No One Wants Tesla's Cybertruck: Sales Fall Short Amid Growing Frustration with Musk

Tesla Cybertruck sales underperformed in Q1, dropping more than 50 percent compared to sales in Q4 of 2024, reflecting a broader motif for the electric car manufacturer, which has faced market volatility and decreasing sales as its CEO has taken a role in the Trump administration.

In the last quarter, Tesla sold roughly 6,400 Cybertrucks – more than double the number from the same time last year but significantly fewer than the 12,900 sold in the final quarter of 2024, according to research firm Cox Automotive.

It’s the second consecutive quarter Tesla has seen a dip in Cybertruck sales. Sales peaked during Q3 of 2024 with roughly 16,600 sold.

The distinctive-looking electric truck has faced a series of challenges over the last few months, with safety regulators recalling more than 46,000 vehicles , an explosive detonation inside a Cybertruck in January, and people aiming at automobiles, car dealerships, and vendors motivated by politics.

However, sales do not appear to be related to a lack of demand for electric vehicles.

Overall sales of electric vehicles in the United States rose 11 percent during the first quarter, according to Cox Automotive. Approximately 7.5 percent of all new vehicle sales in the first quarter were electric cars – up from the previous year.

The Cybertruck was brought into the electric vehicle industry in 2023 , and at the time, Musk touted that more than one million people had paid a $100 refundable deposit to reserve one.

“Demand was off the charts,” Musk said at the time, though the Tesla CEO contended that it would take roughly 18 months to see a positive cash flow from the Cybertruck.

Although Musk promoted the vehicle as much-anticipated, it hasn’t lived up to these expectations.

In the previous year, Tesla managed to sell approximately 39,000 Cybertrucks, which accounted for under 5 percent of their overall sales figures.

The extent of sales impact on Tesla's Cybertruck stock levels remains uncertain, with conflicting reports suggesting potential overstocking. Since public tracking isn’t an option, it appears the firm is making efforts to address this issue. Recently, Tesla reassigned employees from Cybertruck manufacturing at their original facility to the plant in Austin, where they now focus on producing more sought-after models instead. Business Insider reported in January.

It has also reduced production goals for multiple Cybertruck models in recent months, according to employees aware of the situation. Business Insider It has been reported that production lines have been reduced as well; currently, some are operating at only a portion of their former capacity.

The challenges faced by Cybertrucks have emerged as Musk navigates multiple positions within various enterprises and the Trump administration.

As a "special government employee," Musk serves as a senior advisor to Trump, participating in cabinet meetings and leading initiatives for the Department of Government Efficiency.

The general public has mostly disagreed with Musk’s leadership in implementing extensive reductions within the federal workforce. poll from the Washington Post , ABC News and Ipsos discovered that merely 35 percent of Americans agree with Musk’s stance regarding the White House. Likewise, Silver Bulletin found that 38 percent of individuals agreed with Musk's stance Fox News found 39 percent of people approve.

The general public’s disdain for Musk has resulted in worldwide boycotts of Tesla , with vehicles or dealerships becoming victims of vandalism and harassment in the U.S.

Tesla’s stock has been going down since it peaked in December, after Trump won the presidential election. It saw its largest dip between February and March.

Even overseas, registrations of new Tesla vehicles, other than the Cybertruck, dropped nearly 46 percent in Germany, 62 percent in, 59 percent in France and 80 percent in Sweden compared to last year, according to the New York Times . Some of that decline can be attributed to fewer deliveries of Tesla’s newest Model Y.

However, not all hope is dashed for the Cybertruck.

Given Tesla manufactures most of their vehicles in the U.S., the company may see sales increase over the next year as consumers face Trump’s tariffs on vehicles and vehicle parts.

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