Tesla CEO Elon Musk made a shock announcement on Friday, declaring that the electric vehicle brand’s iconic Cybertruck would no longer be produced next year.
Musk revealed on X that Tesla’s ‘Gigafactory’ in Texas would begin winding down construction around the middle of 2027 to shift manufacturing capacity toward the autonomous Cybercab robotaxi.
One fan called the news ‘the end of an era,’ which caused Musk to reply that his Cybertruck fleet would still be ‘around for a long time.’
Roughly 70,000 vehicles have been purchased since the launch in 2023.
This announcement sparked backlash from an unlikely group on Friday: Tesla and Cybertruck fans angered by the decision to retire a vehicle they say performs well.
One person said: ‘This is a terrible plan unless you’re coming out with another large vehicle.’
‘This is madness, Elon. People want a vehicle that we can control off-road that is a Tesla,’ another Tesla fan said.
CEO Elon Musk announced the transition on X, explaining that the Austin plant needs factory floor space to ramp up production of the two-passenger, driverless Cybercab.
The Cybertruck sparked controversy and criticism since it was unveiled in 2019, starting with the vehicle’s so-called ‘unbreakable’ window being shattered by a metal ball during Musk’s public presentation.
Customers waited another four years for deliveries to begin, and the rollout was marred by higher prices, a shorter driving range, multiple recalls and disappointing sales.
