Tesla’s answer to Cybertruck’s falling sales? Make it $15k more expensive
As Cybertruck sales fall, Tesla raised the price of its top-end “Cyberbeast” model by $15k today, bundling some additional software and perks to go along with it. The top-end trim now costs $45k more than its original announced price.
Tesla has been having a rough time in sales lately, owing primarily to its bad CEO, Elon Musk.
Sales are down in most territorie (despite a rising EV market), and earnings are dropping along with them. The company is also about to lose a revenue source worth billions of dollars which has at times been the only thing keeping Tesla profitable – and the company’s CEO gave hundreds of millions of dollars of his own money to ensure that Tesla would see this revenue dip.
Another reason for Tesla’s sales being down is due to the lack of new models. Recent refreshes haven’t helped, and the only new Model Tesla has released in recent years, the Cybertruck, is a flop.
So, what’s a company to do to make a little more money? Well, rather than ending the CEO’s brand-destroying bad decisions, or making a model people can afford, Tesla has another strategy: price hikes on its most expensive models.
Last week, Tesla bumped the price of its aging Model S and X by $10k, adding a new “Luxe Package” which is a bundle of decidedly non-luxurious features (FSD, tire protection package, supercharging, and premium connectivity), putting the top-end Plaid model at a base price of $115k.
And today, it’s matching that with the price of its top-end “Cyberbeast” Cybertruck model, bumping its base price by $15k to $115k as well. In exchange for this, Cyberbeast purchasers get the same Luxe package – which was worth a $10k price bump on the Model S, but is apparently worth $15k on the Cybertruck.
The Cybertruck comes in three trim levels, with the same battery for each of them, but an increasing number of electric motors and more performance to match. The top-end Cyberbeast has three motors, with 11,000lbs towing capacity and 2,271lbs payload (both lower than Tesla’s originally promised numbers).
However, it’s capable of 0-60 in 2.6 seconds, which makes it one of the quickest pickup trucks ever sold (right up there with the new Rivian R1T Quad Max) – and quicker than most sportscars as well.
But that performance will cost you. The new $115k base price is pretty eye-watering on its own, but even moreso when compared to Tesla’s original promises for the vehicle.
When Cybertruck was first announced, it was supposed to have a base price of $40k, with the top-end tri-motor trim costing $70k. The price of that trim is now $45,000 more than Tesla’s original claim. The current base model costs $61k, more than half again as much as the original $40k promise.
This could have something to do with why the truck isn’t meeting its original sales expectations. Tesla had originally claimed that it would be able to produce and sell 250,000 units of the truck per year, but is now selling around 5,000 per quarter.
In an environment like this, a $15k price bump is unlikely to increase sales. But given that the “luxe package” is mostly software (and deferred costs), it could provide a small margin boost in the short-term for the trucks Tesla is able to sell, to help make up for its seemingly likely fall toward unprofitability under the leadership of its bad CEO.
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Genesis is preparing to shake things up with its most luxurious SUV yet, the GV90. Thanks to a new patent filing, we are getting a detailed look at how its Rolls-Royce-style coach doors will work.
New patent reveals Genesis GV90 coach door system
When Genesis first unveiled the full-size SUV at the NY Auto Show last March, it wasn’t the stunning design or advanced tech that caught everyone’s attention. It was the coach doors.
Although we were worried it wouldn’t make it to the production model, like many concepts, the Genesis GV90 will be offered with coach doors.
The ultra-luxe electric SUV was first caught with coach doors earlier this year on a car carrier in South Korea. Just last month, the GV90 was spotted in California with a hinge at the rear to open the coach doors.
After several new patents were filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for new door latching devices, we are getting a sneak peek at how they are expected to work.
The patents, titled “Cinching Device For Door Latches in Vehicle,” and “Door Latch Device for Vehicles,” give a pretty detailed explanation of how the Genesis GV90’s coach doors will operate. The “Door Latch Device” uses a door striker on the lower side of the door, which is opened or closed by a hinge unit.
Unlike traditional doors, which use the B-pillar for support, the device is attached directly to the door itself, allowing for hinge-like movement.
The cinching device works in a similar way. It’s also attached to the door and part of the vehicle. However, unlike most of its kind, Genesis found a way to use a single cinching device to control multiple units. Again, the device is used for B-pillarless doors that swing open.
Genesis already said that B-pillarless coach doors are now feasible in production vehicles. The patent reveals a glimpse into how the luxury automaker could make it a reality.
Although the Genesis GV90 is expected to be offered with coach doors, they will likely not be standard. Other variants, with traditional door handles, have also been spotted testing in the US and South Korea.
Genesis is expected to launch the GV90 in mid-2026. It will be built at Hyundai’s Ulsan plant in South Korea. The flagship Genesis SUV is scheduled to debut on Hyundai’s new eM platform, which the company said will “provide 50% improvement in driving range.” It will also be loaded with the latest technology, software, connectivity, and Level 3 or higher autonomous driving capabilities.
Source: USPTO
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Environment
Podcast: Tesla Model YL, more Tesla probes and lawsuits, new Nissan Leaf pricing, and more
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss the launch of the Tesla Model YL, more Tesla probes and lawsuits, new Nissan Leaf pricing, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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July EV sales looked strong on the surface, but the looming impact of tariffs and the end of EV tax credits reveal a more complicated picture, according to Cars.com’s new Industry Insights report.
New-vehicle sales jumped 6.6% year-over-year, even as dealer inventory fell for the first time since 2022. Much of the spike came from a “buy now” mindset as shoppers raced to lock in deals before tariffs and policy changes drive prices higher. For EVs in particular, the looming end of the federal $7,500 tax credit on September 30 added another layer of urgency.
EV inventory growth is slowing – for now
Shoppers technically have more EV options than ever, with 75 models on the market – a 27% jump from last year. But new EV inventory growth has slowed to just 9% year-over-year, the lowest since before the Inflation Reduction Act revived federal incentives. Analysts expect another wave of buying before the tax credit vanishes, but after that, higher prices could cool demand, especially with most new EVs still priced in the premium-to-luxury bracket.
Tariffs set to push prices higher
Automakers absorbed an estimated $12 billion in tariff costs in the second quarter alone to keep sticker prices steady. That’s not sustainable, and once those costs flow into 2026 models, EV buyers could be facing thousands more on the same car.
At current 25% tariff levels, the average new-vehicle price could jump from $48,000 to $54,400 – about $6,400 more. Even if trade deals trim tariffs to 15%, buyers would still see increases of more than $4,000. That’s a huge gap compared to household incomes, which grew only 1% last year.
The used EV market is heating up
While new EV prices are bracing for impact, the used EV market is gaining momentum. Inventory is up 33% year-over-year, while average prices dipped 2% to $36,000. Affordable used EVs under $25,000 – including the Tesla Model 3, Nissan Leaf, and Chevy Bolt EV – are selling 20% faster than average. Many also qualify for the $4,000 used-EV tax credit, which, like the new EV credit, ends September 30.
Read more: Global EV sales hit 10.7M in 2025 – Europe surges, US stalls
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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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