The Cybertruck was supposed to symbolize the future of the electric pickup truck. Less than a year after its launch, Tesla is facing unsold inventory and a resale that is turning into a fiasco. The first trade-in offers show a sharp discount for this highly anticipated model.
The Tesla Cybertruck has had a much more complicated start than expected. After years of waiting and nearly two million pre-orders, sales are not keeping up with the production rate. According to estimates, around 10,000 units are currently unsold in the manufacturer's warehouses. Even the iconic vehicle's status wasn't enough to create lasting demand. As a result, the manufacturer now finds itself with a piling inventory and hesitant buyers.
In this difficult context, Tesla has begun accepting Cybertruck trade-ins, more than a year after the first deliveries. But the first offers sent to owners are far from reassuring. For a new Foundation Series model listed at $99,990 (around €92,000), Tesla is offering between $60,500 (€55,700) and $65,400 (€60,200). That's a loss of 34 to 39% in less than a year, even for vehicles that are rarely used, sometimes with barely 10,000 km on the clock.
Tesla is offering trade-ins with a dazzling discount on the Cybertruck
This loss of value is well higher than the market average. A study by ISeeCars showed in March 2024 that electric cars lose an average of 28.9% of their value between their first and fifth year. In the case of the Cybertruck, the depreciation reaches up to 39% in just under twelve months. This is much more than the average for Teslas, which have already been affected, and well above thermal models, some of which only lose 10% over the same period. Such a rapid drop shows that demand is collapsing for this vehicle, which is nevertheless presented as a future collector's item.
Reselling is therefore becoming a real headache for first-time buyers. Especially since Tesla is known for lowering its offers once the process has begun. And while third-party platforms sometimes offer even less, this doesn't change the trend: the Cybertruck, although advertised as a collector's item, is subject to market forces. The global slowdown in sales of electric pickup trucks and competition aren't helping matters. The euphoria has passed, and economic reality has quickly caught up with the vehicle's futuristic image.
0 Comments