Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s other ventures, SpaceX and xAI, are acquiring Cybertrucks amid flagging public demand for the electric pickup, signaling significant commercial challenges for the vehicle.
SpaceX and AI firm xAI have begun taking deliveries of the futuristic vehicle, according to industry reports and a key Tesla engineer. This unusual strategy aims to reduce mounting inventory for a product that has largely failed to meet initial sales expectations.
Hundreds of Cybertrucks were recently sent to xAI facilities. Wes Morrill, Cybertruck’s chief engineer, confirmed via a social media post on October 7, 2025, that SpaceX is also replacing its existing internal combustion engine (ICE) support fleets with the new electric pickups.
Love to see the ICE support fleets from Tesla and SpaceX get replaced with Cybertruck. When we were engineering it, this was always part of the dream. Never imagined how hard the fleet photos at starbase would go. Looking forward to more of this https://t.co/M69ImCpamk pic.twitter.com/p1lf4FytY9
— Wes (@wmorrill3) October 7, 2025
Musk had initially projected annual sales of 250,000 to 500,000 units for the Cybertruck. However, the vehicle’s commercial performance has been significantly below target, with only 5,385 units sold in the third quarter of the current year.
Analysts now estimate total sales for the year will reach just 20,000 units. Earlier this year, Tesla reportedly slowed Cybertruck production, reallocating workers to the more successful Model Y line after selling only 6,500 units in March.
The Cybertruck generated immense initial excitement upon its reveal six years ago, garnering 200,000 reservations within 72 hours. Its bold, science-fiction-inspired design promised a revolution in the automotive sector.
Despite early enthusiasm, the vehicle’s reputation has been marred by a series of quality control issues. These include accelerator pedal malfunctions, premature tire wear, and reports of components detaching while the vehicle is in motion.
Accumulating stock presents a significant challenge for any automaker, tying up capital and resources in production and storage. Tesla faces pressure to offload these vehicles, potentially even below their planned price.
Rumors suggest Tesla might consider launching the Cybertruck in China, a market not initially part of its strategy, to help absorb excess production. This would require substantial design modifications, as the vehicle’s current design is deemed hazardous to pedestrians, making it unviable for sale in Europe.
While Tesla has shown signs of a global sales recovery, this positive trend is attributed to other models, not the Cybertruck.