Those of you who have been reading my work for any time know that, when it comes to vehicles, I'm of a traditional mind. I prefer gas or diesel, as our rural lifestyle, not to mention our Alaska winters, makes electric or hybrid vehicles less desirable and less practical. When it comes to trucks, I've made my choice, and I'm pleased with my massive F-350, a diesel-engine beast which can tow a building and weighs as much as an armored personnel carrier. That's my choice, of course, and all other drivers are free to make their choices, as well. That's how it should be. Every cat its own rat, as my grandfather was fond of saying.
But being of a traditional mind when it comes to trucks, I wasn't terribly surprised to see that Tesla Cybertruck sales are cratering.
In the second quarter of 2025, Tesla sold just 4,306 Cybertrucks, down a staggering 50.8% from the 8,755 units it delivered during the same period last year, according to new data from Kelley Blue Book. This plunge is a signal that America’s most hyped truck may already be out of gas.
When the Cybertruck was first revealed in November 2019, Elon Musk called it a “better truck than an F-150, faster than a Porsche 911.” Its sci-fi stainless steel exoskeleton and futuristic angles made it an instant viral sensation, and a lightning rod for debate. But almost six years later, the truck’s surreal design, awkward size, high price, and late delivery have turned it into a niche curiosity, not a mass-market hit.
The Cybertruck officially launched in November 2023, years behind schedule, with base models starting at $72,235 and top-tier variants pushing well beyond $100,000. Early reviews raised red flags over software glitches, poor fit and finish, and disappointing range for a vehicle of its size.
For comparison, in the first year of the Edsel's release (1958), Ford Motor Company sold 63,110 Edsels in the United States. Add to that the fact that the U.S. population was about half what it is today. We all knew how that car, most notable for bearing a giant horse collar on its grill, turned out.
Has the Cybertruck run its course? Maybe it has. This strikes me as a niche-market item, and it may well be that most of the people who want one already have one. We've seen niche-market fads like this before, from the AMC Pacer to the Smart Car, and they always fade out pretty quickly.
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And let's face it - the Cybertruck is not only ugly, it's not really a truck. It doesn't have a cargo bed so much as a trunk. It's basically a coupe, and I'm betting my 1966 Ford Galaxie 500 had more storage space in its trunk than the Cybertruck has in its cargo area. You could make the case for the Cybertruck being a crossover, or even a small SUV, but it's not really a truck. You won't see one pulling a trailer full of construction lumber, and you won't find one way up at the end of a jeep trail in some remote mountains.
No, the Cybertruck was a fad. And now it may well be a fad that's run its course. And, yes, it's still ugly.
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