By Steven Symes 
As we’ve covered before, Tesla wouldn’t take Cybertrucks as trade-ins, which amused the automaker’s critics and cast doubt on the pickup’s market appeal. However, that policy has reportedly been eliminated and the EV company will now accept the all-electric truck.
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Many assumed the reason Tesla wouldn’t accept Cybertrucks as trade-ins is that the automaker has an overflowing supply of new pickups. Sales have reportedly slowed considerably and values on the used market have plummeted, a sad truth for EVs in general.
Yet Tesla would take at least of its other vehicles for trade-ins. That’s in part why the policy generated plenty of speculation. Now, there are theories flying around about why it’s been suddenly reversed.
For now, it appears Tesla is only willing to entertain trade-ins of Cybertruck Foundation Series models. The all-wheel-drive version of the electric pickup is reportedly not worth much when traded directly to Tesla, with CBT News saying one owner with a 2024 model year purchased for $100,000 says he was offered $65,400.
To be perfectly honest, trading in your car isn’t a way to get maximum value, something everyone should know. After all, the dealership (or in this case the automaker) has to spend money reconditioning the vehicle and be able to sell it with a healthy profit margin built in.
At the same time, we’ve heard from contacts in the used car business that Cybertrucks are in fact market dogs with used values plummeting recently as demand for them has cratered even more than for other EVs.
So, why is Tesla accepting them for trade-ins now? What’s changed?
Tesla started delivering Cybertrucks to customers at the tail end of November 2023, reportedly forcing customers to sign a one-year retention policy we assume was to help protect values. While some have postulated that was behind the no-trade-in policy, we were never convinced.
Image via Alex Mosh/Facebook Marketplace