End of the Tesla Cybertruck: a commercial disaster, a media triumph

Tesla is preparing to end production of its electric pickup, with production in Texas expected to cease around mid-2027. However, reducing this automotive oddity to a failure would overlook its remarkable media power.

The Cybertruck will leave the industrial scene, but certainly not the memories. Elon Musk announced on November 6 the gradual halt of production at Tesla’s Texas factory around mid-2027, to make more room for the Cybercab. Introduced in 2019, and deliveries starting in November 2023, the pickup will have had a particularly short commercial career.

In terms of sales, it’s hard to call it a success. According to estimates from Kelley Blue Book reported by the Associated Press, its U.S. volumes dropped by 48% in 2025. Recalls and quality issues have also weakened its trajectory. The vehicle intended to disrupt the benchmarks of the American market has not turned curiosity into sustainable demand.

Already Entered into History

However, labeling the Cybertruck a failure without further nuance would be excessive. Its stainless-steel body, improbable angles, and appearance like a vehicle escaped from a video game have given it a rare strength: being immediately recognizable. Admired, mocked, photographed, and discussed, it has kept Tesla in conversations well beyond the circle of potential buyers.

Oscar Wilde found the formula in The Picture of Dorian Gray: “There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” A faithful translation of Lord Henry’s remark, often summarized as “whether for good or ill, as long as they talk about you.”

That said, visibility and desirability do not equate. Being talked about guarantees neither sales nor persuasion. The Cybertruck thus leaves a mixed legacy: disappointed commercial ambition, but a media footprint that many profitable models will never have.

ALSO READ: Guess who is the first customer of the Tesla Cybertruck?

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