Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Monday rejected claims that the company's Cybertruck was unprofitable, asserting that orders for the electric pickup far exceeded its production rate, even as the automaker prepared to discontinue manufacturing the vehicle in approximately eight months to focus on its autonomous Cybercab.
In a post on social media platform X, Musk said Tesla intended to manufacture as many Cybertrucks as possible before shutting down the production line, but acknowledged that the company would have to refund deposits to several customers because it would be unable to fulfil all outstanding orders.
"The Cybertruck order rate far exceeds our production rate. 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," Musk said.
The remarks came amid reports questioning the commercial viability of Cybertruck following Tesla's decision to wind down production of the electric pickup at its Gigafactory in Texas around mid-2027.
Musk dismissed suggestions that the decision was driven by profitability concerns, maintaining that Tesla was reallocating manufacturing resources towards a more valuable opportunity in autonomous vehicle production.
๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ค ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ฌ
Responding to reports suggesting that Cybertruck production was being discontinued because of weak profitability, Musk argued that the decision was based on the relative economic benefits of manufacturing Cybercab vehicles.
"This is not a case of Cybertruck being unprofitable, as has been misreported by legacy media, but rather that the opportunity cost of the complexity of Cybertruck is vastly outweighed by the value of incremental Cybercab production," he said.
His comments indicated that Tesla considered the resources required to manufacture the Cybertruck more valuable when redirected towards expanding production of its autonomous robotaxi.
Musk had earlier announced that Cybertruck manufacturing would continue for another eight or nine months before the company shifted its focus towards scaling Cybercab production.
He also described the Cybertruck as a distinctive vehicle that would not be replicated in the future, signalling the end of a major chapter in Tesla's electric vehicle development.
The company plans to dismantle the Cybertruck production line at its Texas facility around June or July 2027 to accommodate the expansion of Cybercab manufacturing.
Tesla has also indicated that it would add an additional production shift in an attempt to fulfil more outstanding Cybertruck orders before the planned shutdown.
๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ค ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ
Tesla unveiled the Cybertruck in November 2019, introducing an all-electric pickup with an unconventional angular design and stainless-steel exterior.
Customer deliveries began in November 2023 following several delays, with the vehicle marketed as a futuristic alternative to conventional pickup trucks.
However, the Cybertruck struggled to achieve the sales volumes initially projected by Musk, who had previously anticipated annual demand of approximately 250,000 vehicles.
According to automotive data provider Kelley Blue Book, Tesla sold 20,237 Cybertrucks in the United States in 2025, representing a decline of approximately 48 per cent from 38,965 units sold in 2024.
The figures highlighted the gap between the company's earlier expectations and the vehicle's actual market performance.
Despite the lower sales figures, Musk maintained that the current order rate exceeded Tesla's production capacity, particularly given the limited period remaining before the manufacturing line is scheduled to close.
Tesla has not publicly disclosed detailed profitability figures for the Cybertruck, making it difficult to independently assess Musk's assertion that the vehicle is profitable.
๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐ค๐๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
The decision to wind down Cybertruck production reflects Tesla's increasing focus on autonomous transportation and its ambition to develop a large-scale robotaxi network.
The Cybercab, unveiled in October 2024, is a purpose-built autonomous electric vehicle designed to operate without a steering wheel or pedals.
The two-seater vehicle forms a central component of Musk's strategy to transform Tesla from a conventional electric vehicle manufacturer into a company increasingly focused on artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous mobility.
Tesla intends to expand Cybercab production at its Texas Gigafactory, using manufacturing capacity and resources currently allocated to the Cybertruck.
Musk has repeatedly emphasised the importance of scaling autonomous vehicle production, arguing that the technology could create significant long-term opportunities for the company.
However, Tesla's autonomous driving ambitions continue to face regulatory scrutiny and questions over commercial deployment at scale.
The planned production shift represents a major strategic change for Tesla, which had previously positioned the Cybertruck as one of its flagship vehicles.
With manufacturing expected to end around mid-2027, the company now faces the challenge of fulfilling as many outstanding orders as possible while preparing its Texas facility for increased Cybercab production.
Musk's latest comments sought to clarify that the decision was driven by manufacturing priorities rather than confirmed financial losses, even as Cybertruck's commercial performance remained below the ambitious expectations set during its launch.