One of the most awaited projects by Tesla has been cancelled. This means that Tesla fans will have to say goodbye to Tesla’s overly hyped Cybertruck’s range extender. In a quiet but rather swift move, the automaker decided to scrap the most anticipated Cybertruck $16,000 range extender. This Cybertruck range extender once offered Tesla fans the promise of pushing boundaries beyond the offerings of competitor trucks. Nevertheless, Tesla’s broken promise has made Tesla’s future in the EV market seem somewhat questionable.
A sudden yet silent death for the range extender
Cybertruck’s range extender offered an enthusiastic driving range, which promised to overcome Tesla’s Cybertruck’s most commonly heard criticism of offering an underwhelming driving range. According to Tesla, the range extender would be a massive battery sitting in the bed of the truck and extending the range to a whopping 470 miles on the dual-motor variant. Later, this figure was adjusted to 445 miles. Alongside the change in range, Tesla’s initial proposed release date was early in 2025, which was thereafter delayed to mid-2025. Despite the delay, Tesla supporters remained enthusiastic and hopeful.
However, Tesla fans can no longer cling to hope due to emails sent to reservation holders last week. In the emails sent out, Tesla outlined that the range extender would not be delivered. The email further mentioned that the $2,000 deposit for this accessory would be returned in full to customers who paid in full. Tesla has gone a step further and removed the product from the Cybertruck’s online configurator a few weeks before the rumors of accessory getting cancelled surfaced.
Tesla has finally confirmed that there will be no Cybertruck range extender, however, Tesla enthusiasts remain miffed at Tesla for the lack of transparency. The company is also criticized for not having a formal press release and for not explaining to justify why such a hopeful project has ended up becoming hopeless.
Reality check for Tesla
While the cancellation of the range extender seems like a first for Tesla, it isn’t. Tesla has been making headlines for having to say goodbye to features of autonomous driving as well. CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, made enthusiastic promises when he first unveiled the Cybertruck vehicle in 2019. He promised customers a tri-motor version with a price range of about $70,000 and a driving range capable of exceeding 500 miles. Instead, customers saw a $99,990 top-tier model with just 301 miles of range. The dual-motor AWD version, which was priced at $79,990 and stretched to only about 325 miles. While the entry-level $69,990 “Long Range” version managed to exceed most with a driving range of 362 miles.
These specs seem rather disappointing since Tesla had four years to develop a truck that was believed to the first of its kind. The ultimate decision to do away with the range extender signifies that Tesla’s Cybertruck has fallen short in terms of all the promises offered.
The fall of Tesla
While Tesla tried to hold on to its good name, the market response has failed the brand. While Tesla sold between 35,000 and 50,000 vehicles in 2024, things are getting worse since vehicle sales have dropped by 13% in the first quarter of 2025. What’s worse is that Tesla is facing customer backlash, too.
Cybertruck’s range extender was supposed to be the brand’s way of redeeming itself and regaining dominance in the electric pickup segment. However, the range extender has become a symbol of overpromises but underdelivery. Musk seems to be facing more bad news this year, with customers left longing for the arrival of futuristic-looking trucks.
The cancellation of the range extender makes customers worried that the brand will be unable to continue delivering on its daring ambition. Many customers are accepting the fact that it is not just goodbye to the range extender, but goodbye to the Cybertruck vision.
