Tesla Cybertruck Price Increase: The $59,990 AWD Deal Ends March 1, 2026 — Here's What It Means for Buyers

If you’ve been eyeing a Tesla Cybertruck, your window just got a lot smaller. On February 19, 2026, Tesla launched a new dual-motor all-wheel-drive (AWD) Cybertruck at a starting price of $59,990 — the lowest price Tesla has ever offered for a properly equipped Cybertruck. But within hours of the announcement, Elon Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted three words that sent shockwaves through the EV community: “Only for the next 10 days.”

That means as of March 1, 2026, the most compelling Cybertruck configuration Tesla has ever offered will either see a significant price increase, be discontinued entirely, or undergo some other dramatic change. For anyone who’s been on the fence about purchasing a Cybertruck, the clock is ticking — and the implications extend far beyond just the sticker price.

What Exactly Is Changing?

Let’s break down the numbers. The new AWD Cybertruck that launched on February 19 starts at $59,990. This isn’t the stripped-down, feature-gutted version that Tesla tried (and failed) to sell in 2025. This AWD model comes with:

• Dual-motor all-wheel drive — real capability for a truck
• Adaptive damping suspension — smooth ride quality
• Powered tonneau cover — the iconic motorized bed cover
• Bed outlets with Powershare V2X — bidirectional charging capability
• Full suite of driver assistance features

The main trade-offs compared to the higher-priced AWD trim are the loss of active air suspension and slightly reduced range. But for $59,990, this was finally a Cybertruck that made sense for the average truck buyer.

Now, with Musk’s cryptic “10 days” comment expiring around March 1, buyers face uncertainty. The price could jump back above $70,000 — which was roughly where the previous AWD sat — or Tesla could pull the trim entirely. Either way, the brief window of affordable Cybertruck ownership appears to be closing.

The Chaotic History of Cybertruck Pricing

To understand why this matters, you need to look at the full arc of Cybertruck pricing — a saga that reads more like a soap opera than an automotive product launch.

When Elon Musk first unveiled the Cybertruck on November 21, 2019, he promised a revolutionary electric pickup truck starting at just $39,900. The internet exploded. Over a million people placed $100 reservations. The idea of a stainless-steel, bulletproof-glass, sci-fi truck for under $40,000 was irresistible.

Then reality set in.

The Cybertruck didn’t arrive until late 2023, four years behind schedule. And when it did, the base price wasn’t $39,900 — it was $79,990 for the AWD variant, with the Cyberbeast tri-motor starting at $99,990. The promised single-motor rear-wheel-drive model? Nowhere to be seen.

Here’s the timeline of pricing chaos:

• November 2019: Cybertruck unveiled at $39,900 (single motor), $49,900 (dual motor), $69,900 (tri-motor)
• November 2023: First deliveries begin at $79,990 (AWD) and $99,990 (Cyberbeast)
• April 2025: Tesla launches stripped-down RWD Cybertruck at $69,990
• September 2025: RWD model discontinued after fewer than 250 units built
• August 2025: Cyberbeast price hiked by $15,000 to $114,990
• February 19, 2026: New AWD model at $59,990; Cyberbeast drops back to $99,990
• February 20, 2026: Musk says this pricing is “only for the next 10 days”

That’s seven major pricing changes in just over two years. For a vehicle that costs as much as a modest home down payment, this level of instability is unprecedented in the automotive industry.

Why Is Tesla Raising Prices (Again)?

There are several theories circulating about why Tesla would kill its most accessible Cybertruck just days after launching it:

1. End-of-Quarter Sales Push

Tesla’s Q1 2026 ends on March 31, and the company has a well-documented pattern of using aggressive pricing to boost quarterly delivery numbers. The $59,990 AWD could be a flash sale designed to move inventory and pad the quarterly report. Once the quarter’s momentum is established, prices go back up.

2. Tariff Pressures

The ongoing trade tensions and tariff policies affecting raw materials — particularly steel and aluminum — have put upward pressure on manufacturing costs across the auto industry. The Cybertruck’s distinctive stainless-steel exoskeleton makes it particularly vulnerable to steel tariff fluctuations. If input costs are rising, Tesla may not be able to sustain the $59,990 price point.

3. Clearing Inventory Before a Refresh or Discontinuation

Some industry analysts believe Tesla may be preparing to either significantly refresh the Cybertruck or wind down the program entirely. The flash sale could be an effort to clear existing parts inventory. Electrek’s reporting suggests this Cybertruck is “extremely close to what Tesla was already building and having a hard time selling,” lending credibility to the inventory-clearing theory.

4. Artificial Scarcity and FOMO Marketing

Musk is a master of creating urgency. By announcing that a desirable product is only available for 10 days, he creates a fear-of-missing-out dynamic that drives impulsive purchases. Whether this is brilliant marketing or cynical manipulation depends on your perspective.

How Does the Cybertruck Compare to Competitors Now?

Even at $59,990, the Cybertruck faces stiff competition in the electric truck market. Here’s how it stacks up:

• Ford F-150 Lightning: Starts around $54,995 for the base model and qualifies for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit (which the Cybertruck does not). After incentives, buyers can get into a Lightning for roughly $47,495 — over $12,000 less than the Cybertruck.
• Rivian R1T: Starts at approximately $69,900 for the dual-motor standard battery. More expensive than the Cybertruck, but offers a more refined interior, genuine off-road capability, and a company that doesn’t change prices every other month.
• Chevrolet Silverado EV: The Work Truck (WT) trim starts around $57,095 and offers a massive 400+ mile range. The RST trim runs about $79,800 but comes loaded with features.
• RAM 1500 REV: Expected to start around $58,000, this brings the trusted RAM brand into the electric truck space with competitive range and towing specs.

If the Cybertruck price jumps back above $70,000 after March 1, it becomes significantly harder to justify when competitors offer more conventional designs, better build quality, dealer support networks, and in many cases, federal tax credit eligibility.

My Perspective as a Cybertruck Owner

Full disclosure: I’ve owned a Cybertruck since September 2025, and I’m not just a casual observer of these pricing changes — I’m living with this vehicle every day. My Cybertruck, which I’ve named Kemosabe, has been my daily driver through a Utah winter, road trips, and everything in between.

Here’s what I can tell you from the owner’s seat: the Cybertruck is genuinely unlike anything else on the road. The stainless-steel build quality, the acceleration, the tech integration, the Powershare capability that can literally power your house during an outage — it’s all real, and it’s all impressive. When Tesla gets it right, they really get it right.

But I also understand the frustration of potential buyers who watched the price they paid get slashed by tens of thousands of dollars just months later, or who hesitated and now face an impending price increase. Tesla’s erratic pricing strategy doesn’t just affect sales numbers — it erodes trust. When you’re spending $60,000 or more on a vehicle, you want to feel confident that the company behind it has a stable plan. Instead, Cybertruck buyers get pricing changes announced via social media posts with zero official communication from Tesla’s PR department (which, as a reminder, doesn’t exist anymore).

That said, if you’ve been considering a Cybertruck and the $59,990 AWD spec appeals to you, my honest advice is: act now. Whatever happens after March 1, it’s almost certainly going to cost more. And as someone who drives one every day, I can tell you the ownership experience — the turning heads, the conversations at every charging stop, the sheer fun of driving a vehicle that looks like it’s from 2035 — is worth it.

What This Means for the Used Cybertruck Market

The ripple effects of these pricing changes extend well beyond new vehicle sales. The used Cybertruck market has been a rollercoaster of its own, and this latest move is about to make it even more interesting.

When the Cybertruck first launched at $79,990+ in late 2023, used models were selling for well over $100,000 due to limited supply and massive demand. Speculators were flipping Cybertrucks for five-figure premiums within days of delivery.

But as production ramped up and demand softened — particularly amid the broader political backlash against Musk — used Cybertruck prices cratered. By early 2026, used models were frequently listed at $10,000-$20,000 below their original purchase price. Owners who paid $80,000+ in 2024 watched their vehicle’s resale value plummet.

Now, with the $59,990 AWD price potentially disappearing after March 1, the used market faces another disruption:

• If new prices go back up to $70,000+: Used Cybertrucks suddenly look like relative bargains again. Owners who bought during the flash sale could see their vehicles hold value better than expected.
• If the Cybertruck program gets discontinued or refreshed: Current models could become collector’s items or could lose value entirely depending on parts availability and support.
• Short-term flood of inventory: The 10-day sale likely accelerated some purchases from people who planned to flip. Expect a wave of “barely used” Cybertrucks hitting the used market in the coming months.

For used Cybertruck shoppers, the calculus is complicated. You’re not just evaluating the vehicle — you’re gambling on Tesla’s next pricing decision, which could come at any time, announced via a tweet with no warning.

The Bigger Picture: What This Says About Tesla in 2026

The Cybertruck pricing saga is a microcosm of Tesla’s broader challenges in 2026. The company that once dominated the EV market with a clear vision and consistent execution is now lurching from one pricing decision to another, discontinuing models (RIP Model S and Model X), and struggling to maintain market share against increasingly capable competition from Ford, GM, Rivian, BYD, and others.

Musk’s attention is split between Tesla, SpaceX, xAI, the Department of Government Efficiency, and X. The Cybertruck, which was supposed to be Tesla’s assault on the most profitable segment of the American auto market, has instead become a symbol of the company’s growing chaos.

None of this means the Cybertruck is a bad vehicle. It’s not. It’s a genuinely remarkable piece of engineering that pushes the boundaries of what a pickup truck can be. But remarkable engineering alone doesn’t sell vehicles — consistent pricing, reliable communication, and customer trust do. And right now, Tesla is failing on all three fronts.

The Bottom Line

If you want a Cybertruck AWD at $59,990, you have until approximately March 1, 2026. After that, all bets are off. The price could jump to $70,000 or more, the trim could disappear, or Musk could surprise everyone with yet another unpredictable move.

For those of us already in the Cybertruck family, we’ll be watching closely — not because we regret our purchase, but because in the world of Tesla ownership, the only constant is change. And right now, that change is pointing in one direction: up.

Taha Abbasi is a tech entrepreneur, Cybertruck owner since September 2025, and creator of content at the intersection of technology, EVs, and the future of transportation. Follow his Cybertruck journey on YouTube and at tahaabbasi.com.