In 2019, when Tesla unveiled its spaceship-looking, bulletproof electric pickup truck, gearheads’ jaws collectively hit the floor. Sure, its polarizing design might not have been to everyone’s taste, but that wasn’t its purpose.
The Cybertruck was supposed to revolutionize the pickup truck market, making F-150 owners trade in their trucks for what was promised to be one of the most rugged, road-legal vehicles ever built. Yet by 2025, multiple reports pointed to weakening demand, Tesla began offering discounts and promoting higher-priced inventory for immediate delivery. So, how did we get here?
One surprising data point comes from Insurify’s quote-based estimates: in its 2025 model-year pricing pages, Insurify shows the Cybertruck averaging about $3,392/year for full coverage, lower than its estimates for a 2025 Model 3. However, other Insurify analyses later in 2025 describe Cybertruck insurance as very expensive overall, depending on the dataset.
Turning Heads Instead Of Sales
Since its debut, the internet has been obsessed with the Cybertruck’s design. Even people who know nothing about cars can spot one in the wild. Then again, it’s pretty hard to miss, with its side profile resembling one of the Pyramids of Giza if it had scoliosis.
If the Cybertruck has taught us anything, it’s that there’s a niche market of buyers willing to pay absurd amounts just to stand out from the crowd. Unfortunately, the novelty wears off fast, and while Cybertruck sales surged early on, they are now slamming on the brakes.
According to Kelley Blue Book, the Cybertruck was the third-best-selling EV in the U.S. in Q3 2024 and the fifth-best-selling EV in the U.S. for full-year 2024. Kelley Blue Book reported the Cybertruck was the best-selling vehicle priced over $100,000 in June 2024 and led the six-figure segment for multiple months. However, with more compelling electric trucks competing for the same buyers, like the Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning, demand has faded to the point where Cybertruck sales have fallen sharply, reports showed a steep year-over-year drop by Q3 2025.
Broken Promises And Broken Windows
Tesla has a habit of making promises it can’t keep, just ask anyone still waiting for the long-overdue Tesla Roadster, and the Cybertruck is the perfect case study for unmet expectations.
From the moment its supposedly bulletproof window shattered on stage, red flags were everywhere. Elon Musk promised an indestructible, budget-friendly electric truck, but other than the electric part, customers got neither of those things.
At the 2019 reveal, Tesla touted a ~$39,900 starting price. By 2024–2025, real-world pricing shifted far upward, and by late 2025, Reuters reported Tesla stopped taking orders for its cheapest Cybertruck version and pushed $100,000+ trims for immediate delivery – double the promised price. And if that wasn’t enough, many reservation holders who pre-ordered waited years longer than early timelines implied before getting their hands on their overpriced metal wedge.
And it gets even worse. According to CNet, once Cybertrucks finally made it to customers, they were plagued with multiple recalls, Reuters described it as the eighth recall since early 2024 as of March 2025. that ranged from horrid build quality to random electronics malfunctioning, and much, much more. By now, the Cybertruck has proven itself to be much more of a show pony than a workhorse.
Why Are Insurance Costs So Low?
Despite costing twice as much as a Tesla Model 3, the Cybertruck is cheaper to insure than its smaller sedan sibling. Insurify found that full coverage for a Tesla Cybertruck costs only $3,392 a year, whereas a Model 3 costs $4,347. There are some valid reasons for that.
Insurify found that 66% of Cybertruck drivers tend to have excellent credit scores, in comparison to the 35% of average EV drivers. They also say that half of all Cybertruck drivers are in their 40s, whereas only 14% of Model 3 drivers have reached that age.
The Cybertruck’s tough-as-nails exoskeleton also contributes to lower insurance costs. Because Tesla markets its ‘armor glass’ as highly impact-resistant, including against large hail impacts and stainless steel skin, it’s less prone to damage caused by storms, but heaven forbid a pigeon passes by and leaves you a present, as some owners report that contaminants can leave marks if not cleaned quickly.
Should You Buy A Cybertruck Because The Insurance Is Cheap?
Is the insurance a good enough reason to splurge on a Cybertruck? The simple answer is no. When looking at the big picture, there are other electric pickups that don’t look like they were designed by a three-year-old and don’t cost more than $70,000.
Consider something like the Ford F-150 Lightning, which starts at $62,995. Since we’re talking about the insurance premiums, it’s worth mentioning that the Lightning also costs marginally less to insure than the Cybertruck.
There’s no denying that the Cybertruck made an impact on the automotive world. It was a short-lived sales success and, for a while, the most sought-after pickup in the world.
With demand dying down, more flaws coming to light, and prices refusing to drop, the future of the Cybertruck looks bleak outside its niche audience.
For now, the Cybertruck is a four-wheeled contradiction: too expensive for normal folk, too unconventional for traditional truck buyers, too impractical for work use, yet oddly affordable to insure.