Tesla expects to return deposits to many Cybertruck customers, Chief Executive Elon Musk said Monday, after saying the pickup’s current order rate is higher than its production rate.
Musk wrote on X that Tesla “will have to return deposits for a lot of people.” His post, made at 2:20 a.m. ET (07:20 UTC) Monday, Nov. 9, did not provide the number of customers affected, the amount of each refund or a timetable for payments. He also did not disclose a backlog figure.
Kelley Blue Book estimated 20,237 U.S. Cybertruck sales in 2025, 48.1% fewer than its estimate of 38,965 for 2024. For January through September 2026, it put sales at 11,586, down 28% from the same period a year earlier. These estimates track completed sales, while Musk’s comparison concerns incoming orders.
Tesla’s third-quarter investor update lists installed annual capacity above 125,000 vehicles for each of the Cybertruck and Cybercab at the Texas factory. Tesla says the capacity measure does not show current production.
Tesla’s Cybertruck FAQ says a customer who cancels before delivery can receive a refund of the pre-order payment. Its general ordering guidance describes a new vehicle’s order fee as nonrefundable. Musk did not identify which type of payment would be returned.
Tesla’s third-quarter update does not provide a Cybertruck-specific profit figure. Musk has argued that the pickup line’s complexity makes more Cybercab production more valuable to the company, while disputing claims that the truck is unprofitable. The update does not compare profitability by model.
Musk said Nov. 7 that Tesla plans to add a production shift to process pending orders. A day earlier, he said the company wanted more room for Cybercab production. EconoTimes previously covered Tesla’s planned Texas line change. Musk put dismantling of the line around June or July 2027.
