Tesla remains under pressure: The Cybertruck, once hailed as a project of the future, is gradually becoming a problem child for the company. Following revelations that Cybertruck sales have fallen far short of expectations, Elon Musk now appears to be simply purchasing unsold inventory of the futuristic electric truck through his own companies. According to Electrek, SpaceX and xAI have acquired several hundred Cybertrucks in recent weeks. Officially, the move is framed as a transition from existing petrol-powered company cars to electric vehicles. However, critics believe that the primary motive is to reduce inventory of unsold Cybertrucks and inflate sales figures – which don’t look good at all for the US automaker.

Tesla had originally projected annual sales of up to 300,000 Cybertrucks. However, the company only sold an estimated 5,000 units in the first quarter of 2025. Media reports indicate that thousands of unsold Cybertrucks are piling up at Tesla’s Austin factory. Even substantial price cuts haven’t seemed to deliver a sustained turnaround.

The vehicles purchased by SpaceX and xAI are being deployed in locations such as Starbase in Boca Chica, the Starlink factory in Bastrop, and xAI facilities. Observations by the YouTube channel NASASpaceflight confirm that several Cybertrucks have been moved to Starbase’s compound in the past few days. A YouTube video suggests that these Cybertrucks are intended as replacements for older company vehicles, though some speculate that the trucks might be handed out to employees.

The bottom line: Elon Musk is apparently trying to address the slow demand for Cybertrucks from within. Whilst supporters view the move as a pragmatic step towards fleet electrification, detractors are calling it a form of window dressing. It remains to be seen whether SpaceX and xAI’s purchases will ease the pressure on Tesla in the long run. For now, however, the electric car company can at least breathe a sigh of relief.

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As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart – in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I’m not sitting at my computer, I’m probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life – namely sitting for long periods – at the local swimming pool.

Translator: Zhiwei Zhuang – Translator – 475 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2022

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering, I moved from Singapore to
Cologne in 2014 and began pursuing a career as a freelance translator. Much of my translation work
focuses on science, engineering and technology. My fascination with computers and mobile
electronics began when I was young. And I have fond memories reading countless tech and gaming
magazines. Working with Notebookcheck gives me the opportunity to incorporate my personal
interests into my professional work.