Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has said the company will cease production of its Cybertruck next year after the much-hyped autonomous electric vehicle did not meet lofty expectations.
Tesla will instead focus on boosting output of its Cybercab robotaxi, Mr Musk said in a post on his X platform.
"Tesla will be winding down production of the Cybertruck at Gigafactory Texas around the middle of next year to make room for increased Cybercab production," he said, without providing further details.
The Cybertruck, launched to much fanfare in 2019, was hyped as a powerful, sturdy – and even bulletproof – pick-up truck. Mr Musk had said Texas-based Tesla aimed to sell up to 250,000 of the vehicles a year.
But it failed to gain momentum owing to a mix of issues, including a failure to meet price promises, partly due to soaring production costs – it shot up to as high as $100,000 from its initial $39,900 price tag. Other issues included divisive aesthetics and safety concerns.
Calculations vary, but industry estimates show Tesla fell way short of its sales expectations, only selling as many as 50,000 Cybertrucks. The vehicle also famously failed a durability test when its windows shattered after being hit by a metal ball during a live demonstration at its 2019 launch.
Production of the Cybertruck was intended to be Tesla's latest grand move after the success of its electric sedans, which have helped to make it one of the world's most valuable companies and sent Mr Musk to the top of the world's rich list.
The vehicle was the subject of several tests posted online by buyers, including pitting it against more established pick-ups in extreme conditions and checking claims it was bulletproof. The results were mixed, prompting users to question its quality and utility.
Aside from the Cybercab plans, Tesla last month also introduced its next-generation Roadster, the highest-end model of which was given the ability to "fly" using built-in thrusters developed by Mr Musk's other venture, SpaceX.
The latest Roadster, which is to go into production in 2028, is said to go from zero to 100kph in one second, significantly faster than the first-generation model.
Tesla has started accepting reservations for the Roadster. In the UAE, customers can reserve with an initial refundable payment of Dh20,000 ($4,847), followed by another Dh190,000 and Dh1 million for the Performance and Thrust models, respectively. The "flying" Rocket version is not available in the Emirates.
