In a recent interview, one of Tesla's original co-founders blasted what is arguably the company's most-hyped product of the past several years.
What's happening?
As much as Elon Musk's name is now synonymous with Tesla, that wasn't always the case. The electric vehicle pioneer was founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Mart Tarpenning, with Eberhard serving as CEO for the first several years.
Eberhard was ousted from that role and eventually left the company in 2007, with Musk taking over the company's top spot a year later. Now, as Gizmodo reports, Eberhard has spoken about some of the recent happenings at Tesla, including harsh critiques of the company's Cybertruck.
The comments came from a lengthy interview with Kim Java (@ItsKimHava), an EV-focused YouTuber.
"I am actually disappointed that Tesla canceled its low-end car program because that's what the world needs," Eberhard said. "Not a truck that looks like a dumpster."
The first part of those comments seems to reference Tesla's previously planned budget car model, which was unofficially referred to as the Model 2. That car was expected to sell for between $25,000 and $30,000, or roughly 30% less than any other car in its lineup.
Plans for the Model 2 have reportedly been scrapped, although Musk denied those reports last year.
Why is this important?
The Cybertruck was a huge swing by Tesla. Not only was it the company's first truck, but it generated years' worth of buzz for its monochromatic, straight-edged look.
In the hype leading up to its release, Musk called the truck "one of those special products that comes along only once in a while," and suggested that Tesla's Texas Gigafactory could one day be making up to 250,000 Cybertrucks per year.
Recent sales numbers, however, show the hype has far exceeded the actual demand.
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Sign me up 👍 In the second quarter of 2025, Tesla sold just 4,306 Cybertrucks, a drop of more than 50% from the same period last year. Overall, the company sold 12.6% fewer cars in the second quarter of this year than it did in 2024.
Perhaps a lower-cost model, such as the Model 2, would have helped put more EVs on the road. But for now, much of Musk's future vision for Tesla seems to be centered on self-driving cars and autonomous services like the robotaxi.
What can I do about this?
Whether it's from Tesla or another automaker, switching from a gas-powered vehicle to an EV is one of the most environmentally friendly purchases a person can make.
Time is of the essence to get the best possible deal on a new electric vehicle, however, as the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act will end a federal $7,500 EV tax credit at the end of September.
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