Who could have seen this coming? Tesla’s stainless-steel wonder truck has slammed into a wall of consumer reality. In the third quarter of 2025, Tesla sold just over 5,400 Cybertrucks, marking a staggering 62.6 percent drop from the same period last year. That’s according to data from Cox Automotive, which confirms Tesla’s so-called futuristic pickup is now one of the company’s slowest sellers.
The number is even more embarrassing given that the rest of the EV market is thriving. The third quarter was a record-setter for electric car sales across the industry, as buyers scrambled to take advantage of the federal EV tax credit before it expired in late September. With companies like Ford, Rivian, and even Chevrolet speeding ahead, Tesla’s once-dominant position now looks shaky and the Cybertruck is the weak link dragging it down.
It’s not hard to see why. The vehicle’s polarizing design, sky-high prices, and production headaches have all eroded interest. Early hype promised a $39,990 entry price, but the cheapest version now starts around eighty thousand dollars. Add in uneven quality, bizarre design proportions, and Elon Musk’s increasingly chaotic public image, and you have a perfect storm of falling demand.
Musk once claimed Tesla could build and sell a quarter million Cybertrucks per year. Nearly two years on, cumulative global sales barely top sixteen thousand. Meanwhile, Ford has moved roughly twice as many F-150 Lightnings during the same period, proving that conventional design and practicality still win over stainless style and sci-fi swagger.
The Cybertruck’s downfall is a reality check. For all the talk of unbreakable glass, bulletproof panels, and Mars-ready versatility, the market has spoken. Consumers may love futuristic ideas, but when the future finally arrives looking like a steel wedge priced like a small house, they’ll take a hard pass.
