Tesla’s controversial Cybertruck has received an unexpected lifeline: an aftermarket specialist says it is prepared to take over production of the futuristic electric pickup.
California-based Unplugged Performance, which develops modifications for Tesla models, wants to keep building the Cybertruck after Elon Musk said production is expected to wind down in 2027.
The company says it could bring together investors to finance and run the manufacturing operation, freeing Tesla to focus on its latest priority: autonomous robotaxis.
In an open letter posted on X.com, Unplugged Performance said it supports Musk’s decision to emphasize the Cybercab and would be willing to remove the Cybertruck operation from Tesla’s workload.
The proposed arrangement would not require Tesla to provide factory space, workers or management support.
In return, Tesla would collect licensing payments along with a portion of the revenue from every Cybertruck sold.
Unplugged also said the Cybercab would take priority for battery cells, with Cybertruck production using whatever supply remained.
The plan goes further than simply preserving production of Tesla’s angular pickup.
Unplugged Performance has proposed taking over production of Tesla’s controversial Cybertruck.
Musk says ending Cybertruck production would create room at Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas for the two-seat autonomous Cybercab.
The company also wants to develop a three-row CyberSUV and an autonomous delivery vehicle called CyberCargo, potentially turning the Cybertruck into the foundation of a broader Tesla-inspired lineup.
The idea quickly drew interest online, with Unplugged’s original post reportedly collecting more than 240,000 views within a matter of hours.
Still, transforming an ambitious pitch into a working vehicle plant would require one crucial ingredient: substantial funding.
Unplugged Performance is asking prospective investors and strategic partners to express interest, while emphasizing that it is only gauging demand and is not currently seeking financial commitments.
The company has not identified potential backers or said how much capital the proposed takeover would need.
Tesla’s planned production wind-down comes after years of weaker-than-expected demand for a vehicle Musk once forecast would sell 250,000 units each year.
The company delivered just 20,237 Cybertrucks in the US in 2025, down 48 percent from the 38,965 sold there in 2024.
The pickup began reaching customers in late 2023, four years after its unveiling. Its sharp stainless-steel body has polarized drivers almost as strongly as its high starting price.
Tesla is preparing to wind down the Cybertruck after sales fell far short of Musk’s original annual target of 250,000 vehicles.
US Cybertruck sales fell to 20,237 vehicles in 2025, compared with 38,965 in 2024.
The model has been subject to 11 recalls since its launch. Its distinctive shape has also complicated plans to sell it in markets such as Europe, where pedestrian-protection rules pose a major hurdle.
Even so, Musk has continued to stand behind the divisive pickup.
In response to a user on X, he described the Cybertruck as the ‘best vehicle Tesla has ever made‘ and called the planned shutdown the ‘end of an era.’
Musk has said ending Cybertruck production would allow Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas to increase output of the Cybercab, its two-seat autonomous taxi.
He has also claimed that existing Cybertruck orders outnumber the vehicles Tesla can build before the line is dismantled, raising the possibility that some reservation holders may be offered refunds.
Unplugged Performance already has extensive experience with the pickup, selling upgrades such as suspension-lift kits and protective armor packages for Cybertruck owners.
Through its UP.FIT division, the company has additionally adapted Cybertrucks for police departments and commercial fleets, giving it hands-on experience with the vehicle beyond the aftermarket accessories business.
Running an entire automotive manufacturing operation, however, would be vastly more complex than installing specialized equipment.
Cybertruck supporters may welcome the possibility of keeping the stainless-steel pickup alive, but many observers remain doubtful that the model warrants a second act.
On Reddit, critics have ridiculed its unusual styling, comparing its sharp-edged appearance to a child’s sketch and questioning whether it works as a genuinely practical pickup.
Others noted that electric pickups have struggled to win over US buyers more broadly, suggesting the Cybertruck’s difficulties may not be caused by its design alone.
For now, Unplugged Performance’s plan remains an opening proposal. Tesla has not publicly said whether it would consider transferring control of the Cybertruck program.
