Second update: Wow, this got so much worse! New reporting from Electrek shows more than 10,000 Cybertrucks have cropped up in Tesla’s online inventory. The sudden influx of new units shows that Tesla isn’t listing the full number at any given time, for some unknown reason. That’s closing in on a billion dollars worth of what Redditors voted the Worst Truck Ever Made.
Update: We had such a good time counting the first 10 metros, we expanded our Cybertruck inventory lot census to 25 metros, current as of March 5th 2025. That brought the total number of inventoried Cybertrucks from 450+ to 1,240+. Have fun!
Tesla’s Cybertruck, once touted as “the World’s Toughest Truck,” now seems to be gathering rust in inventories across major U.S. metropolitan areas.
A recent count reveals that within 25 miles of some of the top 25 most populous zip codes, a staggering 1,246 Cybertrucks remain in unsold inventory. The total count nationwide of Cybertrucks waiting on a buyer is likely much higher, as these 25 mile segments only account for about half of the US population. So, the likely nationwide total is about double.
If each inventoried Cybertruck sells at the minimum price of $79,990, that’s about $100 million worth of what Ask Car Guys voted overwhelmingly for the Worst Truck Ever Made.
Here’s the data!
Cybertrucks Sitting in Inventory Across the USA
| Metro Area | ZIP Code | Number of Cybertrucks in Inventory |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 10001 | 32 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 90012 | 95 |
| Chicago, IL | 60601 | 52 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | 75201 | 56 |
| Houston, TX | 77002 | 53 |
| Washington, DC | 20001 | 41 |
| Miami, FL | 33131 | 50 |
| Philadelphia, PA | 19103 | 33 |
| Atlanta, GA | 30303 | 40 |
| Boston, MA | 02108 | 36 |
| San Francisco, CA | 94103 | 73 |
| Phoenix, AZ | 85004 | 40 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | 92501 | 85 |
| Detroit, MI | 48226 | 58 |
| Seattle, WA | 98101 | 39 |
| Minneapolis, MN | 55401 | 64 |
| San Diego, CA | 92101 | 98 |
| Tampa, FL | 33602 | 54 |
| Denver, CO | 80202 | 21 |
| Baltimore, MD | 21202 | 23 |
| St. Louis, MO | 63101 | 22 |
| Orlando, FL | 32801 | 56 |
| Charlotte, NC | 28202 | 43 |
| San Antonio, TX | 78205 | 47 |
| Portland, OR | 97204 | 35 |
| Total | 1,246 |
Source and Methodology
We measured by 25 mile increments in the top 25 zip codes using the inventory feature from Tesla.com, and then counted available Cybertrucks on our fingers and toes! It took a while, but for some reason, Tesla is remarkably spotty about official vehicle production and delivery numbers.
Several Factors Contribute to the Cybertruck Surplus
- Demo Models with Low Mileage: The majority of these Cybertrucks are demo units, each with between 500 and 1,500 miles on the odometer. While lightly used, they’re going to be a hard sell, seeing as how they’re not quite new but typically more expensive than new.
- Lack of Federal Tax Credit: Many of these vehicles do not qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit, effectively making them more expensive than brand-new models… that’s tough math for the ever-shrinking pool of potential buyers.
- Sparse Incentives: Tesla’s attempts to sweeten the deal, such as offering “Free Supercharging for Life,” come with hefty limits and have struggled to boost sales.
- Foundation Series Stagnation: Limited-edition Foundation Series models, once the pride of Tesla’s lineup, are now languishing on lots, their stainless steel exteriors metaphorically (or literally!) rusting away.
At a base price of $79,990, these 1,246 unsold units represent approximately $100 million in idle inventory. This figure only accounts for select high-population zip codes; the nationwide total is likely much higher, probably about double based on population estimates.
This situation raises questions about Tesla’s production strategy.
Elon Musk humbly put it like this in a Ted Talk:
“At this point I think I know more about manufacturing than anyone currently alive on Earth.”
“At this point I think I know more about manufacturing than anyone currently alive on Earth.”
byu/tda_tda_tda inEnoughMuskSpam
The host and the audience are laughing, but it sure doesn’t look like Elon was kidding! He might want to revisit the Manufacturing 101 principles like “Just in Time” manufacturing. The current overstock of Cybertrucks suggests a significant overestimation of demand for a pickup truck that some critics say resembles a child’s drawing.
Update: I originally closed this article with a joke, but it’s worth mentioning serious news here. Tesla has too many Cybertrucks on hand, that’s obvious in our inventory census. It’s no surprise then to hear the news about “Armored Tesla” contracts for the US State Department. It would be a mightily convenient solution to what looks like a growing stainless-steel problem on Tesla’s books.
It’s not like there’s any shortage of photo evidence to back up the stats, either. These lots look weird enough that people take pictures. Perceptive Redditors have been noticing Cybertrucks stacking up at out-of-the-way lots across the country.
For context, Ford currently has 1,330 Ford Mavericks in inventory. Unlike the Cybertruck, the Maverick is actually popular, though! They moved about 4 times as many Mavericks in 2024 than Tesla moved Cybertrucks of any trim. With that ratio in mind, it looks like Tesla has missed the efficient production target by a factor of four, assuming that Ford has figured out how to rationally stock pickup trucks, their bestselling product.
