Tesla has decided to extend production of the Cybertruck electric pickup through late summer 2027, after saying it would end output. The company changed the planned end date three times in just a few days, a move aimed at clearing its existing order backlog.

On Nov. 11 (local time), Elon Musk (일론 머스크), Tesla’s chief executive officer, said on X, formerly Twitter, that production would be extended through late summer 2027 to work through more of the Cybertruck order backlog. He added the decision is not the best choice from the perspective of maximizing profit, but that the world also needs some emotional judgment.

The decision follows a series of changes to the end-of-production timeline. On Nov. 6, Musk said Cybertruck production at Giga Texas would end around mid-2027 to make room for Cybercab production. On Nov. 9, he said the production line would be stopped in about 8 months and that deposits would need to be refunded to a significant number of customers. He then pushed back the end date again to late summer 2027.

Tesla’s explanations for ending production also changed several times. It initially cited the need to secure factory space, and later mentioned opportunity costs tied to limited specialist staff and the complexity of the Cybertruck manufacturing process. Musk has also outlined a plan to wind down the Cybertruck line and expand production of the Cybercab, a self-driving robotaxi without a steering wheel.

Actual sales fell far short of the original target. Before the production-end announcement, the Cybertruck was selling at an annual pace of about 30,000 units, about 10 percent of Tesla’s stated goal of 250,000 a year. The line’s installed production capacity is reported to be more than 125,000 vehicles a year. Tesla forecast annual sales of 150,000 to 250,000 units when it unveiled the model in 2019, but Cox Automotive data showed cumulative sales over the past 3 years totaled about 76,000. That includes vehicles sold to SpaceX in 2025 worth $131 million, or about 175 billion won.

Pricing policies also fueled controversy. On the day it announced plans to end production, Tesla raised Cybertruck prices by as much as 10 percent and halted orders for the base dual-motor model. The lowest price currently available to order is $92,490, or about 124 million won, up sharply from $69,990, or about 93.5 million won, in early August. Some existing reservation holders said they are still waiting for a $59,990 model that was sold for only 10 days in February. One customer asked whether Premium and Cyberbeast orders are being allocated ahead of earlier reservations, but Musk did not respond.

Backlash from Tesla fans also raised questions about future vehicle strategy. Fans urged Musk to reconsider the decision to end production, saying, "Cybercab can't haul my bees." Longtime supporters also demanded a vehicle roadmap beyond late summer 2027 and asked whether Tesla plans to produce other vehicles.

These reactions align with a reduction in Tesla’s consumer vehicle lineup. Tesla started in early 2026 with 5 consumer vehicle programs: Model S, Model X, Model 3, Model Y and the Cybertruck. In spring, it ended production of the Model S and Model X, citing its self-driving strategy. If Cybertruck production also ends, only the Model 3, launched in 2017, and the Model Y, launched in 2020, would remain in the consumer lineup by fall 2027.

Its affordable-vehicle strategy has also shifted toward launching Standard versions with simplified specifications of the existing Model 3 and Model Y, rather than developing a new platform. In the China market, Tesla converted Giga Shanghai into an export hub, and October local retail sales fell 66 percent from a year earlier to the lowest level in more than 4 years.

Separately, Unplugged Performance, a Tesla vehicle tuning company, expressed interest in taking over the Cybertruck production line and paying licensing fees. It is an example showing there is some demand for continued production.

The production extension pushes back the Cybertruck’s discontinuation date, but questions remain over the direction of Tesla’s consumer electric vehicle business. As the end date and the reasons behind it keep changing, attention is on what vehicle strategy Tesla will pursue as it shifts its focus toward self-driving and robotaxis.

In order to work through more of the Cybertruck order backlog, production will be extended through the end of summer 2027