As Cybertruck sales stall, Elon Musk buys up inventory himself

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.