Olivia Hart

Tesla will wind down Cybertruck production at Gigafactory Texas in the middle of next year, redirecting plant capacity toward higher Cybercab output, chief executive Elon Musk said. Musk confirmed the decision on X, explaining that the change would enable higher volumes of the autonomous Cybercab.

He also remarked that he still anticipated Cybertrucks would remain on the roads “for a long time,” separating the manufacturing timetable from the vehicle’s expected service life.

What changes at Gigafactory Texas?

For Tesla’s plant operation, the decision moves assembly capacity from the Cybertruck toward Cybercab production. It does not yet settle the truck’s longer-term manufacturing status: press reports linked the change to years of weak Cybertruck sales, but it remained unconfirmed whether production would shift to another site or cease permanently.

The practical distinction is between production and ownership. Tesla’s stated change concerns factory output. Musk’s separate comment addresses the existing fleet, while his “for a long time” wording points to continued road use well beyond the factory timetable.

Why does Cybercab take priority?

Musk’s stated rationale was capacity: ending Cybertruck output would support higher Cybercab volumes. Lead Cybertruck engineer Wes Morrill reinforced that logic on X, calling the vehicle “an incredible technology development platform and lives on through Cybercab.”

That formulation changes what the wind-down means for product development. Tesla presents Cybertruck not only as a pickup line to be closed, but as engineering work that can carry into Cybercab. For operations and investment teams, the measurable commitment is the redirection of Texas manufacturing capacity; the scale and timing of that output remain unstated.

What did Cybertruck contribute?

Tesla first showed the Cybertruck as a prototype in 2019. The all-electric pickup, recognizable by sharp angular lines and a stainless-steel exterior, reached commercial availability in the United States in late 2023. The interval separated the prototype debut from the truck’s commercial launch.

The Cybertruck sat within Tesla’s passenger and commercial portfolio alongside the Model Y, Model 3, Model S, Model X, Semi and Roadster. Its production scheduled to end does not remove it from that portfolio immediately, because vehicles already built will continue to circulate under Musk’s stated expectation.

What do Tesla’s third-quarter figures show?

The manufacturing adjustment coincided with Tesla’s third-quarter 2026 results. Tesla built 464,391 vehicles, delivered 486,532 vehicles and installed 13.7 GWh of energy storage products.

Overall output remained heavily concentrated in high-volume models. The company’s figures break down as follows:

• Model 3 and Model Y: 457,387 units produced and 478,237 delivered; 1% was subject to operating lease accounting.
• Other vehicle lines: 7,004 units manufactured and 8,295 deliveries; 4% was subject to operating lease accounting.
• Total deliveries: 486,532 vehicles; 1% was subject to operating lease accounting.

How sharp was the earnings contraction?

Tesla’s net income attributable to common stockholders contracted 42.7% year on year in the third quarter of 2026, falling to $787m from $1.37bn in the prior-year period. Basic earnings per share dropped 44.2%, from $0.43 to $0.24. Diluted earnings per share fell 43.6%, from $0.39 to $0.22, as total operating expenses grew 39.2% to $4.78bn from $3.43bn.

What does the decision change?

For shareholders and plant planners, the Cybertruck wind-down is a calculated shift in manufacturing priority, not an end to the vehicle’s road presence. Tesla is concentrating its Texas output on Cybercab while most production remains in Model 3 and Model Y.

The earnings release adds pressure to that transition. A 42.7% decline in net income, alongside a 39.2% rise in operating expenses, leaves Tesla with a narrower profit base as it commits capacity to Cybercab. The unresolved questions are whether Cybertruck output moves elsewhere, when Cybercab production rises and whether that shift improves earnings.