Tesla will wind down production of its controversial Cybertruck pickup around mid-2027, as CEO Elon Musk shifts manufacturing capacity toward the company’s autonomous Cybercab robotaxi project. The decision also means some customers who placed deposits for the electric pickup will not receive their vehicles and instead will be offered refunds.
Musk announced the production decision in a post on X, saying Tesla would wind down Cybertruck manufacturing at its Gigafactory Texas facility to make room for increased Cybercab production.
The announcement marks a major reversal for a vehicle Musk once described as one of Tesla’s most ambitious products. The stainless-steel electric pickup, unveiled in 2019, attracted widespread attention for its unconventional angular design but struggled to achieve the sales volumes the company had anticipated.
In a subsequent post on November 9, Musk said Tesla would try to manufacture as many Cybertrucks as possible before shutting down the production line in approximately eight months. The company will add an extra production shift to address outstanding orders.
However, Musk acknowledged that production would not be sufficient to fulfill every order. “We will try to make as many as possible before shutting down the line in about 8 months, but will have to return deposits for a lot of people,” he wrote on X, according to The Independent and Reuters.
The production line is expected to be dismantled around June or July 2027, with the Texas facility’s manufacturing capacity redirected toward the Cybercab.
Cybertruck sales fall short of Musk’s expectations
The Cybertruck was unveiled in November 2019, with Musk presenting it as a futuristic alternative to conventional pickup trucks. Tesla began delivering the vehicle to customers in late 2023 after multiple production delays. Musk had projected annual sales of as many as 250,000 vehicles. However, the pickup failed to approach that target.
According to Kelley Blue Book data cited by The Independent, U.S. Cybertruck sales fell 48% to 20,237 units in 2025, compared with 38,965 in 2024. Sales through September 2026 were down another 28% year over year.
The vehicle also faced criticism over its high price, unconventional design, quality concerns and repeated recalls.
Its launch price was substantially higher than Musk’s earlier promise of a starting price below $40,000.
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The Cybertruck’s stainless-steel exterior and sharp geometric design attracted both supporters and critics. Its unconventional appearance also limited its prospects in international markets, particularly Europe, where pedestrian safety regulations presented additional challenges.
Cybercab becomes central to Tesla’s autonomous vehicle strategy
The decision to discontinue the Cybertruck comes as Tesla increasingly positions itself as an artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous transportation company rather than solely an electric vehicle manufacturer.
The Cybercab, a two-seat autonomous vehicle, is central to Musk’s strategy of building a driverless ride-hailing network. The vehicle features butterfly-style doors and is designed without a steering wheel, pedals or conventional driving controls. Tesla began offering paid rides in a limited fleet of Cybercabs in Austin, Texas, in September 2026. However, the company’s plans for wider deployment remain subject to regulatory scrutiny.
Reuters previously reported that U.S. automotive safety regulators had raised questions about the Cybercab’s compliance with federal motor vehicle safety requirements because of its unconventional design. Tesla has also indicated that it wants to begin selling Cybercabs to customers by the end of 2026, although regulatory approvals remain an important consideration.
Musk’s strategy reflects a broader effort to redirect Tesla’s resources toward autonomous driving, artificial intelligence and humanoid robots, including its Optimus project.
A controversial vehicle’s short commercial journey
The Cybertruck became one of Tesla’s most recognizable and divisive products even before its commercial launch. During its 2019 unveiling, Tesla attempted to demonstrate the strength of the vehicle’s supposedly shatter-resistant windows by throwing a metal ball at them. The demonstration backfired when the windows shattered, and the moment became one of the most widely circulated from the launch.
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Musk nevertheless continued to promote the pickup as an automotive engineering breakthrough, describing it as a futuristic vehicle inspired by science-fiction films.
The model also became associated with Musk’s increasingly polarizing public and political profile. Protests outside Tesla showrooms, consumer boycotts and attacks on Tesla vehicles and charging infrastructure added to the challenges facing the brand.
Despite the controversy, some owners remained enthusiastic about the pickup’s design and technology. Its planned discontinuation therefore represents not only a commercial setback but also the end of a particularly high-profile chapter in Tesla’s product development. The company has yet to publicly disclose how many outstanding Cybertruck orders will be fulfilled before production ends or how many customers will receive deposit refunds.