Tesla’s Cybertruck surpassed the Ford F-150 Lightning as the leading electric pickup in May, according to the latest U.S. registration data.
The Cybertruck’s sales performance placed it fifth among all battery-electric vehicles for the month, as reported by S&P Global Mobility. The F-150 Lightning ranked tenth among electric vehicles, reports Automotive News.
Since Tesla does not separate U.S. sales from its global figures, registration data is used as an alternative measure.
The Cybertruck, which starts at over $100,000 including shipping, recorded 3,907 registrations in May, S&P Global Mobility reported. The pickup, which launched on November 30, is currently available in limited-run Foundation Series versions.
“It’s surprising because the Cybertruck is such a unique, one-of-a-kind, unusual vehicle, really as far out of the mainstream as you can get,” said Tom Libby, associate director of industry analysis at S&P Global Mobility. “On the other hand, it doesn’t surprise me because Elon Musk thrives on doing things like this.”
Ford’s F-150 Lightning, released in spring 2022, had 2,353 registrations in May, according to the data. The Rivian R1T, launched in late 2021, came in third with 1,237 registrations.
The F-150 Lightning starts at $57,090 with shipping for the commercial Pro model and $65,090 for the retail XLT trim, while the R1T starts at $71,700 including shipping.
In June, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that production at its Austin, Texas, factory had reached 1,300 units per week. Musk also revealed that a lower-cost Cybertruck would be released this year, and in October, he noted that there were over 1 million Cybertruck reservations.
Electric pickups from General Motors had far lower registration numbers in May compared to their competitors (Mary, you still there?). The Chevrolet Silverado EV recorded 668 registrations, and the GMC Hummer EV had 359. The Silverado became available in limited quantities late last year, and the Hummer pickup launched in early 2022.
For the first five months of the year, the Cybertruck had 7,879 registrations, trailing the F-150 Lightning’s 13,443. The Rivian R1T recorded 3,881 registrations in the same period.
Libby commented on the future prospects of the Cybertruck, stating, “I just don’t see how it becomes anything approaching a mainstream vehicle, given its design. However, Elon Musk is so visionary, he’s so out in front of everyone else, and he’s succeeded. That’s why I’m not going to dismiss it completely. Frankly, if it was from another company, I would dismiss it.”
Last week it was reported the Cybertruck was the best-selling US car over $100,000 in June. This latest data also confirms a report from earlier this month that said Cybertruck was the best selling electric pickup in Q2.
