Tesla says the Cybertruck is a “best seller,” so why is it offering discounts?

Tesla announced that the Cybertruck is “America’s best-selling electric pickup truck in 2024.” However, for the first time, the company is offering discounts of up to $2,600 on the low-poly truck, which is an indication that… Demand may not be strong Tesla would also like you to think.

Discounts shown on Company’s inventory web pageup to $1,600 for brand-new Cybertrucks, and up to $2,600 for lightly used demo versions of the truck. The price reduction you see will depend on how your Cybertruck is configured.

The discounts come as the electric vehicle market is suddenly filled with a multitude of offerings, from established players like Chevy and Hyundai, to startups like Rivian and Lucid. People shopping for an electric truck in particular have plenty of options, including the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV, GMC Hummer, Sierra EVs, and Rivian R1T.

But the Cybertruck outsells all of these options, according to Tesla. How do we know? You’ll just have to take their word for it, because Tesla doesn’t publish sales numbers for the Cybertruck — instead it just lumps them in with its “other models,” like the Model S, Model X, and Tesla Semi. . As noted by ElectricThis contradicts the way Ford announces its sales numbers.

For example, Ford said It sold 33,510 F-150 Lightnings in 2024. Tesla has sold an estimated 40,000 Cyber ​​trucks, which will support its claim as the best-selling electric truck in the United States. But again, these are just estimates.

The rebates certainly add wrinkles to Tesla’s claim. Prices tend to fall when a manufacturer has too many cars to sell. Since Tesla goes beyond the traditional dealership model of selling vehicles directly to customers, the discounts come directly from the company.

after Appear on the company’s inventory page Late last year, the Cybertrucks Foundation chain was recently removed. Earlier this month, Tesla asked factory employees working on the Cybertruck line to stay home for three days. according to Business insider. It’s as if demand is starting to weaken, a phenomenon that almost every automaker that sells electric cars is experiencing. After selling cars to all early adopters, companies struggle to get their products in front of more price-conscious mass-market shoppers.

All this evidence points to weak demand for the Cybertruck. The electric car certainly has its fans, but so does the polarizing design The hard-right politics of Tesla CEO Elon Muskwas also a factor in the truck’s diminished appeal.

With electric vehicle incentives likely to disappear under Donald Trump, and tariffs expected to roil the auto industry, the Cybertruck in 2025 looks even tougher.