In 2021 when Tesla stopped announcing how many reservations it had for the Cybertruck, the number was 1.5 million. So who knows how many it has now, on the cusp of starting production. But the question has always been how many of those reservation holders will actually buy one when their number is up. So an independent survey answers that question.

How much money did Tesla make from taking Cybertruck reservations?

The survey shows reservation holders have a “high intent” to complete their purchase of a Cybertruck. With a refundable $100 price to place a reservation, there was nothing to lose from sending in your C-note. So it has always been a little shaky how many actually would pay up. And it didn’t help when rumors suggested that some reservation holders actually put in multiple reservations for the truck. 

But it was a smart move on Tesla’s part to offer reservations at the onset of the Cybertruck reveal. It brought in over $150 million in interest-free money to Tesla’s doorstep. Those reservations, if all reservation holders redeem them, amount to over $100 billion in gross profit. And while it was unusual at the time, we’ve seen it embraced by all of the auto manufacturers since then. 

What percent of Cybertruck reservation holders plan on buying?

The Recurrent Auto survey found 75% of reservation holders plan on purchasing their trucks. It is worth noting that the Rivian R1T and R1S, the Ford F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and Aptera, show similar reservationist intent. Unfortunately, that can’t be said for 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV reservation holders, with a bit more than 20% saying they’ll step up when their trucks become available. 

Another interesting result of the survey is that in general, a high percentage of all Tesla models reserved, not just the Cybertruck, will ultimately end in purchases. That figure is a high 95%. So Tesla is riding high with enthusiasts and reservation holders intent to buy.

When will the Cybertruck finally be available?

The Cybertruck debuted in November 2019. Many expected it to face rough sailing due to its outlier design. Instead, enthusiasts embraced it immediately, as reservations came flooding in. At the time, it was the first electric truck. Of course, as development time went way past its expected release, the Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning EVs have supplanted the Cybertruck. 

Recently there has been a lot of activity around the Texas facility giving birth to the truck. As of now, production is expected to begin in the last quarter of 2023. That means there is a chance that some buyers will have a new Cybertrucks sitting in their driveways by Christmas. With so many extensions of anticipated deliveries, we can only pass along what Tesla is saying now. It could, however, always change.