The rear-wheel drive trim of the Tesla Cybertruck lasted about five months before it was unceremoniously removed from online sales. The Long Range model represented the most affordable Cybertruck option with its starting price of $69,990, but visitors to Tesla’s online configurator can now only choose between the all-wheel drive model that starts at $79,990 and the Cyberbeast trim, which goes for at least $114,990.
Tesla launched the Long Range version of the Cybertruck in April, which arrived at $10,000 more than originally expected. Along with an elevated price tag, Tesla removed several features, including the power tonneau cover, adaptive suspension, a touchscreen for the back row, the rear lightbar and outlets in the truck bed. The RWD version also came with less towing power, a lower payload capacity and only one motor. While unrelated, the federal tax credit for EV buyers in the US is coming to a close at the end of the month, making the purchase of a Long Range model even less of a bargain.
Tesla didn’t officially offer any explanation about the removal of the Long Range option from its website, but it could be attributed to low Cybertruck sales overall. According to a report from Cox Automotive, the parent company of Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, Tesla only sold 4,306 Cybertrucks in the second quarter of the year, which is a more than 50 percent drop in sales during the same time period last year.