Unplugged Performance proposes investor-funded plan to keep Tesla Cybertruck production going

Unplugged Performance proposes investor-funded plan to keep Cybertruck production going

On November 10, 2026, Unplugged Performance publicly offered to take over production of Tesla’s Cybertruck electric pickup with funding from a consortium of investors, Electrek reported that day.

Under the proposal, Unplugged Performance would build the vehicles without using Tesla’s factory space or staff, or diverting the automaker’s management from other priorities. Tesla would receive licensing payments, as well as revenue from FSD and the Robotaxi network for every vehicle produced.

The program would cover the Cybertruck, a three-row CyberSUV and a driverless CyberCargo freight vehicle. Tesla had previously mentioned the latter two models but had not unveiled them by the time of publication. Unplugged Performance is proposing to build them alongside the pickup.

Unplugged Performance already has a Cybertruck-related business. The company makes UP Invincible equipment for the pickup, including lift kits and protective components. It has also secured several contracts to convert the pickups into police vehicles and previously worked with Tesla on its own version of the Model S Plaid.

Unplugged Performance founder Ben Schaffer backed Tesla’s focus on autonomous driving but argued for keeping the Cybertruck in production. The company is willing to give Cybercab priority for battery cell supplies and wait its turn.

Four days before the proposal, Elon Musk said Tesla planned to wind down Cybertruck production at its Giga Texas factory in the United States around mid-2027. He said the decision was necessary to free up space to increase Cybercab production. This is an announced plan, not a production line that has already been shut down.

Electrek sees demand as the Cybertruck’s main problem. At the time of publication, the current sales pace was estimated at roughly 30,000 pickups a year, about 12% of Tesla’s initial target of 250,000. The production line has an annual capacity of 125,000 vehicles, putting its utilization at roughly a quarter, according to that estimate.

The publication also questions the argument that space is in short supply. Giga Texas covers more than 929,000 m², and Tesla continues to build the Model Y at the same factory. The company has not announced plans to wind down production of that model to make room for Cybercab.

Unplugged Performance’s proposal drew more than 240,000 views within a few hours. However, as of the preparation of the November 10 report, neither Tesla nor Elon Musk had publicly responded to the initiative.