Elon Musk appears to signal the end of the road for Cybertruck

Image source, Getty ImagesByTom GerkenTechnology reporterPublished17 minutes agoTesla will wind down production of its Cybertruck vehicles at its Texas factory next year, Elon Musk says.He did not spell out whether it plans to stop making them entirely or shift production elsewhere, but did say the decision was to "make room" for building more of its self-driving Cybercab cars.But the project's lead engineer, Wes Morrill, appeared to suggest the vehicle was being discontinued, writing on X: "Cybertruck was an incredible technology development platform and lives on through Cybercab."With its distinctive angular looks, the Cybertruck attracted diehard fans, but was beset by delays before being launched in 2023 and has had disappointing sales numbers since.Tesla fans have been mourning the news online, with one person calling it "the best vehicle Tesla has ever made, external" as he lamented it being "discontinued next year".Musk responded to the user, external with the word "true", adding: "But the Cybertruck fleet will be around for a long time."The vehicle has always been a passion project for Musk. He said it was "way more awesome than people realise, external" in March, and called it the "best product Tesla has ever made to date, external" in April.But there have always been big questions about whether consumers shared that view and whether the Cybertruck could cut through and earn a spot in the US' lucrative truck market.It was not helped by inauspicious introduction to the public in 2019 when Musk attempted to show off the Cybertruck's apparently unbreakable glass, only for it to shatter during a live demonstration.Figure caption, Watch: The Cybertruck window stuntDespite the gaffe, the Cybertruck ended up receiving a 146,000 orders, Musk said in 2019, while it was still in development.In the end, the vehicle launched in 2023, keeping its novel design - an angular shape with a body made of stainless steel.Tesla fans praised its retro-futuristic look, which some said looked like something "straight out of Blade Runner, external".But critics were far less kind, joking about its appearance and labelling it "ugly as sin, external".Several recalls - including in 2025 affecting more than 46,000 Cybertrucks over concerns part of its trim could fall off - would not have helped. And then there's the price."We need to make it at a price that people can afford," Musk told Wall Street analysts that year - which ended up being $61,000 (then £48,000) for all the "bells and whistles".In 2026, the so-called "Cyberbeast" model comes in at $102,000.Will Tesla's cybertruck recover from its shattering start?Published30 November 2023Tesla truck has 150,000 orders despite launch gaffePublished24 November 2019Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.Related topicsElectric carsElon MuskTeslaCar industry