Tesla Drops Cheapest Cybertruck Model, Focuses on Premium Buyers

From Everyman’s Truck to Elitist Symbol: Tesla’s CyberTracker Retreat

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Tesla has quietly withdrawn the most affordable variant of its Cybertruck from the U.S. configurator, narrowing the line-up to just the All-Wheel-Drive and the flagship Cyberbeast models. The Long-Range Rear-Wheel-Drive version, introduced scarcely five months ago at $69,990, was intended to undercut the range by $10,000. Its abrupt disappearance, however, suggests that the strategy backfired rather than bolstered sales of Tesla’s polarising pick-up.

At launch, the entry-level option drew derision from critics who argued that its modest price reduction failed to justify the loss of key features. By stripping away a motor, downgrading suspension, and replacing powered conveniences with manual alternatives, Tesla created a pared-down vehicle that lacked the very hallmarks of desirability. The result was a truck perceived not as value-driven but as compromised.

The sales figures underline this malaise. In Q2 2025, Cybertruck deliveries slumped to just 4,306 units, a far cry from the lofty targets of 250,000 units per annum that Tesla once proclaimed. While 2024 saw 39,000 sales making it the top-selling electric pick-up, this year it has already been overtaken by rivals such as GMC’s Hummer EV and Ford’s F-150 Lightning, both niche players themselves. Elon Musk’s earlier musings of a half-million production capacity now appear overly quixotic.

The wider U.S. electric pick-up market is also flagging. Ram recently shelved plans for its EV entry, citing tepid demand, underscoring broader consumer hesitancy. In parallel, Tesla has been steadily repositioning itself as a premium marque, raising prices of its higher-end offerings through mandatory “Luxe Packages.” Against this backdrop, the Cybertruck’s repositioning looks less like an anomaly and more like a deliberate pivot toward exclusivity.

Ultimately, Tesla’s decision underscores a hard truth: the dream of democratizing the CyberTracker is yielding to a reality where it is rebranded as a prestige symbol rather than an accessible workhorse.