By Maxim (October 30, 2024)
If you’re tired of hearing about the Cybertruck, you’re not alone. Since it was first unveiled as a prototype in 2019, the electric truck’s sharp features, boxy frame, and hefty price tag have been the subject of endless memes and criticism — following the wave of fanatic pre-release excitement.
Now it’s been nearly a year since those 2 million or so pre-order customers started receiving their trucks, and in that time, the vehicle has received some pretty intense criticism for its appearance, its design flaws, and its notoriously high price tag.
But weirdly, none of that — not even its growing average transaction price, now north of $116,000 — has stopped the truck from turning into a pretty big success. Here’s what’s happening:
- A wave of popularity: The Cybertruck is now the country’s best-selling electric pickup truck, with around 16,000 vehicles purchased in the third quarter of this year.
- No problems with price: The truck is also the country’s best-selling vehicle over $100,000 — clear evidence that enough drivers are comfortable with the cost.
- The influencer effect: As we’ve noted here before, the Cybertruck has become a bit of a status symbol, with everyone from Beyoncé to Bad Bunny to Jason Kelce driving them.
Love it or hate it, the Cybertruck’s popularity could teach us something. For example, this doesn’t mean EV trucks are becoming a thing — recently, Ford announced it was temporarily halting production on its truck, the F-150 Lightning.
And, despite some very cool new models from Chevy, Rivian, and more, electric trucks in general have underperformed compared to other EVs — let alone gas-powered pickups, which remain one of America’s most popular vehicle types.
So, did Tesla just beat other brands to the punch on finding an electric truck niche, or is the Cybertruck truly a one-off? A few more months of sales reports may give us the answer.
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