Elon Musk's Backup Plan If Cybertrucks Failed

Benzinga

Elon Musk revealed that the Cybertruck was never a sure bet. In a candid podcast interview, the Tesla CEO admitted he wasn’t sure if anyone would buy the stainless-steel electric truck and even prepared a backup plan to abandon the radical design entirely.  The Cybertruck was designed to intimidate, not blend in. Inspired by sci-fi films and built to stand apart from traditional pickup trucks, it became one of the most talked-about vehicles of the decade. But after strong early demand, sales dropped sharply in 2025, raising questions about how far bold design can go before mass buyers push back.  This video breaks down Musk’s original gamble, the hidden Plan B, and what the Cybertruck’s trajectory says about innovation, risk, and consumer behavior in the EV market.  Source: https://www.benzinga.com/news/topics/26/01/50107086/elon-musk-wasnt-sure-if-nobody-would-buy-it-but-had-a-backup-plan-to-ditch-cybertruck-design-and-build-one-that-looks-like-the-others

Transcript

00:00Elon Musk almost killed the Cybertruck before it ever existed.

00:03He openly admitted he thought nobody might buy it, so he had a backup plan.

00:08If the Cybertruck failed, Tesla would ditch the design and build a normal truck that looks like the others.

00:14This wasn't mass appeal, it was a gamble on intimidation.

00:18Musk wanted something that felt like a futuristic tank, not another pickup clone.

00:23At launch, even Tesla fans were confused, and Musk wasn't sure if it would flop or explode.

00:30It sold about 39,000 units in 2024, then sales nearly halved in 2025.

00:37That was the steepest sales drop of any EV in the US, even worse than models that got discontinued.

00:44Musk's view, everything else looks the same.

00:47Different is the point.

00:49The Cybertruck might not redefine trucks, but it proves something bigger.

00:54Musk doesn't play it safe.

00:56He bets on what comes next.

00:58And that's why...

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