- Tesla Cybertruck sales dropped by 32.5% in February, according Cox Automotive.
- Cybertruck sales have been on a downward trajectory for months, suggesting a demand problem.
- The wider backlash against Tesla could also be harming Cybertruck sales.
The Tesla Cybertruck may be America’s best-selling electric truck, but lately, it’s not doing so hot. On Thursday, Tesla said it was recalling over 46,000 of the trucks—basically every one it’s ever made—to fix trim panels that are prone to flying off while the vehicle is in motion. On top of that, demand for the brutalist pickup appears to be falling off.
Cybertruck sales in the U.S. dropped by 32.5% between January and February to an estimated 2,619 units, according to data provided to InsideEVs by Cox Automotive. Not exactly an ideal outcome for a vehicle that Tesla CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly called the brand’s “best product ever.”
The automaker’s sales overall dropped by 10% during that same period, and sales of the Model 3 sedan fell 17.5%, the firm said.
There are several reasons this might be happening. One possible culprit is Musk himself. The unelected billionaire’s effort to slash government spending, perhaps unlawfully, has sparked intense protests at Tesla showrooms and damaged the brand’s previously stellar reputation among progressives. People are getting rid of their Teslas. They’re swearing off of buying new ones. They’re picking up sassy anti-Musk bumper stickers like they’re going out of style. And the automaker’s stock is in the toilet this year.
So it stands to reason that the most in-your-face endorsement of Tesla and Musk—a macho, bullet-proof truck with an “f-you” attitude—isn’t exactly flying off of shelves right now. Now, if Republicans suddenly embrace Tesla in large numbers, that could turn the tide. President Trump made a big show of buying a Tesla in front of the White House recently, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick promoted buying the company’s stock on TV. But that’s a big if, given that right-leaning folks, by and large, want little to do with EVs.
Plus, demand may be naturally hitting its limit for a vehicle that was probably never going to be an enormous hit. I’ve tested the Cybertruck, and I think it’s an impressive machine. It boasts innovative features like steer-by-wire, four-wheel steering and a 48-volt electrical system. Whether you’re a fan of its controversial design or not (I think it looks cool—sue me), it grabs your attention like no other vehicle on sale.
Photo by: InsideEVs
The 2024 Tesla Cybertruck.
But, as many auto industry analysts have told me since the Cybertruck went on sale in late 2023, this is fundamentally an expensive, weird-looking, niche product that isn’t going to be taking on the Ford F-150 anytime soon. For its first several months on sale, the truck cost well over $100,000, and now you can get one for a little over $70,000—still a far cry from its originally advertised price of $39,900. Musk has targeted an ambitious production rate of 250,000 Cybertrucks per year. One analyst last year estimated it’ll probably top out at more like 55,000 sales annually.
Indeed, signs of slowing Cybertruck demand have been bubbling up for months. Sales took off briskly through the first nine months of last year, hitting nearly 17,000 units in the third quarter, per Cox estimates. But they sank to around 13,000 in the final three months of the year.
Photo by: InsideEVs
The 2024 Tesla Cybertruck.
Some Tesla factory workers were moved off of the Cybertruck line to help build the higher-volume Model Y in January, Business Insider reported. Tesla offered a no-joke incentive—free Supercharging for life—to move limited-edition “Foundation Series” trucks out of inventory. It has dropped the lease price for Cybertrucks. Tesla is far from the only automaker lathering on incentives to move cars, but when any brand slaps on discounts it’s a sign that supply is outstripping demand.
To be sure, the Cybertruck’s many recalls (this is the second one concerning loose trim) may have slowed down production, dinging delivery figures as Tesla worked to correct issues. And even with the recent slump, the Cybertruck ended 2024 with a Cox-estimated 39,000 sales, snagging it the title of America’s best-selling electric pickup over rivals like the Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T. It was also the fifth-best-selling EV in the country.
But was that mostly early hype from diehard Tesla fans? Or does the Cybertruck have legitimate staying power and room to grow?
A few months of weaker sales don’t provide a clear answer. And given Tesla’s struggling sales globally, eroding enthusiasm for the brand and a long-promised cheaper car that’s still MIA, that’s just one of the many Cybertruck-sized question marks the automaker faces in 2025.
Got a tip to share about the EV world? Do you drive a Tesla Cybertruck and want to talk about it? Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com
