Musk gives Cybertruck a reprieve, but many will still get refunds

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is giving the Cybertruck a few more months of production. But he has also acknowledged that the electric vehicle company will have to refund deposits to many customers who may not get a truck.

In a post on X, Musk said production will now run through the end of summer 2027 “to work through more of the Cybertruck order backlog.” He did not give an exact end date.

That’s a reversal of sorts. On Nov. 6, Musk said Tesla would wind down Cybertruck production at its Texas factory around mid-2027 to make room for its Cybercab robotaxi.

The extension could let Tesla fill more orders. It doesn’t guarantee that every customer who reserved a Cybertruck will get one.

Musk acknowledged in a follow-up post that the move may not make financial sense: “This is not the smartest move from a profit-maximizing standpoint btw, but there must be some room in this world for sentimentality or what’s the point?” he wrote on X.

For customers with a deposit down, the question is simple: will Tesla deliver their truck before the line shuts down, or will they get their money back?

Musk hasn’t said how many deposits Tesla expects to refund or when customers could expect refunds.

Also Read: Elon Musk’s Cybertruck decision could change Tesla’s next chapter

Musk says Tesla must refund Cybertruck deposits

Musk has been adjusting his plans in public all week.

Days after announcing the wind-down, he said Tesla would add another production shift to try to fulfill outstanding Cybertruck orders before dismantling the line for Cybercab expansion, as TheStreet previously reported.

Then on Nov. 9, Musk said the Cybertruck order rate “far exceeds” Tesla’s production rate, according to CBS News.

More Tesla:

“We will try to make as many as possible before shutting down the line in about 8 months, but will have to return deposits for a lot of people,” Musk wrote on X.

The statement raised questions about how many customers are still waiting for their vehicles and how Tesla will determine which orders can be fulfilled before production ends.

Tesla doesn’t report Cybertruck deliveries separately, according to Gizmodo, so the size of the backlog is unclear.

What Cybertruck customers should know about refunds

Customers who no longer want to wait have another option.

Tesla’s official Cybertruck FAQ says reservation holders can cancel before delivery and receive a full refund of their pre-order payment.

To cancel, customers can sign in to their Tesla account, select their Cybertruck order and tap “Manage,” followed by “Request to Cancel.” They must then select a reason, submit the cancellation request and confirm it.

Tesla says the refund will be returned to the account used to place the order.

That existing cancellation policy is separate from the refunds Musk says Tesla will need to issue for orders it cannot fulfill.

Some customers who have made deposits on a Tesla Cybertruck will receive refunds.

Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Cybertruck prices rise even as sales lag

The announcement follows a turbulent sales history for the truck, which debuted in late 2023.

U.S. Cybertruck sales fell 48% to 20,237 vehicles in 2025, down from 38,965 in 2024, according to Kelley Blue Book estimates reported by TheStreet.

That’s far below the 250,000 annual Cybertruck sales Musk once projected.

Tesla has also been raising prices and trimming the Cybertruck lineup.

According to Tesla’s online configurator, as reported by Electric Vehicles, the company paused Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive orders on Nov. 6 and stopped taking Premium All-Wheel Drive orders on Nov. 9.

That leaves the Cyberbeast as the only Cybertruck available to order — and it now costs $10,000 more than it did before Nov. 6. The Cyberbeast’s price climbed to $109,990 from $99,990, according to Not a Tesla App.

Wall Street analyst Dan Ives, senior managing director of Yorkville Ives & Co., told CBS News the “writing was on the wall” for the Cybertruck given its high price and weak demand.

Ending production would allow Musk to concentrate more on robotics and robotaxis, he said.