Tesla winds down Cybertruck production to make room for robotaxis

Elon Musk once predicted Tesla would sell about 250,000 Cybertrucks a year. In 2025, Cox Automotive estimated U.S. sales at 20,237.

Musk said Friday that Tesla will wind down Cybertruck production at Gigafactory Texas around the middle of 2027 to make room for increased production of the Cybercab, Tesla’s self-driving taxi. The Cybercab has no steering wheel or pedals, which is a fairly clear statement of where Tesla thinks the next fight is.

The catch: Musk said the Texas production line is winding down, not what happens to the Cybertruck after that. Tesla’s Austin-area factory is the only known site making the truck, and the company has not said whether manufacturing will move to another facility or end entirely. Some reports have described the decision as the end of the Cybertruck. Tesla has not confirmed that.

The number that matters: Tesla does not report Cybertruck sales separately, but Cox Automotive figures cited by multiple outlets put U.S. sales at 38,965 in 2024 and 20,237 in 2025, a drop of about 48%. That is a long way from Musk’s annual target of 250,000. Tesla stock rose 4.7% Friday after his announcement, according to CBS News.

The truck was unveiled in 2019, when a demonstration of its supposedly shatterproof windows ended with metal balls cracking the glass. It reached customers in late 2023 after delays, at an initial price around $60,000 rather than the under-$40,000 price Tesla had discussed before launch. It also faced repeated recalls involving trim, pedals, cameras, software and possible loss of drive power.

What Tesla is keeping: Cybertruck lead engineer Wes Morrill wrote on X that the pickup was an “incredible technology development platform” that “lives on through Cybercab.” Musk separately called it Tesla’s best vehicle and said the Cybertruck fleet would be around for a long time. For owners, that is not quite the same thing as a future production plan.

The open question is whether Tesla gives the Cybertruck another factory, or leaves its stainless-steel pickup as a short, very visible detour on the way to robotaxis.