Tesla is winding down production of the Cybertruck just three years after the futuristic electric ute went on sale, with Elon Musk turning his attention to robo-taxis and other self-driving vehicles.
The stainless-steel vehicle was intended to challenge petrol and diesel utes, but its launch was followed by mixed public reaction, repeated problems and sales well below Tesla’s expectations.
The Cybertruck attracted unflattering comparisons when it was unveiled, including one observer’s reference to “The Homer”, the famously impractical car from The Simpsons. Another member of the public said: “That thing is so freaking ugly.”
It was also subject to eight separate recalls for defects during its brief production run. Tesla had expected annual sales of more than 250,000 vehicles, but sold only slightly over 20,000 last year.
Tesla Cybertruck never reached Australia
The Cybertruck was never launched in Australia. Customers who had paid deposits of $150,000 were told the planned rollout had been abandoned.
Technology expert Stephen Fenech said the vehicle would not have met Australian requirements. “They were never going to make compliance here in Australia,” he said.
Musk is now betting on robo-taxis and other autonomous cars designed without steering wheels or pedals as Tesla seeks to shape its future around self-driving technology.
The Cybertruck’s decline comes as electric utes and pick-ups continue to struggle to attract buyers, according to Fenech.
“I think that category of vehicle is still not really catching on. There’s a lot of people who are wedded to their petrol and diesel vehicles,” he said.
With production now being wound down, the Cybertruck could ultimately become a collector’s item rather than the mass-market success Tesla had originally projected.
