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Elon Musk Says Tesla Will Refund Many Cybertruck Deposits Before Production Ends
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Tesla to refund many Cybertruck deposits as production ends within about eight months. Demand far exceeds production capacity, preventing completion of all outstanding orders.
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Refunds as line winds down
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Tesla will refund deposits to many Cybertruck customers because the company cannot complete all outstanding orders before ending production of the electric pickup. Musk said on X that the Cybertruck order rate was higher than Tesla’s current production rate, and he added, "We will try to make as many as possible before shutting down the line in about 8 months, but will have to return deposits for a lot of people." Anadolu Ajansı reported that Tesla plans to close the Cybertruck production line in about 8 months and redirect resources to Cybercab robotaxi manufacturing.
Kelley Blue Book estimates cited in the reporting showed US sales fell 48% from 38,965 units in 2024 to 20,237 in 2025, leaving Tesla with a gap between demand and output. Tesla began delivering the stainless-steel Cybertruck in late 2023, and Musk said Cybertruck production at Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas would wind down around mid-2027.
Why Tesla chose Cybercab
Musk rejected suggestions that Tesla was ending Cybertruck production because the vehicle was unprofitable, and he said the manufacturing complexity and resources required by the Cybertruck were outweighed by the potential value of producing more Cybercabs. Musk wrote, "This is not a case of Cybertruck being unprofitable," and he said the opportunity cost of the complexity was "vastly outweighed by the value of incremental Cybercab production." Tesla said in its latest quarterly filing that the next stage of its production growth would be driven by autonomous technology and newer products, including the Cybercab and vehicles built on its next-generation platform.
Tesla planned to add an extra production shift to complete more orders before dismantling the line, and the factory space, workers and equipment were expected to be redirected toward expanding Cybercab manufacturing. Quartz reported that Musk’s post came as a reply to claims that the pickup was being dropped over its unprofitability, according to Bloomberg.
What comes next for buyers
Tesla said it would manufacture as many Cybertrucks as possible before closing the production line, but it would still have to return deposits to some customers whose orders fell outside that capacity. Musk did not disclose how many Cybertrucks remained on order, how many customers would receive refunds, or what criteria would determine which orders were fulfilled, according to Anadolu Ajansı. Quartz said Musk’s post was tied to the timing of the line closing next year, and it quoted Musk’s statement that the company would try to make as many vehicles as possible before shutting down the line in about 8 months.
TechCrunch reported that Musk had previously predicted Tesla could sell around 250,000 Cybertrucks annually, while it also noted that reservations never translated into actual sales. The reporting also said Tesla’s Cybercab was designed to operate without a steering wheel or pedals, and it began public rides in parts of Austin, Texas in September, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it was evaluating the rollout.