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Musk first unveiled the Cybertruck back in 2019<\/a>, but the production timeline has been lethargic ever since. The first vehicles were delivered last fall, two years behind schedule<\/a>. Barron\u2019s reported in January<\/a> that over 2 million people are on the waiting list: new orders are currently being scheduled for 2027.\u00a0<\/p>\n But Tesla recently announced a new program<\/a> that lets would-be buyers skip the line to get their hands on a new Cybertruck\u2014but only if they already have $40,000 worth of Tesla stock.<\/p>\n Under the program, dubbed the \u201cEarly Cybertruck Delivery for Long-Term TSLA Shareholders,\u201d anyone who held at least 500 shares of Tesla stock two years ago\u2014and still owns at least half that amount today\u2014is eligible to get early delivery of a Cybertruck.\u00a0<\/p>\n The cutoffs for this program mean it will only be available to hardcore Tesla stakeholders\u2014two years ago, 500 Tesla shares were worth over $112,000. Even if they sold half of their stake, Tesla fans still have to have at least $40,000 worth of shares to be eligible for the early delivery program. (The early Foundation series of the Cybertruck, the only model that\u2019s currently available, only retails for around $80,000.)<\/p>\n Tesla required waitlisted buyers to put down a $1,000 refundable deposit<\/a> to keep their place in line last December. (The deposit goes towards the eventual cost, but if buyers change their mind and decide they don\u2019t want a Cybertruck, they lose the money.) Tesla fans have ponied up, but they still don\u2019t know when to expect their vehicles\u2014the standard, rear-wheel-drive version won\u2019t be available until 2025, according to Tesla.<\/p>\n Tesla, which has long led the U.S. in EV sales, has been struggling to maintain its electric growth rate. The American market has few options below the $50,000 mark<\/a>, and Tesla\u2019s long been trying to rush a cheaper model to market. Evercore<\/a> analysts who visited the company\u2019s Texas factory just issued a note<\/a> forecasting that model wouldn\u2019t hit roads in force until at least 2027, though.<\/p>\n Tesla delivered a record number of vehicles last year<\/a>, but declining sales in the Chinese market and a series of disappointing earnings<\/a> have painted a cloudier picture for the market leader. (A Wells Fargo<\/a> analyst downgraded its stock Wednesday,<\/a> calling Tesla a \u201cgrowth company with no growth.\u201d) But one thing Tesla does have going for it is an army of Elon superfans\u2014and, at least for the Cybertruck, that should be enough to boost sales for years to come.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nSubscribe to the Eye on AI newsletter to stay abreast of how AI is shaping the future of business. Sign up<\/a> for free.<\/div>\n