Tesla's decision to kill Cybertruck might help Chinese ‘cyberalternatives’
As Cybertruck fans are still grieving while haters are still celebrating Tesla's decision to stop manufacturing the truck, this might help Chinese companies trying to imitate the (in)famous car.
Cybertruck. By Shutterstock
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- Tesla plans to stop Cybertruck production at Gigafactory Texas around the middle of next year.
- Musk says Tesla will use the factory space to increase Cybercab production.
- Cox Automotive estimates Cybertruck sales fell 48% in 2025, though Musk disputes weak-demand reports.
- GAC, Dongfeng, and Aridge are developing vehicles with designs that resemble the Cybertruck.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
Last week, Tesla boss Elon Musk confirmed that the company will stop production of the Cybertruck at Gigafactory Texas around the middle of next year "to make room for increased Cybercab production." This is the only Tesla plant known for building these trucks, which debuted in November 2023 and since sparked heated debate over their unusual design and controversies surrounding their build quality.
"There will never be another vehicle like it," Musk said, later adding that while they'll try to "make as many as possible" Cybertrucks in about 8 months, they "will have to return deposits for a lot of people."
While Tesla doesn't publish Cybertruck sales numbers, market observers estimate that sales of these trucks have been falling, despite Musk's hopes to produce between 250,000 and 500,000 of them per year. For example, Cox Automotive estimates that the company sold 20,237 Cybertrucks in 2025, or 48% fewer than in 2024. Meanwhile, the company is estimated to have sold 7,263 Cybertrucks in the first three quarters of this year.
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Musk claims that "the Cybertruck order rate far exceeds our production rate" and that "legacy media" misreported that this truck is unprofitable. According to the CEO, "the opportunity cost of the complexity of Cybertruck is vastly outweighed by the value of incremental Cybercab production."
Speaking of the opportunity, Chinese car manufacturers that have already been trying to copy the Cybertruck will now see their possibly biggest competitor and inspiration leaving the market. (In either case, Cybertrucks are sold only in a few markets).
For example, GAC Pickup 01 was unveiled at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show. This car has a boxy, angular design with stainless-steel-look panels that resemble the Cybertruck. GAC expects the car to be available to buy starting in 2027. Meanwhile, state-owned Chinese automaker Dongfeng unveiled its E-Truck concept in 2024, which is also inspired by Tesla's truck. However, it's unknown what the current status of this concept is and whether it'll reach the market. Separately, Aridge is developing another Cybertruck lookalike, the Land Aircraft Carrier, which is not a truck but serves as a "parent" vehicle that carries a two-seat aircraft.
Therefore, even when Cybertruck production stops, its fans and haters are still likely to have other similar cars to use or fight over.
