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Despite Elon Musk’s bold promises, the Tesla Cybertruck is struggling. While Musk once described it as a game-changer for the pickup truck market, the reality has been far less impressive. Official sales numbers for the Cybertruck are hard to come by because Tesla doesn’t separate its models in detail. Still, recent reports and data give us a good idea of how it’s performing, and it’s not good.
Between April and June this year, Tesla delivered about 384,000 vehicles worldwide. That’s a 13.5% drop compared to the same period last year, which is a major red flag. Even more concerning is that Tesla only delivered about 10,400 vehicles in the “other models” category. This group includes the Model S, Model X, and the Cybertruck. That number is down more than 50% from the same quarter last year, when Tesla sold over 21,500 vehicles in the same group.
How many of those 10,400 deliveries were Cybertrucks? Tesla won’t say. However, in the first three months of the year, registration data showed that around 7,100 of the 12,900 “other” models sold were Cybertrucks. Based on that trend, it’s likely that Tesla sold between 5,000 and 6,000 Cybertrucks from April to June. That’s far below the ambitious goal Musk once shared of building 250,000 Cybertrucks a year by 2025. Halfway through 2025, Tesla is nowhere near that target.
Why is Tesla’s Cybertruck not meeting expectations?
Several problems have held the Cybertruck back. Its high price, ranging from $80,000 to $100,000, makes it less appealing to average buyers. Some early owners say the truck’s real-world range is closer to 200 miles, far below the 500 miles that was originally promised. The vehicle has also had multiple recalls, including one where a steel panel fell off while driving. Other promised features, like a range extender, have disappeared without explanation.
There’s also the issue of the Cybertruck’s unique design. Inspired by the movie Blade Runner, its bold look has made it a magnet for criticism and even vandalism. The truck has also become tied to political identity, particularly among supporters of the MAGA movement, which may be turning off some potential buyers.
Even if every single one of the 10,400 “other” deliveries last quarter were Cybertrucks, it still wouldn’t be enough to keep pace with competitors. Ford, GM, and Rivian all offer electric trucks that, while also facing slow sales, were never surrounded by the same level of hype.
At the same time, Tesla is losing ground in global markets. The Chinese automaker BYD sold 1 million electric vehicles in the first half of 2025, far ahead of Tesla’s total of around 721,000. Tesla is at risk of losing its crown as the world’s largest EV maker.
Tesla’s stock has taken a hit this year, falling about 17%. Still, over the last five years, its stock has climbed nearly 300%, making loyal investors very wealthy. Many of these investors continue to believe in Musk’s larger vision of a future filled with AI and driverless technology.
But Musk’s habit of overpromising and underdelivering has been a constant theme. The Cybertruck is just the latest example of a product that didn’t live up to the hype, and it’s raising serious questions about where Tesla is headed next.