Tesla’s Cybertruck is winding down production after a short, troubled run marked by recalls and low sales. Elon Musk had predicted 250,000 annual units, but fewer than 12,000 were sold in the first nine months of 2026. The angular vehicle, once hyped as a boat or Mars rover, is being replaced by the Cybercab self-driving taxi.
Despite its failure, the Cybertruck’s engineering lessons are being redirected to future projects like Optimus, Musk’s humanoid robot, which he claims could reach a $25tn market cap. Analysts like Morgan Stanley’s Adam Jonas and Deutsche Bank had long viewed the truck as a niche “cult car,” contributing at most 5% of Tesla’s gross profit by 2028. Tesla’s valuation remains inflated at 11 times revenue, similar to SpaceX’s $1.7tn enterprise value, far above legacy automakers like General Motors and Ford.
Musk’s ability to sell vision — not just vehicles — continues to drive investor enthusiasm, even as the Cybertruck fades into a costly footnote.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing