Image: Tesla
Tesla’s Cybertruck may still turn heads, but new sales data shows the electric pickup’s momentum cooled faster than any other EV in the U.S. last year.
According to new figures from Cox Automotive, first reported by Autoblog, the Cybertruck experienced the steepest year-over-year sales decline of any electric vehicle nameplate in 2025. After its first full year on sale in 2024 delivered nearly 39,000 units, Cybertruck sales dropped sharply to just over 20,000 units in 2025 — a decline of roughly 48%.
The slowdown became especially pronounced toward the end of the year. Fourth-quarter Cybertruck sales fell more than 68% year-over-year, sliding from nearly 13,000 units in Q4 2024 to just over 4,100 units in Q4 2025. That kind of drop stands out because the Cybertruck wasn’t a low-volume niche product — it was moving meaningful numbers before demand reversed.
Much of this appears tied to the vehicle’s highly polarizing nature. The Cybertruck’s radical design helped fuel early adopter excitement, but that same distinctiveness may have limited its appeal once reservation holders were satisfied and mainstream buyers started weighing everyday usability. Real-world tradeoffs, particularly in harsh weather conditions, have become more visible over time, and novelty alone doesn’t always translate into long-term demand.
That said, the Cybertruck story isn’t all negative. Tesla’s life-saving all-electric pickup truck has earned strong safety recognition, and Tesla continued improving the vehicle in 2025 by rolling out complete Full Self-Driving functionality, including reversing and parking, with FSD 14. Owner anecdotes have also highlighted the system’s potential benefits in critical situations.
Still, pricing pressures and product mix likely played a role. Tesla discontinued its cheapest Cybertruck trim in the U.S. during the year, while a supplier report late in 2025 suggested long-term battery orders tied to the Cybertruck were slashed by roughly 99% as demand softened. At the same time, Tesla expanded Cybertruck availability into new international markets, including South Korea and parts of the Middle East, suggesting the company may be looking abroad to balance slowing U.S. interest.
For Tesla, the challenge now is sustaining Cybertruck demand without relying purely on hype. For the broader EV market, the data serves as a reminder that even the most talked-about vehicles eventually face the same reality check: long-term success depends on practicality, price, and perception once the buzz fades.
