Tesla plans to wind down Cybertruck production through mid-2027, CEO Elon Musk said on X on November 6. The electric pickup has recorded about 76,000 deliveries over three years, according to Cox Automotive—well below Tesla’s early sales expectations. Its striking design drew wide attention, but production delays, recalls and public controversy have not translated into comparable delivery volumes.
Stephanie Valdez Streaty, Cox Automotive’s director of industry insights, said the Cybertruck’s design attracted attention while also narrowing its potential buyer base. From its launch to customer deliveries, the vehicle’s appearance, performance demonstrations and public debate have all shaped its market story.
2019 launch set ambitious price and range targets
Tesla unveiled the Cybertruck at its design center in Hawthorne, California, in November 2019. Musk said the starting price would be $39,900 and that production was expected to begin in late 2021. Tesla outlined three versions with target ranges of 250, 300 and 500 miles. Its stainless-steel body and angular design set it apart from conventional pickups from the outset.
A durability demonstration at the launch did not go as planned. Musk said the body panels could withstand shots from a 9mm handgun. Tesla chief designer Franz von Holzhausen then threw a metal ball at the driver-side window, which cracked. The rear window shattered when he tried again. Musk said the glass had not been pierced. He later said 146,000 people had placed $100 reservations after the event.
Days after the launch, Musk posted a video of the Cybertruck in a tug-of-war with a Ford F-150 to showcase its power. The Ford’s rear wheels spun, prompting some viewers to question whether the trucks had comparable drivetrains and whether the demonstration was a fair comparison.
Deliveries began in 2023, two years behind schedule
Tesla initially planned to begin customer deliveries in late 2021, but pandemic-related supply-chain problems pushed back the timetable. While customers waited, the company displayed prototypes at its stores, including a Cybertruck shown at its Meatpacking District location in New York in May 2021.
Production did not begin until mid-2023, and Tesla delivered the first vehicles to customers that November. At the delivery event, the company showed a video of the Cybertruck towing a Porsche in a drag race and reaching the finish ahead of another Porsche, without identifying the models involved. Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian was among the first owners.
Recalls and driving complaints followed the high-profile launch
Celebrities including Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber were later seen with the Cybertruck. In January 2024, singer and Louis Vuitton creative director Pharrell Williams struggled to parallel park one in Miami before a valet took over. Videos also circulated on social media showing Cybertrucks having difficulty on snowy roads, contrasting with earlier emphasis on the vehicle’s toughness.
Tesla’s disclosures show that the Cybertruck has been recalled 11 times. In April 2024, the company recalled nearly 3,900 early vehicles because an accelerator pedal pad could come loose and cause rapid acceleration. Subsequent recalls involved wipers, exterior trim, delayed rearview-camera images, possible loss of power and body panels that could detach while driving. The issues have kept reliability and the ownership experience in focus.
SpaceX purchases offered some support, but deliveries remained limited
The Cybertruck has also featured in public debate surrounding Tesla and its CEO. On March 11, 2025, Musk and then-President Donald Trump displayed five Tesla models, including the Cybertruck, on the White House South Lawn. That year, protests took place outside Tesla stores, with the pickup appearing in some demonstrations.
Corporate purchases provided some sales support. In an S-1 filing submitted in May 2026, SpaceX disclosed that it spent $131 million on Cybertrucks from Tesla in 2025. Based on estimated vehicle prices, that would represent roughly 1,200 to 1,800 vehicles. Even with purchases from the related company, total deliveries of about 76,000 remain well below Tesla’s early sales expectations for a vehicle that attracted substantial attention.