Tesla leaves Cybertruck watchers guessing about debut quarter

Tesla Inc. left two highly anticipated numbers out of its latest quarterly production and deliveries release: how many Cybertrucks the company built and sold the last few weeks of 2023.

The carmaker didn’t break out the figures in a statement issued Tuesday, instead grouping its debut pickup together with the Model S sedan and Model X sport utility vehicle.

Overall deliveries beat analysts’ average estimate, with the Model Y SUV and Model 3 sedan accounting for 95% of vehicles sold in the quarter.

Estimates for the Cybertruck deliveries varied widely among analysts, ranging from as few as 200 to as many as 5,000.

Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has cautioned that it may take Tesla 12 to 18 months to reach volume production and generate positive cash flow with the stainless steel-bodied vehicle, which is difficult to build and packed with new technology.

Consumers flocked to Tesla’s U.S. showrooms to see Cybertrucks after the Thanksgiving holiday, raising some analysts’ hopes that the vehicle Musk started delivering on Nov. 30 will have a halo effect for the rest of the company’s lineup.

Musk is trying to convert the next wave of EV-curious consumers after having dominated the segment in the US for years.