TechCrunch Mobility: Why the Cybertruck experiment failed to reach buyers

A dramatic launch, then a shift

At the Cybertruck’s unveiling, Tesla designer Franz von Holzhausen threw a metal ball at the driver-side window. The glass cracked, and CEO Elon Musk responded with jokes as attendees chuckled.

The audience’s first reaction was mixed: some gasped or questioned the design, while others cheered. The mood changed during the event, and many attendees later lined up for rides and embraced the truck.

That enthusiasm extended to reservations, which Musk said reached 1 million during a third-quarter earnings call in 2023. However, the interest did not translate into comparable sales.

Sales fell short of expectations

Industry experts estimate about 71,000 Cybertrucks have been sold since deliveries began in November 2023. Musk said Friday that Tesla would end production next year. The vehicle was expected to offer a 500-mile range and cost less than $40,000, but it delivered neither promise, senior reporter Sean O’Kane noted. The account suggests those practical shortcomings may have weighed on sales, though the truck was always likely to serve a niche market.

More funding for delivery drones

Zipline, an autonomous drone delivery company founded in 2014, raised $1.5 billion this week and expanded its partnership with Walmart. The plan adds 300 drone delivery sites across the United States, and Zipline is now valued at $21.5 billion.

Earlier in 2026, Zipline raised $600 million and added another $200 million to its Series H round. It had planned to use the funding to expand into at least four U.S. cities that year.

Electric truck startup Harbinger raised $240 million in a Series D round as it broadens into battery storage and defense applications. Humble Robotics raised $51 million in Series A funding, bringing its total to $75 million less than a year after its founding.