Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for the future of transportation and now, more than ever, the role AI is playing in it. To get this in your inbox, sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Almost seven years ago, while clutching a laptop, my phone, and a notebook in a sea of Tesla fans, I watched head designer Franz von Holzhausen throw a metal, baseball-sized ball at the driver’s-side window of the Cybertruck.
The result was cracked glass — actually, two by the end of the presentation — and some awkward jokes and chuckling by CEO Elon Musk. I have witnessed a number of stunning, odd, and fantastical moments at Tesla events. But the Cybertruck reveal was the most interesting — and not because of the postapocalyptic design.
When the truck rolled out onto the stage, I watched attendees gasp, some in revulsion. There was mumbling (“This certainly can’t be the Cybertruck?” I heard Tesla superfans whisper). And yes, there were cheers.
The momentary shock of Musk’s biggest fans was quickly replaced by support, acceptance, and finally, endorsement. It moved like a wave over the crowd. By the time attendees were waiting in line for Cybertruck rides, the mood had shifted.
That fandom carried over to Cybertruck reservations, which skyrocketed to 1 million, Musk said during a third-quarter earnings call in 2023. But it never made the leap to actual sales. Industry experts estimate about 71,000 Cybertrucks have been sold since the first deliveries began in November 2023.
And now the Cybertruck is headed to the scrap pile. Tesla will stop making the Cybertruck next year, Musk said Friday. Was the vehicle too edgy?
Extract — continue reading at the source.
