Cybertruck 2.0: Will Elon Soften The Blade—Or Ship The Kiss Of Dying?

The Cybertruck’s razor-edged silhouette is automotive Marmite: adored by 400,000 pre-order fanatics, reviled by focus-group traditionalists who name it “a low-poly render escaped from 1998.” Two years into manufacturing, Tesla’s Q3 2025 filings reveal Cybertruck quantity stalled at ~45,000 models yearly—respectable, but dwarfed by the F-150’s million-plus. Whispers on X and in Giga Texas corridors ask the identical query: will Elon Musk sand these stainless-steel angles into one thing softer, and if he does, would gross sales surge or would it not be the kiss of dying?

Musk’s monitor report is iterative, not revolutionary mid-cycle. Mannequin S “Plaid” refreshed internals, not the fuselage. But Cybertruck’s 35% conquest charge from ICE vehicles (per Tesla’s personal survey) lags the Mannequin Y’s 60%. A gentler fascia—rounded corners, painted panels, standard headlights—might lure fleet consumers and suburban dads petrified of the origami aesthetic. Analysts at Morgan Stanley mannequin a 25–40% quantity elevate if Tesla captures simply 15% of the 1.8 million full-size truck market at present ignoring EVs.

However the blade cuts each methods. Cybertruck’s polarizing pores and skin is free billboarding; wrap retailers report 70% of householders customise to amplify, not mute, the look. Diluting that dangers New Coke syndrome. Rivian’s R1T, already softer-edged, strikes 50,000 models with out Tesla’s hype. Ford’s Lightning outsells Cybertruck 2:1 on acquainted F-150 traces. A watered-down Cybertruck may cannibalize Tesla’s personal id, turning cult icon into also-ran.

Musk not too long ago tweeted “sharp edges or bust.” Translation: no redesign quickly. If he ever relents, gross sales might rise short-term on broader enchantment—but the kiss of dying looms if the soul that sparked 400,000 deposits vanishes underneath compromise curves. The triangle should keep deadly.