Tesla will return money to Cybertruck customers after announcing the end of pickup truck production

Tesla will refund customers who reserved the Cybertruck due to the model's manufacturing shutdown. The announcement was made by Elon Musk this Monday (9).

On Friday (6), Musk announced the gradual reduction of production in Texas. The objective is to free up space to expand the manufacturing of the Cybercab autonomous taxi.

Launched in 2023, the pickup faced quality problems and recalls. In the United States, sales fell 48% last year, totaling 20,237 units.

Tesla will have to return the money paid in advance by many customers who reserved the Cybertruck, the automaker's electric pickup truck. This is because the company will not be able to produce enough vehicles to meet all orders before ceasing production of the model, scheduled for mid-2027.

The announcement was made by Tesla's executive president, Elon Musk, this Monday (9), in a post on the social network X.

"We will try to manufacture as much as possible before closing the line in about eight months, but we will have to return a lot of people's deposits," said the billionaire.

On Friday (6), Musk had already announced that Tesla intends to gradually reduce production of the Cybertruck at its factory in Texas, in the United States. The unit is the only one in the automaker known to manufacture the model.

To try to serve as many customers as possible before the change, Tesla intends to add an extra shift of work to the production line.

The objective is to free up space and resources to expand the manufacturing of the Cybercab, an electric vehicle developed to function as a driverless taxi. The project is one of Musk's main bets for the company's future.

It is not yet clear whether Cybertruck production will be transferred to another factory or permanently closed. Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Cybertruck had sales below expectations

Launched in late 2023, the Cybertruck was presented by Musk as a futuristic alternative to traditional pickup trucks, such as those manufactured by Ford. However, the model faced difficulties in winning over consumers.

In the United States, sales fell 48% last year, to 20,237 units, according to data from Kelley Blue Book.

The result was far below the expectations previously announced by Musk, who even projected annual sales of up to 250 thousand units.

In addition to lower than expected demand, the Cybertruck faced quality problems and underwent several recalls, when manufacturers need to correct defects identified in vehicles.

Tesla has also changed the pickup's prices several times since launch.

Despite the commercial difficulties, the company claims that the development of the Cybertruck contributed to the automaker's other projects.

"The Cybertruck was an incredible platform for technological development and is still alive in the Cybercab," said Wes Morrill, the model's chief engineer, in a post on X.

Tesla bets on driverless taxis

With the reduction of production of the Cybertruck, Tesla intends to focus more efforts on the Cybercab, a vehicle designed to transport passengers without the need for a driver.

The model is part of Musk's strategy to transform Tesla into a company increasingly focused on robotics and autonomous driving technologies.

The idea is to use Cybercab in a network of robot taxis, in which vehicles can travel without someone at the wheel.