Is the Tesla Cybertruck the Modern-Day Edsel? A Look at the Parallels

Bloomberg recently compared the Tesla Cybertruck to the Edsel, calling it "the Edsel of the EV era." The comparison holds up in several ways, from ambitious sales targets to the promise of being a "car of the future."

The original Edsel, launched in 1958, was meant to compete with Buick, Pontiac, and Dodge. It featured innovative touches like a steering-wheel-mounted push-button shifter and a rotating speedometer. But the public found it ugly, it had build-quality issues, and some units shipped with missing parts.

5 billion in today's dollars).

Tesla's Cybertruck has faced similar criticism over its design, recalls, and sales shortfalls. Initial projections called for 250,000 annual sales, but only about 38,965 units were sold in 2024, and sales dropped to roughly 20,237 in 2025. So far this year, an estimated 7,000 have been sold in the US.

Unlike the DeLorean, which was always a niche product, Tesla aimed for the Cybertruck to compete with top full-size pickups like the F-150 and Silverado. The DeLorean targeted 11,000 first-year sales and sold around 3,000; Tesla's ambitions were far larger.

The Edsel became a cult favorite among collectors, with restored models selling for $7,700 to $28,000 in recent auctions. The Cybertruck also has a dedicated fanbase, and Tesla has leaned into that by dropping the entry-level RWD model, leaving the $69,990 AWD as the base.

The Cybertruck has already outlasted the Edsel, which lasted only two years (1958-1959). " Still, Tesla has kept it in the lineup, and around 67,000 buyers have embraced it. Whether it fades or becomes a lasting niche icon remains uncertain.