Tesla will no longer release the Cybertruck range extender

Tesla has scrapped its plans to sell a range extender for the Cybertruck, the automaker has notified customers who have previously paid a $2,000 reservation fee for the $16,000 add-on. Based on copies of the email people have been posting on social networks and forums, Tesla will be refunding their deposits in full. It didn’t say why it’s no longer planning to sell the accessory, but the emails come a month after the company quietly pulled the option to add it to the vehicle from its website configurator.

The range extender is a battery pack that was supposed to be installed on the bed of the Cybertruck. It was Tesla’s answer to releasing vehicles that had shorter ranges than it originally promised. When the company first unveiled the model, it said different versions would have different ranges, including one that has a 500-mile range. Instead, the long-range Cybertruck, which has the longest range, can only last for 350 miles on a single charge. As Electrek noted late last year, the battery pack was supposed to start shipping in early 2025, but Tesla pushed back its release to mid-2025 and also reduced its promised range from 470 miles to 445 miles.

Elon Musk previously said that he expects Tesla to sell between 250,000 to 500,000 Cybertrucks a year. However, a recent recall showed that the automaker sold fewer than 50,000 units over a 15-month period. It’s unclear whether the company decided to pull the plug on the range extender because it’s not worth manufacturing a new product for a model that’s performing far below expectations, or if it has another reason altogether. Either way, the Cybertruck’s battery add-on has been cancelled and won’t be seeing the light of day.

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