Tesla extends Cybertruck production to end of summer 2027 to clear order backlog

Tesla will keep building the Cybertruck until the end of summer 2027, extending a production run that had been due to finish in the middle of next year so the company can work through more of its order backlog. CEO Elon Musk announced the extension in a post on X on Wednesday.

Musk had said last week that the stainless-steel pickup would be discontinued around the middle of 2027 to free up space at Tesla's Texas factory for production of steering wheel-free Cybercabs, later clarifying that the truck would be built for eight more months, pointing to a July 2027 end date. The new schedule pushes that out to roughly September, giving the Cybertruck about a 10-month runway.

Musk admits the call is not profit-driven

In the same X post, Musk wrote that extending the run "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?"

The extension follows a backlash from Cybertruck loyalists after the cancellation was announced. More than 5,000 people have signed a petition to keep the truck in production, and Unplugged Performance, which makes Tesla accessories, says it is trying to get investors on board to take over Cybertruck production from Tesla.

That reaction helps explain the reversal. A model that drew attention out of all proportion to its sales has a small but unusually committed owner base, and Tesla appears to be buying goodwill with a few extra months of output rather than chasing volume.

A polarising truck with modest sales

Musk once targeted annual output of 250,000 Cybertrucks, a figure that would have made it a top seller in the pickup market. Industry estimates put actual sales at around 70,000 since deliveries began at the end of 2023.

The gap between the two numbers is the story of the truck. Tesla built a factory line around a volume target it never approached, and the end of production is now being managed around orders already placed rather than new demand.

Only the Cyberbeast is left, at $110,000

Since announcing the cancellation, Tesla has made the tri-motor Cyberbeast the only Cybertruck variant available and raised its price to $110,000. Buyers who want a Cybertruck in its final months therefore have one choice of specification and a higher price to pay.

The price is in US dollars, the market where the Cybertruck is sold; Tesla has not announced Australian availability or pricing for the truck.

Deposits and the Texas line

Musk had previously said Tesla would have to return some deposits because it would not be able to deliver every truck customers had ordered before production closed. The extension is intended to shrink that shortfall by building more of the backlog, but Tesla has not said how many deposits will still need to be refunded, or whether any remain outstanding at all.

What happens to the Texas factory line once Cybertruck production ends has also not been detailed beyond the reason given for the wind-down: making room for Cybercab output at the site. Tesla has not said how the freed capacity will be reallocated or converted.

BYD has recalled examples of its Great Tang electric SUV in China after some cars left the factory with their wheels fitted the wrong way round, with rear rims mounted on the front axle and front rims on the rear. The company says the mix-up poses no safety risk and has not disclosed how many vehicles are affected.

A coding error, not a parts failure

BYD traced the fault to an error in coding and says it has corrected the problem and added extra visual inspections on the production line. Affected wheels will be replaced by the company, with warranty periods restarted from 11 November 2026.

The automaker, which carried out unspecified tests of its own, says handling and safety were unaffected. That is a narrow recall by the standards of a typical safety campaign: the fix is cosmetic and procedural rather than a remedy for a defect that could cause a crash, which explains why BYD has been comfortable saying so little about the size of the affected build.

Why the timing is awkward

The recall lands while BYD faces closer scrutiny as it expands into overseas markets and broadens its model range aggressively. Last month the Shark 6 ute was recalled in Australia over a spare wheel support that could come loose and endanger motorists, and earlier this week court-appointed bailiffs acting for Jaguar Land Rover raided BYD's Netherlands offices amid claimed similarities between the BYD Ti7 and the reborn Land Rover Defender.

None of those episodes involves the same component as the Great Tang recall, but together they put BYD's quality control under a spotlight at the very moment it is asking buyers in new markets to trust its badge. For shoppers, the practical takeaway is that the Great Tang fix is a warranty matter rather than a reason to avoid the car.

The Great Tang's global plans

The all-electric Great Tang is due for a global rollout soon. It is roughly the size of a standard-wheelbase Lincoln Navigator and has already proved popular in China, priced at around US$37,000, with more than 100,000 reservations reported before sales began and 14,000 deliveries made so far.

It sits at the top of BYD's Dynasty line, which has already sent some models overseas, including the recently revealed Atto 8, known in China as the Tang L. BYD has not announced Australian availability or pricing for the Great Tang, and the recall notice covers the Chinese market.