Tesla has quietly pulled the plug on the Cybertruck Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive in the United States, ending sales barely six months after launch. A quick look at the company’s online configurator confirms only two trims remain: the All-Wheel Drive at $79,990 and the top-tier Cyberbeast at $114,990.
The discontinued Rear-Wheel Drive was intended to be the “affordable” Cybertruck at $69,990 before incentives. With the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, some buyers could have seen the price drop to $62,490. But with the credit’s availability narrowing and potential changes on the horizon, that price advantage was on shaky ground. At nearly $70,000, many shoppers appeared willing to stretch the extra $10,000 for the AWD model’s added power, traction, and features.
On paper, the RWD’s specs were solid for a single-motor truck: an estimated 350 miles of range, 7,500 pounds of towing capacity, and a 0–60 mph time of 6.2 seconds. It also weighed in at 6,117 pounds, making it over 500 pounds lighter than the AWD version. Where it lagged was in creature comforts and perceived value. The RWD trim lacked the premium leather-like seat finish found in the AWD, and its seven-speaker audio system fell well short of the 15 speakers in the AWD and Cyberbeast. For many buyers, those differences made the RWD feel like a downgrade that didn’t align with its near-$70,000 price tag.
Tesla hasn’t offered an official reason for the change, but the move simplifies the lineup and likely concentrates demand on configurations that better fit buyer expectations. With the AWD now serving as the entry point, shoppers get dual-motor traction, stronger performance, and a more premium cabin—benefits that are easier to justify when the price gap to the RWD was only around $10,000.
What this means for buyers:
– If you were holding out for the lowest-priced Cybertruck, the AWD trim is now the starting option in the U.S.
– Keep an eye on existing inventory or previously built units if you still want an RWD, as some may linger at dealers for a short time.
– Factor in the evolving federal EV tax credit landscape, which can significantly impact the total cost of ownership.
– Consider your priorities: the RWD offered lighter weight and solid range, but the AWD delivers better traction, stronger performance, and a richer feature set.
Bottom line: the streamlined Cybertruck lineup now focuses on the configurations most shoppers were gravitating toward. With the AWD as the de facto entry-level model and the Cyberbeast at the top end, Tesla appears to be aligning its truck strategy around performance and perceived value—two areas where the RWD struggled to stand out.
