Yahoo Autos Tesla Robotaxi Is a Driverless Car That Will Cost Under $30,000
The Tesla Robotaxi has been revealed, and it's a driverless car with Cybertruck-like design details.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the Robotaxi (a.k.a. Cybercab) will cost less than $30,000, start production sometime in 2026, and have inductive (wireless) charging.
Tesla also revealed more details about its humanoid robot Optimus as well as the Robovan—a fully autonomous van.
Tesla has finally pulled back the veil on its long-awaited autonomous taxi. The Robotaxi, which Tesla CEO Elon Musk also called the "Cybercab," was revealed Thursday night during a private event at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California.
Robotaxi (a.k.a. Cybercab) Revealed
Several years ago, when Musk shared his vision of the Robotaxi, he promised a fleet of self-driving taxis that would hit the streets sometime in 2020. The timeline for volume production eventually changed to 2024, with Musk also saying in 2022 that the Robotaxi would not have a steering wheel or pedals and would rely on Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. Well, we've now laid eyes on the thing, and it definitely doesn't have a steering wheel or pedals. Instead, the driverless car features a dash similar to that on the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, with a single screen sprouting from the center.
What's especially interesting is that the Robotaxi is a two-door hatchback with only two seats, although photos show it has a large cargo area. There's no rear window, either. Tesla's design team also clearly took inspiration from the Cybertruck, with the Robotaxi featuring a similar aesthetic, namely its front and rear light bars. It also has a pair of exotic dihedral doors, and its wheels have giant disc-like covers. Surprisingly, Musk said the Robotaxi doesn't have a traditional charging port, as it relies on inductive (wireless) charging.
Musk didn't share any powertrain or range details about the Robotaxi during the event. However, he did say that it will start under $30,000 and that the plan is for production to start sometime in 2026—or "before 2027," as he cheekily put it. “I tend to be a little optimistic with time frames," he added.
While Musk didn't explicitly mention the "Tesla Network" (a ride-hailing service that allows Tesla owners to add their cars to an autonomous fleet), he described a future where people could buy a fleet of Robotaxis and operate them in a way that's similar to how Uber operates. Those who attended the event had the opportunity to take a ride in the Robotaxi, although the lines were extremely long and the route was just a trip around the Westworld film set where the reveal took place.
While all of the theatrics surrounding the Robotaxi's reveal were exciting, the reality is that Tesla still needs to get regulatory approval for its autonomous system to be able to operate on public roads. That starts with getting its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software to a stage where it can be unsupervised. Musk said he thinks that time will come as soon as next year on all of its updated models that operate in California and Texas. Of course, only time will tell.
Robovan and Optimus Robot
Examples of Optimus, Tesla's humanoid robot, were also part of the Robotaxi reveal, and—yes—some were hiding in the mysterious gazebo as we predicted during our live blog. What we didn't predict was for the robots to dance to the '90s hit "What Is Love" by Haddaway. Robotic party antics aside, Musk said the Optimus robots will be available to purchase and will cost between $28,000 and $30,000 in the "long term." He painted a future where the robots do everything from completing household tasks to teaching to being "just your friend." After the main event, the Optimus robots mingled with people in the crowd, and some even acted as bartenders (while wearing cowboy hats to play up the Westworld tie-in).
The Robovan was another future product revealed during the event. Despite having the word "van" in its name, this massive autonomous transporter looks more like a toaster on wheels. If nothing else, we think "Robobus" is a more apt descriptor. Musk said it can carry up to 20 people and can also be used to transport goods. It has glass windows on either side of the roof as well as sliding side doors. How much range does it have? What will it cost? When will it be available? We don't know, because none of those details were shared. What we do know is that it can be adapted for personal or commercial use. "We're going to make this, and it's going to look like that," said Musk.
Senior editor Elana Scherr reported live from the scene in Hollywood, and we also updated this story with details throughout the livestream.
Live Updates
At 10:55 p.m. ET, the show finally starts, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk walking out of a faux movie theater and climbing into a robotaxi. It's a coupe-like model with Cybertruck-esque styling, specifically its front and rear light bars. It also has dihedral doors and large disc-like wheel covers. Musk refers to it as the "Cybercab" and confirms that it doesn't have a steering wheel or pedals. Musk says people at the event will also have the opportunity to ride in the fully autonomous Cybercab.
As those of us on the East Coast side-eye the clock and see it's just past 10:45 p.m., Scherr and others notice a nearby gazebo with mysterious curtains. Considering the Robotaxi event is taking place on the studio lot where Westworld was filmed, it seems likely that Tesla will also feature more details about Optimus, its humanoid robot, tonight.
It's now about 30 minutes past the scheduled start of the Robotaxi reveal. Scherr and a crowd of people wearing glow-in-the-dark necklaces are pressed against the ropes. Some people are trying to take photos of the camera operations' screen, which appears to show a Cybertruck—or maybe it's a car with a Cybertruck-style light bar? Our early bet is that the Robotaxi is a Model 3 with a Cybertruck-inspired face and some rear fender skirts thrown in for good measure. Any takers?
It's 15 past 10 o'clock on the East Coast, and over in Hollywood, anticipation builds leading up to the actual start of the event. There's a helicopter hovering over the scene, and people seem to be excited about the possibility of Tesla CEO Elon Musk skydiving into the event. Alas, that's unlikely. Celebrities are also said to be in attendance, but Scherr has yet to confirm a sighting. Meanwhile, the screens behind the stage are displaying appropriately futuristic imagery, and while there's still no sign of Musk or the Robotaxi, there's a surplus of fog machines and laser lights.
The "We, Robot" event is being held at sound stages on the Warner Bros. studio lot in Hollywood. Walking around the set of Westworld before the event starts, Scherr says there's every sort of Tesla shirt imaginable. She has also heard stories from several people, including someone who came all the way from Ukraine, even though he didn't have a ticket. "I don’t know what he would’ve done if he hadn’t gotten a ticket," she said.
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