CHANGE: Elon Musk admits defeat as Tesla ends production of recall-plagued Cybertruck.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk made a shock announcement on Friday, declaring that the electric vehicle brand’s iconic Cybertruck would no longer be produced next year.

Musk revealed on X that Tesla’s ‘Gigafactory’ in Texas would begin winding down construction by mid-2027.

One fan called the news ‘the end of an era,’ which caused Musk to reply that his Cybertruck fleet would still be ‘around for a long time.’ Roughly 70,000 vehicles have been purchased since the launch in 2023.

Musk’s announcement sparked backlash from an unlikely group on Friday: Tesla and Cybertruck fans angered by the decision to retire a vehicle they say performs well.

One person said: ‘This is a terrible plan unless you’re coming out with another large vehicle.’ ‘This is madness, Elon. People want a vehicle that we can control off-road that is a Tesla,’ another Tesla fan said.

Musk did not say whether Tesla would continue providing maintenance support or supplying replacement parts for the Cybertruck after production ends in mid-2027.

The Cybertruck sparked controversy and criticism since it was unveiled in 2019, starting with the vehicle’s so-called ‘unbreakable’ window being shattered by a metal ball during Musk’s public presentation.

Customers waited another four years for deliveries to begin, and the rollout was marred by higher prices, a shorter driving range, multiple recalls and disappointing sales.

Hopefully its replacement will have aesthetics that are a bit more graceful: