Womp, womp: Tesla kills the $16,000 Cybertruck Range Extender

Tesla customers are no stranger to preordering a new product and then waiting years and years (and years) for it to be released. In the case of the Tesla Roadster, for example, people who preordered the electric vehicle in 2017 are still waiting.

However, it appears that the wait is over for Tesla owners who preordered the Cybertruck Range Extender. And, no, it's not because the product has now been released.

Tesla has now cancelled its plan for a Cybertruck Range Extender, according to a report from EV news outlet Electrek.

"We are no longer planning to sell the Range Extender for Cybertruck," reads a Tesla email sent to a customer that was obtained by Electrek. "As a result, we will be refunding your deposit in full."

The range extender was essentially a $16,000 removable battery pack that would have sat in the Cybertruck's bed and extended just how far the vehicle could travel before needing a charge. 

Tesla originally stated that the range extender would bump the dual motor Cybertruck's range up from 325 to 470 miles, but was later revised to 445 miles. Elon Musk's EV company also originally slated the range extender release for early 2025, but moved it to mid-2025. Now it appears there will be no release at all. 

Outlets first noticed trouble for the Cybertruck Range Extender last month when Tesla quietly removed the $2,000 preorder for the range extender from its website.

Range issues continue to be a major concern for EV owners and potential EV customers alike. Tesla and Musk himself have previously been accused of overexaggerating the range of their vehicles when promoting Tesla's EVs. 

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In fact, in 2023, Reuters reported that Tesla had created a team specifically responsible for suppressing range-related complaints from Tesla customers. Customers who scheduled maintenance visits over concerns that their Tesla wasn't hitting the ranges as advertised had their appointments quietly cancelled by this team. 

Vehicle range has especially been an issue with Tesla's Cybertruck, with some customers reporting that the actual range could be 100 miles less than Tesla advertises.

For Cybertruck owners who actually want to keep their vehicle, their options for extending the truck's range may be limited.