From TechCrunch · Kirsten Korosec · · 3m
Tesla stops making Cybertruck as sales fall short
Tesla will end Cybertruck production next year after selling just 71,000 units, far below the 1 million reservations Elon Musk announced in 2023.
In brief
Tesla will end Cybertruck production next year after selling just 71,000 units, far below the 1 million reservations Elon Musk announced in 2023. Tesla will stop making the Cybertruck in 2027 after sales of 71,000 units fell far short of the 1 million reservations promised, with the vehicle failing to meet its…
The Cybertruck reveal moment
At Tesla's Cybertruck reveal nearly seven years ago, head designer Franz von Holzhausen threw a metal baseball-sized ball at the driver's-side window.The glass cracked twice during the presentation as CEO Elon Musk made awkward jokes.
The crowd turned in an instant
When the truck rolled onto the stage, attendees gasped in revulsion and whispered doubts. But the mood shifted like a wave. By the time people waited for Cybertruck rides, everyone had become a fan.
Reservations soared to 1 million
Fandom from the reveal carried over to Cybertruck reservations, which skyrocketed to 1 million, Elon Musk said during a third-quarter earnings call in 2023. But reservations never translated to actual sales.
Only 71,000 sold since launch
Industry experts estimate about 71,000 Cybertrucks have been sold since the first deliveries began in November 2023. That is a fraction of the 1 million reservations Musk had announced.
Production ends next year
Tesla will stop making the Cybertruck next year, Elon Musk said Friday. The vehicle is headed to the scrap pile after failing to achieve the sales momentum its initial reception promised.
Musk's promises went unfulfilled
Musk promised the Cybertruck would have a 500-mile range and a price tag under $40,000. It achieved neither, according to senior reporter Sean O'Kane's analysis of the vehicle's performance.
Zipline raises $1.5 billion
Autonomous drone delivery startup Zipline announced this week it raised $1.5 billion and ramped up its partnership with Walmart to add 300 drone delivery sites across the United States.
Zipline valued at $21.5 billion
The funding round values Zipline at $21.5 billion. The company, founded in 2014, has steadily scaled over the past few years and took major steps forward in 2026.
Other transportation deals
Electric truck startup Harbinger raised a $240 million Series D funding round. Humble Robotics raised $51 million in a Series A round, bringing total funding to $75 million less than a year after founding.
Waymo ends Uber exclusivity
Waymo confirmed it will end its exclusivity with Uber in the Austin and Atlanta markets starting in January 2028. The move ends months of speculation about the companies' relationship.
AI agents still not ordering rides
The predictions of AI agents booking restaurants, trips, and rides for the masses have not materialized.
Sean O'Kane moves to Wall Street Journal
Senior reporter Sean O'Kane, who covered Tesla and the transportation industry for TechCrunch, is leaving to cover Tesla at the Wall Street Journal.
Here's the gist
Tesla will stop making the Cybertruck in 2027 after sales of 71,000 units fell far short of the 1 million reservations promised, with the vehicle failing to meet its promised 500-mile range and under-40,000-dollar price tag.
