Cybertruck to chug off

Tesla plans to wind down Cybertruck production at its gigafactory in Texas around the middle of 2027 according to Elon Musk.

That’s because the model once touted as a futuristic rival to utes from legacy marques has failed to win mass-market appeal.

In a post on X, the CEO says the decision will enable the company to accommodate increased production of its Cybercab, which he has made central to his robotaxi dreams.

Musk sees the Cybercab as Tesla’s main autonomous model in a larger driverless network as he aims to transform the EV maker into a robotics and self-driving company.

The Cybertruck’s unorthodox design limited its prospects in markets, such as Europe, where EVs are more popular. Regulatory approval was impossible there because of pedestrian-impact regulations.

Sales of the model, which was launched in 2023, have also suffered from multiple recalls and quality-control issues.

Tesla doesn’t officially disclose sales figures for the electric ute. According to automotive data platform Kelley Blue Book, it only sold 20,237 units in the US during 2025, down by 48 per cent from 38,965 in 2024. Around the start of production in 2023, Musk predicted annual deliveries would top 250,000.

The two-seater Cybercab is still a small programme with production getting under way only earlier this year. Tesla has listed an installed capacity of more than 125,000 units.

About 570 of the more than 1,200 Tesla robotaxis operating in Texas are Cybercabs with the rest mainly Model Ys, according to the state government.