Tesla’s Cybertruck has flopped, with the company planning to wind down production next year due to flagging sales, selling just over 20,000 units last year, far below the 250,000 annual target. This raises questions about the viability of electric trucks in the market, and why they are struggling compared to other EV segments.
Background And History
Electric trucks have been around for over a hundred years, servicing niche applications like milk floats, pushback tugs, and forklifts, typically using lead–acid batteries. However, the rapid development of lighter and more energy-dense battery chemistries in the twenty-first century has broadened the range of applicability of electric propulsion to trucks in many more roles. Despite this, electric trucks have yet to gain significant traction in the market, with the average cost per kWh capacity of battery packs for trucks falling from $500 in 2013 to $137 in 2020, according to the United States Department of Energy.
Technical Challenges
One of the main technical challenges facing electric trucks is the trade-off between weight, range, and payload capacity. As the weight of batteries increases, it detracts from payload capacity, and the alternative, more frequent recharging, detracts from delivery time. This has made long-distance freight the least amenable to electrification, while short-haul urban delivery has been electrified rapidly due to the clean and quiet nature of electric trucks fitting well with urban planning and municipal regulation.
Cost Barriers
The high cost of electric trucks is another significant barrier to adoption. The starting price for the 2026 Tesla Cybertruck was $92,500, and the cheapest gas-powered Ford pickup starts at $52,000, about $11,000 less than the Lightning did before Ford discontinued it. This price difference is a major hurdle for consumers, who are hesitant to pay a premium for an electric pickup instead of a gas-powered one.
Infrastructure Gaps
Infrastructure gaps also pose a significant challenge to the adoption of electric trucks. The lack of charging infrastructure, particularly for long-distance freight, makes it difficult for electric trucks to compete with their gas-powered counterparts. Ford’s decision to axe the F-150 Lightning pickup truck and GM’s Factory Zero plant in Detroit sitting idle since March due to lackluster sales are testaments to the struggles of electric trucks in the market.
The Cybertruck Case Study
The Cybertruck’s failure to meet sales expectations is a prime example of the challenges facing electric trucks. Despite its unique design and features, the vehicle’s high price point and limited range made it unappealing to many consumers. As Dan Krassner, executive director of the American EV Jobs Alliance, noted, the Cybertruck did appeal to a certain demographic, but its sales figures were far from what Tesla had hoped for.
Future Outlook
Despite the challenges, some manufacturers are still betting on electric trucks. Ford, for example, is planning to launch a new midsize electric truck that will start at $30,000, targeting a market segment that nobody has tackled yet. The company’s executive director of advanced EV development, Alan Clarke, believes that the failure of large electric trucks is not a referendum on electric pickups broadly, but rather a verdict on large electric pickups. As the market continues to evolve, it remains to be seen whether electric trucks can gain significant traction and become a viable alternative to gas-powered trucks.
For now, the numbers tell the story: Ford axed the F-150 Lightning last year, citing poor demand after federal tax credits expired, and GM’s Factory Zero plant in Detroit has sat idle since March due to lackluster sales, with the company booking nearly $20 billion in charges linked to its EV pullback.
Sources
- The Cybertruck flopped. Electric trucks don’t have to.
- Electric truck
- The Cybertruck era is over, but America’s electric truck experiment isn’t
- Electric Trucks Have Failed Spectacularly In America. Here's Why Ford Is Trying Again
- October 2026: Electric trucks, buses round-up
- What I learned driving the Slate electric truck prototype
Photo: Alexander-93 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
