Tesla Stops Taking Orders for Cheapest Cybertruck in the U.S.

Tesla has halted orders for the least expensive version of its Cybertruck, priced at $61,000, according to the company’s website. Instead, the $100,000 variant of the vehicle is now available for immediate order, with delivery as soon as this month.

The decision comes as Tesla closely monitors demand and supply for the Cybertruck, a key focus for CEO Elon Musk, who aims to produce 200,000 units per year. The Cybertruck, which features a unique trapezoidal design inspired by the “Blade Runner” movie and a stainless-steel body, began deliveries in November 2023 after several delays.

Initially, Musk estimated the truck would cost $40,000 and have a range of over 500 miles. However, the $61,000 version that is no longer available for order offered a 250-mile range and was targeted for delivery in 2025. Now, customers can only order the dual-motor variant at $99,990, which has a 318-mile range and could be delivered as early as this month, or the tri-motor Cyberbeast at $119,990 with a 301-mile range, available in October.

This move has raised questions about the actual demand for the Cybertruck. While Tesla had reportedly received 1 million reservations as of October, some customers were holding out for the less expensive versions due to rising prices and lower-than-expected driving ranges. Analyst Sam Abuelsamid of Guidehouse Insights noted that this decision might indicate demand is not as high as initially thought.

Despite these challenges, the Cybertruck sold nearly 4,800 units in July, making it the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. priced over $100,000. To date, Tesla has sold over 16,000 units of the Cybertruck, though sustaining high sales volume at this price point could prove difficult, according to Cox Automotive.