Finance Expert Reveals the Real Reason Tesla Cybertrucks Aren’t Selling. Then He Puts It Head-To-Head Against the Ford Lightning
'Maybe… or… maybe that other thing.'
While the Tesla Cybertruck sure gets a lot of press, its sales figures pale in comparison to the best-selling EV pickup in the U.S., the F-150 Lightning.
TikTok user Ravi Wadan (@raviwadan) who regularly posts about auto financing and lease deals, says that the reason Ford’s electric pickup is beating the competition boils down to one key factor: price.
He explains why this is the case in a viral TikTok that’s accrued more than 10,000 views on the popular social media application.
Wadan begins his video with a recording of Tesla’s website, which displays purchasing options for the brand’s EV pickup. “You want to know why Tesla Cybertruck sales are rapidly declining? It’s because they’re too [expletive] expensive compared to their competition,” the TikToker claims.
Tesla Cybertruck vs. F-150 Lightning Cost
Following this, he pans the camera over to the payment information section of the site, showing off-lease options for the vehicle. The page indicates that for 10,000 miles a year, folks will have to put $7,500 down for a 36-month term. After doing so, they’ll still have to shell out some $893 each month just to drive the car. Furthermore, the total due at signing, according to Tesla’s website that Wadan displays in his clip, is more than $11,000.
The TikToker breaks it down. “For example, if you want to lease an all-wheel drive Tesla Cybertruck here in Seattle, your total due at signing amount is $11,017. And your monthly payment’s gonna be $893 a month.”
Conversely, another all-electric pickup, the F-150 Lightning, can be had for much less, Wadan argues. His video then transitions to a Ford dealership’s website, Pierre of Lynwood, and a deal they’ve got going on for the legacy automaker’s EV.
Now Trending
And the cost discrepancy is eye-watering. Not only would buyers be able to get their hands on an all-electric truck based off of one of America’s most popular pickup body styles, they don’t have to put any money down to do so.
FROM THE TRENDING NEWS DESK
Viral bits from across the social media landscape
Our team of experts tracks what's trending so you don't have to—from viral videos to online debates that have everyone talking.
Additionally, monthly payments are almost a third of what Tesa’s asking for its Cybertruck. “Meanwhile at Pierre Ford of Lynwood Washington, you can lease this Ford F-150 Lightning XLT for just $299 a month with zero due at signing.”
Total Out Of Pocket Lease Costs
Further driving this pricing disparity home, Wadan then cuts to a cost analysis of the two electric pickups. He records a note document on his computer screen that pits the vehicles head to head when it comes to “total out of pocket” costs. His calculations reveal that a 36-month lease for a Cybertruck amounts to a whopping $42,272. Whereas a F-150 Lightning will only run drivers $14,760 for a 36-month lease.
“On the Tesla Cybertruck, an effective monthly payment of $1,174 a month. And your total out-of-pocket cost over 36 months is going to be $42,272,” Wadan states. Then, he argues why the F-150 Lightning is such a better deal. “Meanwhile the 36-month lease on the F-150 Lightning is gonna run you an effective monthly payment of $410 a month. And your total 36-month out of pocket cost is gonna be $14,760,” the salesman remarked.
He continued that just the difference in costs alone leaves buyers with enough money to purchase a whole second vehicle outright. “And that’s a difference of $27,512 over 36 months,” Wadan exclaimed.
“And ladies and gentlemen that’s why the F-150 Lightning is the best-selling electric pickup truck in the country,” he says before his video comes to a close.
Sales Drop, Ford Still On Top
While June, 2025 reports indicate that F-150 Lightning sales have slowed down, the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker is still faring better than its rivals. In October, InsideEVs reported that Ford “outpaced the industry” with F-150 Lightning sales more than doubling in the year’s third quarter. Ford Authority also wrote that the Lightning outsold both the Silverado and Sierra EV combined in Q1 of 2025.
On the other hand, the Cybertruck only moved 4,306 units in Q2 of 2025, putting it behind the GMC Hummer EV by 200 units. The slump marks the worst sales period the pickup’s ever experienced since it was released.
As Wadan points out, price is arguably the largest contributing factor to the Cybertruck’s market downfall. But there could be other reasons why consumers are abstaining from the brand. Politics seem to be making a dent in sales. In Q1 2025, Tesla had its worst delivery period in two years with 336,681 total vehicles delivered.
However, the dip in deliveries could also be attributed to more variegated offerings in the EV space as other automakers refine their electric lineups. As Clean Technica’s data shows, the Tesla Model Y and Model 3 “continue to dominate [the] US EV market,” the outlet stated
Bad Publicity
Furthermore, due to the hullabaloo surrounding the Cybertruck’s delayed launch and striking design, the truck has fomented a lot of attention. Consequently, it’s also been subjected to a lot of scrutiny and criticism. Which means that any fails or shortcomings associated with the vehicle are magnified. Like when this YouTuber took a Cybertruck off-roading and was bested by a Subaru Crosstrek in overcoming an “off-road obstacle,” InsideEVs wrote.
Criticism of Tesla’s driving technology has also permeated the media cycle as well. Footage of a Cybertruck neglecting to stop for a mannequin while in Full Self-Driving mode circulated the internet. Which has called the brand’s aptitude in determining pedestrian safety into question. Watching a 6,600lb stainless steel slab truck run over obstacles with FSD engaged in independent testing is a harrowing image. And seeing the car slightly careen out of the way of what it registers as a human being isn’t exactly an image that screams safety.
Moreover, there have been Cybertruck owners who haven’t shied away from waxing on in frustration about the issues they’ve experienced with their cars, too. Although it’s not like every single F-150 Lightning owner has been a happy camper, either.
InsideEVs has reached out to Wadan via email for further comment.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
SpaceX Bought Nearly 20% Of Tesla Cybertrucks Sold In Q4
This Theft-Proof E-Bike Is A Cheat Code For NYC Streets
Tesla’s Cheapest Cybertruck Is $10,000 Pricier And A Year Away
EVs Slashed Global Fuel Consumption Massively In 2025
Tesla Just Made The Cybertruck A Lot More Compelling
The BMW iX3 Just Beat Every Competitor In This 620-Mile Road Trip Challenge
The Tesla Cybertruck Had The Biggest Sales Crash Of Any EV In 2025