What would it take to make Tesla move on from the Cybertruck?

[Outdoors]

No one is asking in the Ford and GM forums what it would take for Ford or GM to move on from their very low-selling electric trucks. Probably because it's almost as stupid of a question as asking what it would take Tesla to give up on the Cybertruck.

Someone ^ lives in a vacuum where reality doesn't match hopes and dreams of Tesla illusionists. So if rumors of 125 a day are true. When does Telsa shut down the line? 65 a day? You know keep the truck and everything, but employee people for the sake of the movement or long term goal ya know. Sustainable transportation.

A billion in sunk costs. An easy walk away for a company like Tesla.

A million reservations or some mumbo jumbo. You all just want to believe.

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[HaulingAss]

Someone ^ lives in a vacuum where reality doesn't match hopes and dreams of Tesla illusionists. So if rumors of 125 a day are true. When does Telsa shut down the line? 65 a day? You know keep the truck and everything, but employee people for the sake of the movement or long term goal ya know. Sustainable transportation.

A billion in sunk costs. An easy walk away for a company like Tesla.

A million reservations or some mumbo jumbo. You all just want to believe.

It's not a matter of "wanting to believe". It's that Tesla is in this for the long haul. That's the nature of the auto industry. A declining quarter or two will not cause them to "move on from the Cybertruck". If they have too much Cybertruck stock on hand, they will pause the production line, not throw in the towel.

 

[ABILISK]

It's not a matter of "wanting to believe". It's that Tesla is in this for the long haul. That's the nature of the auto industry. A declining quarter or two will not cause them to "move on from the Cybertruck". If they have too much Cybertruck stock on hand, they will pause the production line, not throw in the towel.

I sincerely hope you’re right. I’d love nothing more than to drive this thing for the rest of my life (I’m in my early 30s, I’d need it to stick around until I need 1 or 2 more), but Elon has acknowledged it might flop and that they will take the technology they developed and use it for their other models. I hope it’s here to stay, but I fear it’s on short time.

 

[HaulingAss]

I sincerely hope you’re right. I’d love nothing more than to drive this thing for the rest of my life (I’m in my early 30s, I’d need it to stick around until I need 1 or 2 more), but Elon has acknowledged it might flop and that they will take the technology they developed and use it for their other models. I hope it’s here to stay, but I fear it’s on short time.

You will see your fears are unfounded. The Cybertruck isn't for everyone, anymore than the funny looking VW transporter from yesteryear was for everyone. But sales will grow over time and Tesla will not throw in the towel. We need better electric trucks than Ford and GM are bringing to market. Sure, they work, but they are very inefficient and not very ideal from a usability perspective. Just be glad Ford and GM don't charge what they actually cost to build. Because then they would sell even fewer of them. I want to see as many fewer gas trucks on the road as possible every year. So they are helping with that by capturing non-EV people who are curious. I just hope the experience doesn't turn them back away from EVs!

 

[TexasRaider]

Reminder: Nearly every other high dollar vehicle is having difficulty in inventory. Not just EV trucks. It’s just that most EV trucks are more expensive high dollar vehicles of course.

 

[YDR37]

One factor that should be considered is production capacity. Suppose a manufacturer has limited capacity, and some of that capacity is devoted to less popular Product A. But at the same time, the manufacturer is struggling to meet the demand for more popular Product B. In this case, it might make sense to discontinue Product A, so that its capacity can be re-allocated to Product B.

In 1Q 2025, Tesla produced a total of 362,615 vehicles globally -- and 345,454 (or 95.3%) were Model 3 and Model Y. The production of "Other Models", including Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck, was only 17,161 (or 4.7%). Are the S/X/CT consuming resources that would be better allocated to the 3/Y ?

The answer is probably "no", because Tesla's production capacity does not appear to be limited. In the 1Q 2025 shareholder presentation, Tesla mentioned "current expected maximum capacity of close to three million vehicles". However, current production is well below that level: over the past four quarters, Tesla produced only 1.74 million vehicles.

In other words, Tesla's factories are currently running well below maximum capacity. As long as this is true, and as long as Tesla is not actually losing money on the S/X/CT, it probably makes sense to keep those models in production, even at relatively low levels. Since there's already sufficient production capacity for the more popular 3/Y, nothing would be gained by discontinuing the less popular S/X/CT.

 

[GuyV]

One factor that should be considered is production capacity. Suppose a manufacturer has limited capacity, and some of that capacity is devoted to less popular Product A. But at the same time, the manufacturer is struggling to meet the demand for more popular Product B. In this case, it might make sense to discontinue Product A, so that its capacity can be re-allocated to Product B.

In 1Q 2025, Tesla produced a total of 362,615 vehicles globally -- and 345,454 (or 95.3%) were Model 3 and Model Y. The production of "Other Models", including Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck, was only 17,161 (or 4.7%). Are the S/X/CT consuming resources that would be better allocated to the 3/Y ?

The answer is probably "no", because Tesla's production capacity does not appear to be limited. In the 1Q 2025 shareholder presentation, Tesla mentioned "current expected maximum capacity of close to three million vehicles". However, current production is well below that level: over the past four quarters, Tesla produced only 1.74 million vehicles.

In other words, Tesla's factories are currently running well below maximum capacity. As long as this is true, and as long as Tesla is not actually losing money on the S/X/CT, it probably makes sense to keep those models in production, even at relatively low levels. Since there's already sufficient production capacity for the more popular 3/Y, nothing would be gained by discontinuing the less popular S/X/CT.

Exactly. Each additional one sold at any profit contributes to spreading overhead and fixed costs for all vehicles produced.

 

[YDR37]

Exactly. Each additional one sold at any profit contributes to spreading overhead and fixed costs for all vehicles produced.

And in that case, what makes sense is not cutting production, but cutting overhead. I would be surprised if Tesla discontinued the S/X/CT -- but I would not be surprised if they were to close some Tesla stores/galleries.

Here in California, we currently have 68 Tesla stores, often in close proximity (for example, there are seven stores just on the 50-mile stretch from San Francisco to San Jose). But Tesla sales in California have fallen by around 20% since the peak in 2023. So I suspect that the current statewide store count could be reduced without causing any significant issues for potential customers.

 

[no%X#XMVk65v#cq]

No one is asking in the Ford and GM forums what it would take for Ford or GM to move on from their very low-selling electric trucks. Probably because it's almost as stupid of a question as asking what it would take Tesla to give up on the Cybertruck.

Somewhere someone is absolutely asking when GM will give up on Hummer. ?

 

[rnrazdan]

IMO, Tesla would destroy the suv market if they used the same CT design aesthetic, with a slightly more feature rich interior in a large SUV (compete with Escalade). The wheelbase is there. This would be the way to utilize a lot of the manufacturing infrastructure already known place.

 

[TTP222]

One factor that should be considered is production capacity. Suppose a manufacturer has limited capacity, and some of that capacity is devoted to less popular Product A. But at the same time, the manufacturer is struggling to meet the demand for more popular Product B. In this case, it might make sense to discontinue Product A, so that its capacity can be re-allocated to Product B.

In 1Q 2025, Tesla produced a total of 362,615 vehicles globally -- and 345,454 (or 95.3%) were Model 3 and Model Y. The production of "Other Models", including Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck, was only 17,161 (or 4.7%). Are the S/X/CT consuming resources that would be better allocated to the 3/Y ?

The answer is probably "no", because Tesla's production capacity does not appear to be limited. In the 1Q 2025 shareholder presentation, Tesla mentioned "current expected maximum capacity of close to three million vehicles". However, current production is well below that level: over the past four quarters, Tesla produced only 1.74 million vehicles.

In other words, Tesla's factories are currently running well below maximum capacity. As long as this is true, and as long as Tesla is not actually losing money on the S/X/CT, it probably makes sense to keep those models in production, even at relatively low levels. Since there's already sufficient production capacity for the more popular 3/Y, nothing would be gained by discontinuing the less popular S/X/CT.

This is the correct answer in this thread. Just because sales have been slow doesn't mean Tesla will cancel the Cybertruck, they literally have no reason to. The Cybertruck is already profitable and it's not interfering with any other sales or plans.

The inventory issue is not unique to Tesla, it's a wart on the entire auto industry right now.

Too many arm chair quarterbacks in here who don't understand business.

 

[Aerospace2061]

What volume of sales or other events would make Tesla move on from the Cybertruck? Many years? Or is the time coming soon or never?

Straws are being grasped via offerings and with more to come. Production is slowing. Inventory is climbing. Sales are stagnant.

Tesla has plenty of sunk costs in the product, can they recover sales and excitement without adding range or dramatically lowering price?

I’m already putting a little money aside for the CT refresh model. As battery tech continues to improve, it won’t be long before we see 500 mi out of the same size pack, AI5, forward looking side cameras to see the front wheels similar to the rear, and much more coolness not even though of yet.

 

[lakewood305]

I could honestly see S/X/CT all being discontinued and some kind of normal looking, non SS pickup truck being introduced (sort an X/CT mashup).

That will probably be a few years, though. One thing I would be VERY surprised to ever see would be a CT refresh, keeping the SS but with any sort of redesigned body panels.

I think we will see a non SS truck soon. With more normal lines that cant be done in stainless. Also need to keep s and x for high end models to compete with bmw 6 an 7 series. And other high end from Audi, Mercedes etc. We are on second S and love it. Have neighbors on the third one.

 

[lakewood305]

also one big problem to fix. Keep in mind we love our teslas. We have three in the family several are on our second. But this dog wont hunt (tow) at least a reasonable distance. its great beside that. So until they figure that out were stuck with gas. I have a 28 ft center console 7000Lbs+ with twins. add another 1400lbs when full of gas, No way I can switch. I had one on order with the 1k deposit. Wouldnt take delivery. Wanted to but didnt need two trucks and the Chevy will tow. They sent me back both deposits ealier this year.
Its better in all other ways but this is a big problem for ev truck.

 

[DAE1]

I feel as though it’ll be impossible to decouple the political impact, whether via political affiliations of the CEO or financial uncertainty due to tariffs, along with the sheer timing of the first release of this vehicle, and so it’ll be difficult to conclude if this was truly a flop. The X and S have been out for many years, especially the S, and don’t carry the same political stigma nor are they targeted as methodically for digital smear campaigns as the truck.

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