The Tesla Cybertruck has been making waves since its debut as a prototype back in 2019. One of the standout features of the electric pickup truck was its unpainted stainless steel body, which was marketed as chip-resistant and not in need of any paint protection. However, in December 2023, Tesla began offering factory-installed paint protection film for the Cybertruck, a move that raised some eyebrows among enthusiasts.
The paint protection film was touted as a way to protect the Cybertruck against scratches, but now, the service has mysteriously disappeared from Tesla’s website. According to reports, the various colored wraps have been out of stock since January, and the shop page for the service no longer exists. This sudden removal of the option has led to speculation about the reasons behind it.
One possible explanation could be a supply issue with the raw materials used for the urethane-based protection film. Tesla claimed that the self-healing material was more environmentally friendly than traditional vinyl wraps and twice the thickness of vinyl on average. The fact that the product has been out of stock for almost a year suggests that there may have been a problem somewhere along the supply chain.
Alternatively, the discontinuation of the service could indicate that there was not enough demand for it. Despite offering 11 different wrap colors at one point, with prices ranging from $6,000 to $6,500, it is possible that not enough Cybertruck owners opted for the wrapping service. This could be due to the limited availability of colors initially or a lack of interest in customizing the already unique-looking Cybertruck.
Another perspective is that the declining demand for the Cybertruck itself may have played a role in the removal of the paint protection film service. While the electric pickup was the third-best-selling battery-electric vehicle in the US in the third quarter of the year, reservations for the Cybertruck seem to have tapered off. With anyone now able to order a new Cybertruck and receive delivery in a short timeframe, the backlog of reservations has seemingly been cleared.
Unfortunately, without any official response from Tesla, the reasons behind the removal of the factory-installed paint protection film service remain speculative. The automaker, led by the enigmatic Elon Musk, has not been known to provide press inquiries ever since the dissolution of its PR department in 2020. As a result, the decision to discontinue the service remains a mystery, leaving Cybertruck owners and enthusiasts wondering about the future of customization options for the electric pickup truck.