The Tesla Cybertruck Will Die Next Year So the Cybercab Can Live: TDS

November 6, 2026 · by APW Pipeline

Hello and welcome to The Downshift, a daily sweep of the morning’s top headlines from the auto industry and car culture, curated by The Drive’s editorial team. Each story gets a short summary and link to the original source if you want to dive deeper.

Happy Friday! Here’s your bulletin for November 6, 2026:

In a way, it seems like we just got acquainted with the Tesla Cybertruck, considering how long it took to finally show up, but it appears that the controversial electric pickup will end production midway through next year at the automaker’s Austin Gigafactory “to make room” for the Cybercab robotaxi, according to CEO Elon Musk. Whether Cybertruck manufacturing will move to someplace else afterwards remains to be seen, though, the way Tesla executives are talking, it certainly seems like this will be it. Like Musk himself, who called this the “end of an era.” Or the vehicle’s Chief Engineer, Wes Morrill, who posted on X that “Cybertruck was an incredible technology development platform and lives on through Cybercab.” That’s the kind of thing you really only say when something’s going away for good. [Reuters]

Honda is teasing a new hybrid wagon for Japan called the Avancier. We don’t know anything about it, but the Avancier name isn’t new, and has historically been connected to long-roof Accords in the past. Honda has also never before brought an Avancier to the U.S., but, recalling that rumor back in July that Honda was prepping an Accord SUV for North America, it’s possible that could be what we’re seeing here. [Autoblog]

Hyundai is recalling about 38,000 vehicles—specifically the Hyundai Veloster N and Kona Electric built between 2019 and 2023—for airbags and seat pretensioners that may not deploy in a crash. [Autoblog]

BYD has finally done it. Days after a horrific crash during a top-speed attempt that the driver fortunately escaped unharmed from, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme has become the first production car to break the 500 km/h barrier, topping 312 mph in a test in Abu Dhabi. [CarNewsChina]

Audi is reportedly considering increasing its investment in its planned U.S. site to $7 billion. The expansion would take the form of a second phase that would add 3,000 workers to the 4,500 originally planned. The automaker is reportedly set to receive loads of state incentives for the plant, in addition to tariff relief from the federal government, if it chooses to build in Georgia. [Automotive News]

Battery-electric vehicles claimed 34% of new-car sales in Europe last month, up from 22% a year earlier. [Automotive News]

Stellantis wants a better window into its Tier 1 suppliers, so it’s requesting that they provide parts mapping data through third-party platforms. Ford and GM have asked this of their partners as well, and it’s quickly become a standard in the industry to counter abrupt supply-chain disruptions. [Automotive News]

Weekend races to watch (all times Eastern):