The Cheapest Tesla Cybertruck Is Dead

• Tesla has discontinued the cheapest Cybertruck model, effectively raising the barrier to entry by around 14%.
• Cybertruck AWD is now the cheapest variant at $79,990.
• The move could be part of a larger reshuffle amid the EV tax credit ending that further separates Tesla’s premium offerings from the rest of its lineup.

Pour one out for the bargain-bin Cybertruck. After just five months of orders, Tesla has removed the ability for owners to buy the cheapest variant of the Cybertruck: the rear-wheel-drive model.

The entry-level model has once again become the AWD truck, effectively raising the barrier to purchase by $10,000 (14%). And while the AWD model technically qualifies for the tax credit—at least for a few more weeks—the move likely won’t help significantly stimulate sales.

Photo by: Tesla

Apparently, Tesla realized that selling a “budget” Cybertruck was a lot like a budget yacht; the compromises made it pointless.

The entry-level truck was already a Frankenstein of subtractions. It ditched the front motor, sacrificed both payload and towing ratings, achieved a 51% slower zero-to-60 MPH time versus the AWD and even lost the tonneau cover. The truck’s air suspension is also axed, and it received 18″ wheels compared to the standard 20″ wheels on the AWD. Sacrifices were also made to the interior—seats were non-ventilated and covered in cloth, it had half the number of speakers and it lost the rear screen. 

The Cybertruck hasn’t exactly been the success Tesla expected. It could be because Tesla significantly missed the mark on promised price and performance, or because its CEO has been criticized for political meddling (and then subsequently offered a pay package potentially worth a trillion dollars).

Perhaps the move is to collapse the changes across models. Fewer changes could mean a higher margin—that’s one of the moves Tesla has used in the past to make assembly more streamlined. It would then limit features via software, seemingly a cheaper move than altering the production line steps.

Tesla has also been on a price-hike campaign for its higher-priced models recently. The Model S and X both received an increase with the addition of the $10,000 mandatory “Luxe Package” that bundles in Full Self-Driving, Supercharging and Premium Connectivity—perhaps this move is a new pricing strategy that abandons affordability and creates a clear separation between its premium offerings and budget-friendly models.

Sales have also continued to dip across all of Tesla’s premium offerings. Deliveries of “Other Models” (which include the Cybertruck, Model S, and Model X) peaked in Q4 2024. Since then, the sales have declined quarter-over-quarter, with Q2 2025 showing a 66% drop in the delivery of “Other Models” with just 10,394 units.

The Cybertruck was once projected to sell around 250,000 units per year (Tesla later tapered that to 120,000 units annually) and have over two million reservations. Now, the automaker can’t seem to get rid of them fast enough.

For nearly the same price, folks interested in a truck marketed more towards doing truck stuff have the option of picking up competitors like the $52,800 Chevy Silverado Work Truck or $54,780 Ford F-150 Lightning for less than the $69,990 entry-level Cybertruck.

By trimming the fat, Tesla could be cutting production costs. It’s still a far shot from the $39,990 that the world was promised, and that could mean Tesla is just abandoning the budget-friendly options for its higher-end cars.