Tesla ends Cybertruck experiment

Nearly seven years ago, I stood among a crowd of Tesla enthusiasts, clutching a laptop, my phone, and a notebook, as lead designer Franz von Holzhausen hurled a metal, baseball-sized ball at the Cybertruck’s driver-side window. The glass cracked—resulting in two breaks by the conclusion of the event—accompanied by awkward chuckling and jokes from CEO Elon Musk.

I have observed numerous stunning, bizarre, and fantastical occurrences at Tesla functions, but the Cybertruck reveal was the most intriguing, primarily due to the audience. When the vehicle appeared on stage, I watched attendees gasp, with some showing clear revulsion. I heard Tesla superfans whispering, “This certainly can’t be the Cybertruck?”, yet the initial shock was swiftly replaced by support, acceptance, and eventually, endorsement. This mood spread like a wave, and by the time guests lined up for test rides, everyone had become a fan.

That enthusiasm translated into reservations, which reached 1 million, according to Musk during a 2023 third-quarter earnings call. However, this did not translate to actual sales, with industry experts estimating about 71,000 Cybertrucks have been sold since the first deliveries began in November 2023. Now, the Cybertruck is heading to the scrap pile, as Musk confirmed on Friday that Tesla will stop making the vehicle next year.

Perhaps the design was too edgy, but it was always destined for a niche market. I believe more practical factors dampened sales, as Musk promised a 500-mile range and a price tag under $40,000, yet achieved neither, senior reporter Sean O’Kane noted in his report.

Zipline has experienced a remarkable year. The autonomous drone delivery startup, founded in 2014, has steadily scaled over recent years, but 2026 has taken the company to new heights. In early 2026, Zipline raised $600 million and added another $200 million to that Series H round, planning to use the funds to expand to at least four U.S. cities. Now, Zipline has announced it raised $1.5 billion and increased its partnership with Walmart to add 300 drone delivery sites across the United States. Zipline is now valued at $21.5 billion.

Other deals noted include electric truck startup Harbinger, which raised a $240 million Series D funding round to expand its portfolio, including battery storage and defense applications, though there is no word on the company’s valuation. Humble Robotics raised $51 million in a Series A round, bringing total funding to $75 million less than a year after founding. This round was led by Obvious Ventures with participation from insiders Eclipse, Energy Impact Partners, and others. Additionally, Static Media acquired automotive news site CarScoops, adding to a portfolio that includes 34 brands such as Engadget, Jalopnik, and SlashGear.

In other industry news, a micromobility startup spun out of Rivian in 2025 quietly started and then walked away from an electric two-wheeler pilot project in Kenya earlier this year to focus on consumer e-bike and autonomous vehicle ambitions. Amazon has made Uber Eats its official restaurant delivery partner for Prime members in the United States, ending the e-commerce giant’s deal with Grubhub. Ferrari’s first electric car, the Luce, is “fully allocated” for 2027.

Ford unveiled a “privacy promise,” an “explicit commitment” to keep customers’ vehicle data safe and provide control over what is shared. The company also launched a website to educate customers on how, where, and why the automaker uses their data. May Mobility and Forterra advanced to phase three of the Department of Defense’s Robotic Operations for Autonomous Delivery and Sustainment (ROADS) prize challenge, an initiative to test commercial self-driving vehicles in the military.

Serve Robotics announced plans to launch a new business line called Physical AI Services, while continuing to expand autonomous delivery operations and acting as a technology supplier. Meanwhile, predictions of AI agents booking trips and rides have not materialized, as Uber reported during its third-quarter earnings call that only four rides were ordered through an AI agent during its busiest week in October, the week of Halloween. Waymo is currently shaking up its Uber relationship.