Tesla could be discontinuing its Cybertruck by next year after numerous recalls and underwhelming sales since its launch in 2023.
Cybertruck production will be “winding down” at Tesla’s Texas factory around the middle of 2027, Chief Executive Elon Musk said in a post on X on Thursday. Musk did not say whether production would shift to another facility.
The move will make room for increased Cybercab production, Musk said, Tesla’s autonomous vehicle that it hopes to build its robotaxi business around.
If the Cybertruck is scrapped completely, it will slim down Tesla’s lineup even further after the company discontinued the Model S and X earlier this year. Tesla’s vehicle sales now revolve around its Model 3 and Model Y, though the automaker is increasingly focused on AI and autonomous technology.
The Cybercab, a gold-colored two-seater that lacks a steering wheel and gas pedal, is central to Tesla’s future. It rolled out in Austin earlier this year but is facing scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Musk hopes the Cybercab will compete with robotaxi companies including Waymo and Zoox, though those efforts are currently far ahead in deployment and customer reach.
The Cybertruck has been controversial since it first hit roads, with some critics saying it looks like a dumpster on wheels. The angular, futuristic truck sells for $92,490 on Tesla’s website.
Sales never met expectations set by the company. Musk said he anticipated producing as many as 250,000 units each year, but sold just over 20,000 in 2025.
The Times reported that Cybertruck sales were significantly propped up by purchases from Musk’s other companies, including SpaceX, xAI and Neuralink.
Last year, the federal government budgeted $400 million to spend on armored Tesla vehicles, rumored to be Cybertrucks, but the State Department has since abandoned those plans.
Cybertrucks have been recalled more than eight times, including a 2025 recall that affected nearly all Cybertrucks on the road. Safety regulators said that an exterior panel on the vehicle could become detached while driving, creating a hazardous environment for other vehicles.
Earlier this year, more than 170 Cybertrucks were recalled due to the risk of the wheel stud separating from the wheel hub, increasing the chance of crash and injury.
Tesla critics were quick to target the Cybercab following Musk’s announcement on X.
“Will go down as one of the worst automotive products in history, no doubt about it,” one user commented on Musk’s post.
Karl Brauer, an analyst at iSeeCars.com, said there is a lot of pressure on Tesla’s new Roadster to perform better than the Cybertruck has. Musk unveiled a prototype of the Roadster last month that was capable of hovering off the ground and driving upside down.
“He does need this to be a hit,” Brauer said in an interview last month. “His last all-new vehicle, the Cybertruck, I think everyone has pretty much agreed that that’s an official flop.”
