Elon Musk wants you to know that the Cybertruck is an absolute triumph. On Thursday, the Tesla Inc. (TSLA) CEO took to X to call the polarizing electric pickup an "incredible" vehicle and "our best ever from Tesla." He was sharing a post highlighting the truck's ability to handle sub-zero temperatures and save money versus gas-powered pickups.

There's just one problem: almost nobody seems to want to buy one.

The Sales Numbers Don't Match the Hype

For all of Musk's enthusiasm, the Cybertruck is struggling badly in the marketplace. Tesla sold just 5,385 units in the third quarter of 2025, a staggering 62.6% decline compared to the same period last year. That's not a typo—sales dropped by nearly two-thirds.

Reports suggest the company might be sitting on tens of thousands of unsold Cybertrucks gathering dust. In a telling move, Tesla discontinued the more affordable rear-wheel-drive Long-Range version priced at $69,990 just five months after introducing it. When you kill your cheapest option that quickly, it's usually not because demand is overwhelming.

The company has tried various tactics to jumpstart sales. They repositioned the truck as a rugged lifestyle vehicle in marketing campaigns. SpaceX and xAI (both Musk companies) stepped in to buy trucks. Twitter founder Jack Dorsey publicly backed the vehicle. None of it has moved the needle significantly. Tesla even issued a recall for 6,197 Cybertrucks due to a lightbar problem, adding to the vehicle's woes.

That Design Is a Major Problem

The Cybertruck's angular, stainless-steel aesthetic divides opinion sharply. Gary Black of Future Fund LLC believes the polarizing design is actively preventing sales. Ross Gerber, co-founder of Gerber Kawasaki and a Cybertruck owner himself, has gone further, suggesting Tesla should just discontinue the pickup entirely given its poor performance.

But the design issues go beyond aesthetics. The vehicle's electronic door system and flush door handles have become serious safety concerns. In November 2024, 19-year-old Krysta Tsukahara died in a Cybertruck accident, and her parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Tesla. They allege she was trapped inside the burning vehicle because the electronic door system failed. Safety experts have repeatedly flagged the flush door handles as problematic.

From a Million Reservations to Modest Reality

Remember when Musk claimed the Cybertruck had over a million reservations? That number generated enormous buzz and made the vehicle seem like a guaranteed hit. Fast forward to today, and Tesla has sold approximately 57,000 units total, with just 16,097 units sold in the first three quarters of 2025, according to Kelley Blue Book data.

The resale values tell their own story. Tesla recently began accepting Cybertruck trade-ins, offering around $65,400 for a 2024 all-wheel-drive version that originally sold for $100,000 at launch. That's a 34% value drop in short order—brutal depreciation for what's supposed to be a revolutionary vehicle.

The Bigger Picture: EV Demand Has Collapsed

To be fair to Tesla, the Cybertruck isn't failing in isolation. The entire electric vehicle market has hit turbulence since President Donald Trump took office this year. His administration eliminated the $7,500 federal EV tax credit and relaxed Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, removing both the carrot and the stick that were driving EV adoption.

Ford Motor Co. (F) recently paused production of its F-150 Lightning electric pickup—ironically, the best-selling EV pickup in America. The company is reportedly considering canceling production entirely, and its overall EV sales plunged over 60% in November.

General Motors Co. (GM) has also pulled back significantly, laying off roughly 3,400 workers across multiple EV facilities. During its third-quarter earnings call, GM disclosed it took a $1.6 billion charge related to its electric vehicle operations.

So yes, the Cybertruck faces headwinds beyond its control. But when your CEO is calling it the company's greatest achievement while sales crater by 62.6%, inventory piles up, and safety lawsuits mount, there's clearly more going on than just a tough market.