Tesla is preparing to pull the plug on the Cybertruck. Production of the electric pickup is expected to end around mid-2027 as the company shifts resources towards its Cybercab robotaxi.
According to Reuters, Elon Musk says many customers who paid deposits will receive refunds because Tesla cannot build enough vehicles before the production line closes. The announcement comes less than three years after customer deliveries began in late 2023.
Buyers face refunds
In a post on X on Monday, 9 November, Musk said orders exceeded Tesla’s remaining production capacity.
Tesla would try to complete as many vehicles as possible, but would “have to return deposits for a lot of people”, he said.
Reuters reports that Tesla plans to add another production shift to help fulfil outstanding orders. The company then intends to dismantle the Cybertruck production line at its Texas factory to expand Cybercab output.
Why Tesla is changing direction
Musk has rejected suggestions that the decision comes down to the Cybertruck being unprofitable.
According to Yahoo Finance, he said the complexity of manufacturing the pickup ties up resources that could deliver greater value through increased Cybercab production.
The change means Tesla is prioritising its robotaxi programme over continuing to manufacture the angular pickup. Musk’s explanation centres on where the company puts its factory space, equipment and engineering resources.
Sales missed early ambitions
The Cybertruck’s sales never reached Musk’s earlier projection of 250,000 vehicles a year.
Reuters, citing Kelley Blue Book, reports that US sales fell 48% to 20,237 vehicles in 2025. Those figures show how far deliveries remained below the original ambition.
Yahoo Finance also reported that Tesla was still accepting orders, with estimated delivery windows stretching into early 2027.
However, the size of the outstanding reservation backlog remains unclear. Musk has not specified how many buyers will receive refunds.
For customers still waiting, the announcement leaves a clear uncertainty: paying a deposit does not guarantee they will receive one of the final Cybertrucks.