December 16, 2024 – Tesla is facing a sales dilemma with its Cybertruck, prompting the company to take several measures to address the issue, according to a report by Electrek. The electric vehicle maker is reportedly converting some of the initial “Foundation Series” Cybertrucks, which were originally produced for pre-order customers, into regular versions for sale at lower prices. Additionally, Tesla plans to export hundreds of U.S.-made Cybertrucks to Canada in an attempt to boost sales.
Recent indications suggest that the Tesla Cybertruck is currently experiencing a demand shortage. Earlier this month, Tesla notified employees on the Cybertruck production line at its Texas Gigafactory to take several days off. Furthermore, the company has reduced leasing prices for the Cybertruck and offered direct price cuts through its referral program.
Currently, there are many immediately available Cybertruck inventory vehicles on the market, including a significant number of “Foundation Series” models. These initial versions of the Cybertruck, which were specifically created for pre-order customers, come with a price tag that is $20,000 higher than the regular models and include various exclusive features and accessories.
Despite switching production to the lower-priced regular Cybertruck in October, Tesla still has a considerable backlog of “Foundation Series” models, according to information and documents obtained by Electrek.
To address this backlog, Tesla is planning to “de-foundation” some of these vehicles. This process involves transporting the Cybertrucks to service and collision centers across the U.S. to remove the special laser-etched badges on the exterior and the “Foundation Series” plaques on the interior dashboard. By doing so, Tesla can sell these vehicles as regular Cybertrucks at a price reduced by $20,000.
Moreover, informed sources have revealed that Tesla intends to modify over 800 Cybertrucks to comply with Canadian market regulations and export them to Canada, where the company believes they have greater sales potential.
