Tesla Cybertruck sales plunged 48% in 2025
Sales of Tesla's electric Cybertruck fell 48% in 2025, new data shows.
Tesla sold 20,237 Cybertrucks in 2025, down from 38,965 the previous year, according to figures from Kelley Blue Book's annual electric vehicle (EV) sales reports.
Other Tesla models also struggled to entice buyers, with sales of the automaker's X, S and Y vehicles all falling year-over-year. Tesla's Model 3 was the only vehicle in its lineup to see stronger demand, with sales rising to 192,440, up 1.3% from 2024, according to Kelley Blue Book.
Tesla cited "uncertainty from shifting trade, tariff and fiscal policy" as some of the headwinds it was facing in a presentation last year. The company remains the dominant seller of electric vehicles in the U.S., accounting for around 46% in 2025.
"It's been an uphill battle for sales, but a long demand curve ahead," said tech analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In January, the company said it delivered 1.64 million vehicles in 2025, down 9% from 1.79 million in 2024. Tesla has been eclipsed by China's BYD as the world's biggest EV maker.
Tesla isn't the only EV maker to see weaker sales. Across the auto industry, electric vehicle sales last year totaled roughly 1.3 million, a 2% drop from 2024.
One obstacle is affordability, given that electric cars remain generally pricier than gas-powered vehicles. As of November, the average price of a new EV was $58,638, versus less than $50,000 for conventional cars, according to Cox Automotive.
The tax and spending bill passed by Congress last year also eliminated tax credits for both new and used EVs, which critics warned could make the cars unaffordable for many people.
Multiple recalls
Tesla launched the futuristic-looking steel Cybertruck in 2023 at a starting price of $60,990. At the time, Tesla CEO Elon Musk touted them as the strongest pickup truck on the road, able to tow 11,000 pounds.
However, the trucks have faced a rash of mechanical and other problems. Last year, Tesla recalled 46,000 Cybertrucks over an issue with the trim panel, which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said could detach from the vehicle and pose a risk to other drivers.
The vehicle has also faced recalls for issues with its rearview camera, windshield wipers and accelerator pedals.
Cybertrucks also became a flashpoint in the debate over Musk's role in the Trump administration as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency. In a sign of protest, some people vandalized Cybertrucks at Tesla dealerships.
Catalysts for growth
Despite such challenges, Tesla's stock price has performed well, rising rougly 9% to $450.39 over the last 12 months. Ives expects the carmaker's strength in self-driving technology and so-called robotaxis to drive growth.
Some Wall Street analysts also have high hopes for a humanoid robot, dubbed Optimus, that Tesla is developing and expects to roll out commercially over the next year. Speaking at the annual World Economic Forum event in Davos, Switzerland, Musk said Thursday that Optimus robots are currently performing "simple tasks" at Tesla plants.
"By the end of this year, I think they will be doing more complex tasks, and probably by the end of next year, I think we'd be selling humanoid robots to the public," he said.
The market for humanoid robotics is today valued at between $2 billion and $3 billion, according to Barclays analysts. But the investment bank expects the sector to expand to at least $40 billion by 2035, and perhaps by as much as $200 billion, as AI-powered robots enter labor-intensive sectors, such as manufacturing.
