Tesla To 'Wind Down' Cybertruck Production Next Year: Musk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on Friday that the company will scale down Cybertruck production at its Austin factory in the coming year. The move comes as the company focuses on increasing production of its Cybercab, a fleet of fully automated taxis. Musk made the announcement on his X social media site, stating that production would scale back at the end of next year to make room for the Cybercab.

The decision follows a challenging week for Musk, who donated heavily during the US midterm elections but saw his companies' market capitalization decrease significantly. Musk had previously excitedly promoted the Cybertruck, claiming it represented the future of vehicles, but the truck received widespread criticism for its design, size, and potential lack of appeal in key markets like the United States and Europe.

The Cybertruck's hefty price tag, coupled with its impracticality in many European roads due to safety regulations, likely contributed to its slow sales. While Tesla sold 20,237 Cybertrucks in the US last year, down from 38,965 in 2024, the company had initially predicted much higher sales figures. In contrast, Ford sold over 800,000 F-Series pickups in the US last year.

Musk's SpaceX, his second-largest company, was the largest buyer of Cybertrucks in 2025, purchasing vehicles worth $131 million at list prices. The Cybercab, a vehicle without traditional controls, is Musk's vision for a fully autonomous transportation system, with around 300 vehicles already registered and operating in Austin near Tesla's Gigafactory.