Tesla will stop making the Cybertruck next year, CEO Elon Musk announced on Friday. The decision marks the end of a production run that began in late 2023 with significant fanfare but ultimately failed to meet market expectations. Industry experts estimate that approximately 71,000 Cybertrucks have been sold since the first deliveries began in November 2023.
Cybertruck sales fall short of hype
The vehicle’s journey started with a dramatic reveal nearly seven years ago. During the initial presentation, head designer Franz von Holzhausen threw a metal ball at the driver’s side window, cracking the glass. The moment drew gasps and murmurs from the crowd, though the mood eventually shifted to support as attendees lined up for test rides. That initial excitement drove reservations to 1 million, a figure Musk cited during a third-quarter earnings call in 2023.
However, reservations never translated into proportional sales. The Cybertruck faced practical hurdles that dampened consumer interest. Musk had promised a 500-mile range and a price tag under $40,000. The final product achieved neither target, according to reports from senior reporter Sean O’Kane. The polarizing design and higher price point kept the vehicle in a niche market, preventing it from becoming the volume seller Tesla had hoped for.
Major shifts in autonomous delivery and mobility
While Tesla consolidates its lineup, other players in the transportation sector are expanding rapidly. Zipline, the autonomous drone delivery startup, announced a new $1.5 billion funding round this week. This capital follows a $600 million Series H raised earlier in 2026, which included an additional $200 million. The company is now valued at $21.5 billion and plans to use the new funds to accelerate expansion into at least four U.S. cities. Zipline is also ramping up its partnership with Walmart to add 300 drone delivery sites across the United States.
In the autonomous vehicle space, Waymo is shaking up its relationship with Uber. The company confirmed it will end its exclusivity agreement with Uber in the Austin and Atlanta markets starting in January 2028. This move follows months of speculation about the two companies diverging paths. Meanwhile, Uber reported during its third-quarter earnings call that AI agents have had minimal impact on ride ordering. Only four rides were booked through AI agents during the company’s busiest week in October, which included Halloween.
Other notable developments include the electric truck startup Harbinger, which raised a $240 million Series D round to expand its portfolio of battery storage and defense applications. Humble Robotics secured $51 million in Series A funding, bringing its total to $75 million less than a year after founding. The round was led by Obvious Ventures with participation from Eclipse and Energy Impact Partners.
Industry updates and personnel changes
Ferrari reported that its first electric car, the Luce, is fully allocated for 2027. The model remains one of the brand’s most polarizing releases but has secured all available orders for the upcoming year. Ford unveiled a new privacy promise, committing to keep customer vehicle data safe and giving users control over what they share. The automaker also launched a website to educate customers on data usage and settings.
May Mobility and Forterra advanced to phase three of the Department of Defense’s Robotic Operations for Autonomous Delivery and Sustainment prize challenge. The initiative aims to test and adopt commercial self-driving vehicles for military use. Serve Robotics announced plans to launch a new business line called Physical AI Services. The company will continue its autonomous delivery operations while also becoming a technology supplier to other robot builders.
Static Media acquired automotive news site CarScoops, adding it to a portfolio that includes Engadget, Jalopnik, and SlashGear. Amazon also made Uber Eats its official restaurant delivery partner for Prime members in the United States, ending its existing deal with Grubhub. A micromobility startup spun out of Rivian in 2025 quietly walked away from an electric two-wheeler pilot project in Kenya to focus on consumer e-bikes and autonomous vehicles.
In personnel news, senior reporter Sean O’Kane is leaving TechCrunch to join the Wall Street Journal to cover Tesla. O’Kane had produced numerous investigations and scoops on the automotive industry, including coverage of Fisker and Waymo. His departure marks the end of a long collaboration with the TechCrunch Mobility team.
Source: TechCrunch
