla Cybertruck was going to be an indestructible pickup that would also cost less than $40,000. But as with everything surrounding the model, it turned out to be another unfulfilled promise: the entry version came in above $60,000, and it wasn’t uncommon for some to pay as much as $100,000 for the electric all-terrain pickup.
But the bubble burst and Tesla began tweaking its ‘Foundation Series’ variants, marketing them as base models and making room to clear out a stock that hadn’t found the number of buyers the brand expected.
The Cybertruck sales fell by almost 50% in 2025
What started as a bubble, with millions of pre-orders, has deflated like a balloon. During the years of delays and the anticipation surrounding the Cybertruck, nearly two million reservations accumulated and a waiting list that only celebrities like Kim Kardashian could bypass.
Of those two million, only about 5% went on to complete the purchase, turning the pickup into the best-selling $100,000 car in the US for a period. Soon the recalls and the problems that a model marketed as indestructible presented began to curb the frenzy. Since 2023 it has had 10 recalls.
To give an idea, last year 20,237 units were sold, 48% less than in 2024, and that despite Elon Musk selling them to his own companies to boost the figure. Tesla has cited the uncertainty arising from changes in trade, tariff, and tax policies as some of the obstacles it faces in selling. But it is also a model closely tied to Elon Musk’s image, and that is not particularly popular.
But nothing has prevented Tesla from stopping its sale. Instead Ford’s electric pickup, the F-150 Lightning, far surpassed the Cybertruck in sales last year, and it was discontinued for not selling enough. Ford’s reason: weak demand, high production costs, and a strategic shift toward hybrid vehicles. The company plans to replace it with a new Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) that includes a gasoline generator for greater range.
For now, Tesla assures that demand for the Cybertruck for this year is covered. We shall see.
