• Tesla sold 38,965 Cybertrucks in 2024, according to Cox Automotive estimates.
• The Cybertruck's high price and slowing demand contributed to underwhelming sales figures.
• Despite challenges, the Cybertruck was the top-selling electric pickup, surpassing the Ford F-150 Lightning.

I once had a reservation to buy a Tesla Cybertruck. I canceled it last year and ended up buying a Model 3.

It was December and Tesla was offering juicy year-end incentives that won me over. I picked up the car at a Tesla dealership south of Silicon Valley.

Before driving off, I saw about 20 Cybertrucks lined up in the parking lot. I asked a Tesla employee about these vehicles and he said roughly half of them were spoken for. So about 10 were unsold with three weeks left of the year.

Sales numbers

I don't know what happened to those specific Cybertrucks, but overall sales of Elon Musk's angular, divisive electric pickups underwhelmed in 2024.

Cox Automotive recently released EV sales numbers for the US market. This firm estimates that Tesla sold 38,965 Cybertrucks last year.

In late 2023, I collated some Wall Street forecasts for Cybertruck sales and found that Tesla was expected to sell about 48,500 units in 2024. That was the average of estimates from analysts at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, UBS, Bernstein, and Wedbush.

So, Tesla missed by almost 10,000 units. I asked Cox about this and Stephanie Valdez Streaty, the firm's director of industry insights, got back to me.

"Demand for the Cybertruck showed signs of slowing down towards the end of the year and was lower than many Tesla enthusiasts and boosters might have expected," she said.

Cox also adjusted its third-quarter Cybertruck sales number to be lower than initial estimates.

"The Cybertruck's current price point — more than $100,000 according to Kelley Blue Book estimates — will make it difficult to achieve the volume sales that were promised prior to launch," she added. Similar electric trucks from Ford and Rivian cost quite a bit less.

A little context

The Cybertruck is unique and has some groundbreaking technology. Some people love the design.

It ended up being the fifth best-selling EV in the US last year, according to Cox. It beat the Ford F-150 Lightning, making the Cybertruck the top electric pickup in terms of sales.

The top EV was the Model Y, followed by the Model 3. Together, those vehicles accounted for more than 600,000 sales in 2024.

So, the Cybertruck it has not been a massive flop, but it hasn't been a runaway hit either.

The outlook

More than 1 million people put $100 down to reserve a Cybertruck after it was first announced in late 2019.

It's unclear how many people canceled their reservations, like me.

"The electric pickup truck market is becoming increasingly competitive, with new models from established automakers," Valdez Streaty said. "This heightened competition will continue to challenge the Cybertruck's market share."

"We are likely through many of the early Tesla Cybertruck adopters. Initial demand was driven by enthusiasts and early adopters," she added. "The focus now is on appealing to a broader market to sustain sales momentum."

• Andrew Lambrecht rented a 2023 Polestar 2 to compare it to his 2021 Tesla Model 3.
• He discovered the Polestar 2 has a premium feel but lacks efficiency and tech compared to Tesla.
• If he were in the market for a new EV, he would choose the Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD.

Last summer, I bought my second used Tesla Model 3, a 2021 Long Range AWD in the low $20,000 range, with incentives. I considered several other options but decided to buy another Model 3 for its engaging driving dynamics, wickedly fast acceleration, solid tech, and reliable powertrain.

I enjoy driving my Model 3, but the market has grown to include many more attractive options than just Tesla, like the Polestar 2, a four-door that arrived in the US in late 2020. It boasts a clean yet muscular design and solid, but not groundbreaking, range, charging, and performance.

The Polestar 2 looks like a good car on paper but flies below the radar. To learn more about the sporty sedan, I rented one from Hertz for a week to test it at $48 per day, which included mandatory airport fees and taxes. For the purpose of this story, Business Insider compensated me for the rental price.

Who is Polestar?

Polestar is a Swedish automotive upstart founded by Volvo and China-based Geely Holding Group in 2017. The electric vehicle maker offers three electric cars: the 2 sedan, the 3 SUV, and the 4 crossover.

Having roots with Volvo, Polestars and Volvos share a lot of components. Volvo recently divested from Polestar, though the two automakers still collaborate on manufacturing and engineering ventures.

Polestar 2: First impressions

When I picked up the Polestar 2, I noticed that my rental was the base version with a 2023 Dual Motor but no added packages besides upgraded 20-inch wheels. That said, all models' exteriors and interiors look virtually the same aside from different trim pieces and a glass roof.

As soon as you enter the Polestar, its Scandinavian vibe is evident. Its muscle car-esque proportions and higher-raked windshield make it feel like you're in a cocoon. A high-sitting center console, standard metal roof, and dark headliner material give the Polestar a sporty, mature, and premium vibe.

It feels well-built. The doors with framed windows produce a solid "thunk" when closing, and the blinker stocks, drive selector, and steering wheel all have a high-end feel.

There are some hard-touch plastics here and there (more than in a Tesla), but elements like the brushed metal door handles redirect your focus. The Polestar 2 feels better built than my older Model 3 but is on par with the refreshed 2024 version. I can see buyers preferring either.

On the road with the Polestar 2

Despite being an AWD electric sedan like the Tesla Model 3, the most noticeable difference is the weight. The Polestar 2 weighs 4,650 pounds — the big battery Model 3 weighs 4,019. 600 pounds is a sizable difference, and you can feel it when taking corners.

Still, the Polestar 2 is a rapid vehicle. With 402 horsepower, it can hustle to 60 in about 4.5 seconds. Unlike the Model 3, you can launch it by pressing your left foot on the brake pedal and right foot on the accelerator, then letting the brake go.

On the road, the Polestar 2 also does an excellent job of minimizing vibrations. While the new Model 3 is much better in this regard, there's a notable difference with my outgoing Model 3.

Another benefit is the added ground clearance and lower plastic cladding. While it's no rugged SUV, the Polestar 2 is capable of light off-roading with 6 inches of ground clearance.

Polestar range and charging

During my final day with the Polestar, I drove through the North Carolina mountains and stopped at a 350-kilowatt EA station outside Asheville. I recorded around 30 minutes to go from 17 to 80% charged. In that time, the charger dispensed 53 kilowatt-hours, which cost $30.91. This charging time is fine but not revolutionary.

The Polestar 2 has a peak charge rate of 150 kilowatts but dropped below the 100-kilowatt threshold by around 55%. The Model 3 has a peak of 250 kilowatts, but it sees a similar drop to the 100-kilowatt mark at around 60% charge. The big difference is its efficiency. The Polestar has a battery similar in capacity to my Model 3, but it can't go as far on a charge.

I recorded an estimated 224 miles of range at 70 miles per hour. My 2021 Model 3 can get around 270 miles within that speed range. Since the Polestar 2 isn't as efficient as the Tesla Model 3, it'll need more energy to travel the same distance, increasing the cost.

I never had any anxiety with the Polestar, as its range was still more than ample for my driving, averaging over 100 miles per day. When I get to campus, I plug in and head to class.

Average tech and missing safety features

Despite having a sticker price above $50,000, the Polestar had virtually no safety features. This one didn't have adaptive cruise control, lane centering assist, or even a blind spot monitor. For comparison, every new Tesla, Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen, and Toyota EV comes with adaptive cruise control as standard.

Another disappointing area of the Polestar 2 is its lackluster technology. While the Polestar features two crisp displays powered by Google software, the computer chip powering them is an Intel A3900 chip, which debuted in 2016. The result is a display that can be laggy and somewhat unresponsive.

Nevertheless, it's still better than other systems I've used before. The Google-based system effortlessly adds charging stops, telling you what percentage you'll arrive with and how long you'll need to charge, but for a fresh-faced automaker, it trails behind Rivian and Tesla.

Verdict

I liked many things about the Polestar but wouldn't buy a new one. If I were looking at the new market, the updated Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD is the better buy. It offers 363 miles of range, better charging, more standard features, and a lower price tag.

If you're buying used with a budget in the mid to upper-$20,000 range, the Polestar 2 is worth a look. Just due to the sheer number of Teslas on the road, the 2 is refreshing. It drives well, has a decent range, and has an alluring Scandinavian aura.

While the Model 3 started it all, the Polestar is a solid alternative that checks different boxes. There's a lot to like about it, and I will miss my time driving it.