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Elon Musk predicts Twitter ‘has a shot at being cash flow positive’ in Q2 2023

MatthewKeys, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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In an interview at the Morgan Stanley Conference, Elon Musk predicted that Twitter had a shot at being cash flow positive by Q2 2023. 

The Tesla CEO’s interview at the Morgan Stanley Conference sheds some light on his progress with Twitter. Elon Musk noted that Twitter is close to being EBITDA profitable and breaking even. After that, Twitter has a shot at being cash flow positive. 

“We’re getting close to the point where we’re close to having the total expenditures for the company excluding debt roughly equal to debt…I think we’ll be there in Q2. I don’t definitely want to count chickens before they hatch…but I think we’ve got a shot at being cash flow possible next quarter.”

Musk has been the sole owner of Twitter for less than a year. During his time as Twitter’s “Chief Twit,” he received many criticisms, specifically regarding freedom of speech. A few companies pulled or temporarily halted their ad campaigns on Twitter after Musk acquired the social media company. Ad revenue will be one of the deciding factors of whether Twitter is cash flow positive next quarter.

Twitter’s Journey to Cash Flow Positive

Elon Musk explained that some drastic actions had to take place to save Twitter. He shared that Twitter cut its “non-interest burn” to roughly $1 and 1/2 billion. Currently, the company has a billion and 1/2 of expenditures, partly thanks to Twitter reducing its Cloud expenditures by using two data centers instead of three. 

However, Twitter’s journey under Musk hasn’t all been about cutbacks. The Chief Twit also stated that Twitter has experienced “the fastest product evolution in Twitter’s history.” He also alluded to Twitter achieving some milestones since taking over the company, including recording the highest total user minutes. 

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Twitter’s state before Musk

During his interview, Elon Musk stated that Twitter was tracking toward a negative $3 billion a year burn rate when he acquired the social media company in October. At the time, the company had $1 billion in the bank. 

“So that’s a pretty dire situation,” Musk commented. “If 2023 had been a normal year, Twitter would have done something on the order of $4 and 1/2 billion in revenue and $4 and 1/2 billion in cost, roughly break[ing] even.”

However, Twitter’s situation was more precarious when Elon Musk acquired the company late last year, making achieving a break-even scenario difficult.

“When you add half a billion of debt servicing to that, a master decline in advertising—some of it’s cyclic, some of it political, but call it at least 50% decline in [ad] revenue, roughly 30% decline in revenue—you’ve got over negative $3 billion [sic],” said Elon Musk.

The billionaire added that Twitter does have revenue in data subscriptions. However, even accounting for revenue from data subscriptions, Twitter would have been bankrupt within at least four months if no drastic action had been taken to change its course. 

Listen to Elon Musk’s interview during the Morgan Stanley Conference below!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpcgHK_fXRo

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Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla Robotaxi riders will face the best dilemma when booking a ride

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla has updated its Robotaxi app so riders can pick which vehicle they want before they book. The latest in-app screens now show two options side by side: the two-seat Cybercab and the four-seat Model Y.

A screenshot circulating Thursday shows the change in practice. In Austin, a rider could choose a gold Cybercab for two people or a Model Y for four. Tesla’s updated description calls Cybercab “our first purpose-built autonomous vehicle,” designed for safety, accessibility, and comfort, and says the lineup is available only through the Robotaxi app.

The distinction is more than cosmetic, and it’s important to note that Robotaxi refers to the platform, while Cybercab refers to a vehicle.

Model Y Robotaxis have carried the service since it opened in Austin in mid-2025 and later expanded to Dallas, Houston, and parts of Florida. Those vehicles are converted production SUVs that still have steering wheels and pedals.

Cybercab is different. It has no driver controls, butterfly doors, a low seat height meant to work with wheelchairs, extra trunk space for assistive devices, and braille on the handles. Tesla has registered dozens of the two-seaters with Texas regulators in the days leading up to its September 3 Austin event.

Giving riders a choice lets Tesla match the vehicle to the trip. Most rides involve one or two people, which is where Cybercab is meant to be cheaper and more efficient to operate. Groups of three or four, or anyone who needs more space, can still request a Model Y.

The same app handles booking, payment, cabin settings, and, on Cybercab, features such as phone-based door opening and in-cabin voice controls.

Tesla Cybercab event gains steam ahead of massive launch

The update does not mean every city suddenly has both cars available. Cybercab support is listed for Austin first, and the purpose-built fleet is still small compared with the existing Model Y roster. Even so, the app change marks a shift from a single-vehicle pilot to a mixed fleet.

Riders can now choose between the compact, purpose-built robotaxi and the familiar SUV that launched the service.

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Tesla Cybercab sightings broaden well outside of Austin with autonomy in focus

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Credit: Tesla Robotaxi | X

Tesla Cybercab sightings are broadening far and wide, well outside of downtown Austin, Texas, with autonomy in focus as the company plans to launch the all-electric, two-seater this evening in the Lone Star State.

Tesla is set to launch Cybercab to a small group of people this evening in a dedicated event in Austin, Texas. Public details on the event are relatively slim.

However, Tesla’s focus on Cybercab falls well outside of the downtown Austin area and is expanding well across the United States as things continue to move quickly with the company’s autonomous efforts in 2026. Today, various images of Cybercab fleets in interesting locations have started to circulate.

The most notable is a fleet of at least 20 Cybercabs at Miami International Airport in Florida. Spotted last night, the fleet is expansive and is indicative of a looming release of Cybercabs once regulatory boxes are checked off.

Tesla has already been operating the Robotaxi platform in Miami for several months, but this Cybercab fleet at the airport could be joining the ride-hailing platform as approvals arrive:

Another fleet of Cybercabs was spotted at the Devon, PA showroom just outside of Philadelphia. We have seen several Cybercab units testing around the Philadelphia Metro Area, which is interesting considering Tesla does not have any active Robotaxi geofence in Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia would be an ideal location to test ride-hailing due to its dense tourist population, large, sprawling city layout, and to compete with other ride-hailing companies that operate in the city.

Expansive fleets of Cybercabs will be popping up in and around major cities throughout the rest of the year, if we were betting on it. Tesla has made it obvious that the Cybercab rollout will be aggressive and fast-paced, but within reason. Tesla is still prioritizing safety, so these testing phases will likely go on for some period of time before more members of the public are able to snag a Cybercab for a personal chariot.

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Tesla Model Y L gets suspension complaints in over odd issue China

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Credit: @TeslaNewswire/X

The Tesla Model Y L is arguably the most hyped trim of the all-electric crossover, other than the Performance configuration that comes with white-knuckle speed and sports car-level handling.

However, it is not all perfect. Tesla owners in China who took delivery of the Model Y L, denoted with an L to highlight its longer wheelbase, are experiencing what they are referring to as “collapsing” of the rear wheels, as suspension issues appear to be an issue with some of the builds.

The gap between the wheel arch and tire has narrowed to the point that “not even a single finger” could fit, according to a report from Car News China. The failures are not tied to a specific mileage, as one owner said that after just 9,000 kilometers (5,600 miles), they noticed the suspension issue when their car was fully loaded.

Another one had the issue at 30,000 kilometers (18,640 miles) and noticed that the wheel gap shrank to two fingers, so not as drastic as the person who reported a similar issue at 9,000 km.

Tesla Model Y L is gaining momentum in China’s premium segment

Along with the visual recognition of the issue, others are saying the sagging is causing abnormal wear on the inside of the tires. Extra weight and instant torque already provide additional stress on the tires in electric vehicles during normal operation, so it is no surprise that this is another complaint.

There has been no recall issued by Tesla, and the company has not yet publicly acknowledged the issue.

Some are suggesting that owners use a “finger test” to self-diagnose whether there is an issue with the suspension. There should be four fingers between the tire and the wheel well; anything less than that starts to get dicey.

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