The U.S. State Department recently caused a stir when it listed $400 million for “Armored Tesla” vehicles in its 2025 procurement forecast. However, the entry was later edited to say “armored electric vehicles” instead, according to NPR.
This contract, which was the largest item in the 320-item forecast, sparked speculation that it could be for Tesla’s highly anticipated Cybertruck. Other armored vehicle contracts were also listed, including $40 million for BMW X5 and X7 models.
When asked about the $400 million contract, Tesla CEO Elon Musk denied any knowledge of it, calling the report “fake news” on social media. He stated, “I’m pretty sure Tesla isn’t getting $400M. No one mentioned it to me, at least.”
A State Department spokesperson later clarified to Forbes that there are “no current plans” to proceed with the armored electric vehicle contract. They also mentioned that the original forecast should not have specified Tesla, and that the agency had only received interest from one company after the Biden administration asked them to explore the idea of armored electric vehicles.
It seems that the mystery surrounding the $400 million armored electric vehicle contract continues to unfold, with Tesla’s involvement still uncertain. Stay tuned for any further developments on this intriguing story.