Tesla Cybertruck Loses to Ford F-150 Lightning in Q1 and March Registrations

The Ford F-150 Lightning surpassed the Tesla Cybertruck in registrations for March and the first quarter, reclaiming the electric vehicle pickup crown in the United States, according to S&P Global Mobility. 

The Cybertruck recorded 2,170 registrations in March, falling short of the Lightning’s 2,598. In the first quarter, the Cybertruck saw 7,126 registrations versus the Lightning’s 7,913 in the first quarter.

Cybertruck vs Ford F-150 Lightning

The Cybertruck’s March recall of 46,096 units for a detachable exterior panel, the eighth recall listed by NHTSA as of May 14, may have impacted the vehicle’s sales performance, according to Yahoo Autos. This, together with the Cybertruck’s high entry price of almost $80,000 until the end of the first quarter, could have contributed to the vehicle’s subpar registrations in Q1.

Compared to the Cybertruck, the Ford F-150 Lightning is a far more affordable option. According to Car and Driver, a base Ford F-150 Lightning Pro could be purchased for as low as $49,975 before incentives. At that price, the Lightning is significantly more affordable than the Cybertruck. This, together with the F-150’s tried and tested nameplate, sealed the deal for the vehicle in March and the first quarter.

With these results, the first quarter ended with the Ford F-150 Lightning once more becoming the United States’ best-selling electric pickup truck. The Tesla Cybertruck ranked second, followed by the Chevrolet Silverado EV, the GMC Sierra EV, the Rivian R1T, and the GMC Hummer EV.

An Analyst and Consumers Weigh In

Industry analyst Robby DeGraff at AutoPacific stated that the Cybertruck has become political due to CEO Elon Musk’s work with the Trump administration. 

“The Cybertruck is an easy target, caught in the chaos of Elon Musk’s childish, irrational, and reckless political behavior. As a result, the lust has faded for this already controversial truck. The F-150 Lightning, on the other hand, continues to reward EV buyers who desire a pickup truck with emissions-less practicality and durability — sans the negative association,” DeGraff said.

Cybertruck owners, however, remain convinced that their vehicles are well worth the purchase. Members of the Cybertruck Owners Club forum conducted an informal poll asking members if they would buy the electric pickup truck again. A whopping 86% said that they would do so, even if it gets hate from some people. “There’s nothing else like it and so many positives. It’s like buying the future. The political stuff will blow over,” one member wrote.

EV.com recognizes the shifting dynamics in the U.S. EV pickup market, with the Ford F-150 Lightning’s registration lead over Tesla’s Cybertruck. You can explore the best offers on Tesla and Ford electric vehicles and other EVs we have on our listings here.