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LIVE BLOG: Tesla 10/10 “We, Robot” Robotaxi unveiling event

Credit: Nic Cruz Patane/X

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Tesla’s highly-anticipated 10/10 Robotaxi unveiling event, dubbed “We, Robot,” is finally here. To state that expectations are high for the Robotaxi would be an understatement, as CEO Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea that the vehicle would be a huge player in Tesla’s future. 

“We, Robot” is being held at the Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, CA, with remarks expected to start around 7 p.m. PT. Seemingly highlighting the Robotaxi’s importance to Tesla’s overall potential, watch parties for the event are being held at selected showrooms, and a livestream of the occasion is available online. 

We will be closely following the updates from Tesla’s Robotaxi unveiling event in this live blog. We will also be publishing a number of articles focused on the key announcements at the event. I will be updating this article in real-time, so please keep refreshing the page to view the latest updates on this story. The first entry starts at the bottom of the page. 

20:30 PT – And with that, the demonstration rides in the Cybercab are starting! Thank you so much for staying with us for this live blog. We had a blast. Please check out our further coverage of “We, Robot’s” updates. Until the next time!

20:15 PT – Elon Musk shared an optimistic take on the future. “It will be the age of abundance,” Musk said.

He notes that the Optimus robots would be walking alongside the attendees of the “We, Robot” event. The Optimus robots will serve drinks at the bar. “It’s a wild experience,” Musk said. “And with that, let’s party!”

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20:13 PT – An army of Optimus Gen 2 units is now coming out. 

“If you extrapolate this, it will be something spectacular. Something you can own,” Elon Musk said. “At scale, this should cost somewhere around $20,000 to $30,000.” A video showcasing Optimus’ home uses is also showcased. “I think this will be the biggest product ever of any kind,” Musk said.

20:11 PT – Musk noted that with the advent of Robotaxis, parking lots could be reclaimed as parks. 

The Robovan (Robovin?) also takes to the stage. The vehicle could carry up to 20 people or transport goods. It’s Tesla’s high-density transport. 

It looks extremely futuristic, and its cabin looks very spacious.

“The future should look like the future,” Musk said. 

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20:09 PT – “Our autonomous future is here,” Musk said. He also noted that the attendees of the event would have an extended experience with the Cybercab, since the demonstration rides are pretty long. 

Musk also announced that the Cybercab will not have a NACS plug. It will use inductive charging instead. 

20:06 PT – Elon Musk reiterated that self-driving cars will be a lot safer than humans, because AI and Vision never gets distracted, or drinks. He reiterated the idea that all Teslas today will be capable for unsupervised FSD. 

20:05 PT – Elon Musk noted that Tesla expects Unsupervised FSD by next year in Texas and California. “We’ll make this vehicle in very, very high volume,” Musk said, though customers can already experience the Robotaxi experience with the self-driving Model 3 and Model Y. 

Cybercab production is expected before 2027.

20:03 PT – The cost of autonomous transport would be so low, you can think of it as individualized mass transit, Musk said. It’s premium point to point transportation. 

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Elon Musk also confirms that the Cybercab can be bought for personal use. “We expect its cost to be below $30,000. I think it will be a glorious future,” Musk said

20:00 PT – Musk notes that today’s transportation kinda sucks. It’s dirty and crowded and exhausting. Especially if you have to drive. If you have a Tesla, it’s a lot better due to FSD (Supervised). 

“We’ll move from Supervised Full Self-Driving to Unsupervised Full Self-Driving,” Musk said. He also highlighted that cars tend to cost too much, especially if one were to consider that cars on average tend to get used just 10 out of 170 hours per week. An autonomous car can then be used about five times as much.

“With autonomy, you’ll get your time back,” Musk said, noting that autonomous cars will be ten times safer than human drivers.

19:58 PT – Elon welcomes everyone to the “We, Robot” party. He calls the Robotaxi the “Cybercab.” There’s 20 more in the event. 

“The vehicles are autonomous. No drivers. “We have 50 fully autonomous cars tonight,” Musk said. Driverless Model Ys are in the area as well. “I hope this goes well. We’ll find out,” Elon Musk joked.

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19:54 PT – Elon Musk enters the stage. The Robotaxi is here! It is definitely Cybertruck-inspired. 

19:53 PT – Ok, the event’s starting. Tesla just posted a disclaimer/disclosure. That’s new. Franz is taking the stage. “We’re here to experience a future that’s closer than you think,” Franz said.

19:45 PT – Nope, still waiting. X live viewers are now up to 2.3 million and YouTube’s livestream is up to 107k now though.

19:44 PT – Ok, the music has stopped in the livestream. Perhaps the event is starting now. 

19:41 PT – Elon Musk’s kids have chosen this opportunity to play in front of the stage. They seem to be having tons of fun.

19:38 PT – Elon Musk has confirmed that the attendee’s medical emergency has been addressed. The event will start shortly.

19:31 PT – Elon Musk seems ready, if any.

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19:30 PT – Looks like the medical emergency is over. The attendee is reportedly back on their feet, and medics are now clearing out.

19:24 PT – Elon Musk has confirmed that Tesla is taking care of the attendee who had a medical emergency before officially starting the event. 

19:21 PT – Unfortunately, someone seems to have passed out. Emergency responders are catering to the attendee. Hope the attendee is alright.

19:18 PT – The X livestream now has 1.1 million viewers. 105k on YouTube.

19:15 PT – The event is now 15 minutes late. This is not very surprising since Tesla tends to start its events late. The anticipation is notable, though. In the event’s livestream, 882k are tuned in on X and another 101k are tuned in to YouTube.

19:13 PT – Thanks so much for the shoutout Steve! You rock!

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19:10 PT – Now there are two helicopters hovering overhead!

19:08 PT – The Musk family are here to support Elon. Hello there, Kimbal and Tosca! Mom Maye Musk is here too.

19:03 PT – If the Cybertruck unveiling gave “Blade Runner” vibes, the Robotaxi event is definitely giving “Westworld” vibes. Futuristic, but not dystopian. I personally prefer it.

19:00 PT – The livestream is live! Let’s go! On the other hand, these graphics are starting to become a standard for Tesla events.

18:59 PT – One minute to go, everyone!

18:58 PT – There will most definitely be demonstration rides tonight, as per Elon Musk.

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18:56 PT – Tesla sure knows how to entertain its guests. Good vibes all around.

18:54 PT – Tesla set up its stage behind a road. Attendees speculate that this road may be where the Robotaxi will come out.

18:50 PT – Tesla knows what it’s doing. We haven’t seen a party like this in a while. Last nine minutes!

18:46 PT – Tesla is LOCKED IN on this event. So. Much. Attention. To. Detail.

18:45 PT – It’s 15 minutes before the remarks at “We, Robot” are expected to start, and the energy is positively electric. Unveiling the Robotaxi at Warner Brothers Studios Burbank may have been a genius move, because the vibe here is real.

Check out the YouTube livestream of the event below.

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Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Elon Musk

The Starship moon landing number NASA and Elon Musk can’t agree on

Musk disputes NASA estimate of 22 Starship launches for Moon landing, predicting 6 to 8.

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Concept rendering of SpaceX Starship landing on the moon via Grok

Elon Musk is disputing a new NASA safety panel estimate of how many Starship launches it will take to put astronauts on the Moon, saying the real number will be less than half the panel’s figure.

On Thursday, NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel held its quarterly public meeting. Panel member Charlie Precourt, a former NASA astronaut, flagged the fueling process for SpaceX’s lunar lander as a major risk for Artemis IV, the mission planned to land a crew on the Moon in 2028. “We need to keep our eyes on numerous required fuelings for the lander,” Precourt said, according to Ars Technica. “I think the last estimate is around 22 flights.”

Ars Technica’s Eric Berger posted the comment on X, and Musk replied. “That’s way too high,” Musk wrote. “Actual number will be more like 6 to 8.”

The disagreement comes down to a basic problem with sending a ship as large as Starship to the Moon. Starship burns nearly all of its propellant just reaching Earth orbit, so it cannot continue on to the Moon without stopping for a refill. SpaceX’s answer is a gas station in space. First, a Starship that works as a storage tank, called a depot, is launched into orbit. Then a series of tanker Starships launch one at a time, dock with the depot and pump their leftover propellant into it. Once the depot is full, the lunar lander version of Starship launches, docks, fills up and heads for the Moon.

Every tanker trip is its own full rocket launch, which is why the count matters. More launches mean more time, more cost and more chances for something to go wrong before astronauts ever leave Earth. Berger estimated that even if SpaceX reaches twice weekly Starship launches by the end of 2027, filling a depot at the panel’s number would still take roughly three months.

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How many tankers are needed depends mostly on how much propellant each one can carry to orbit and how much is lost along the way. Starship’s fuel and oxygen are stored at extremely cold temperatures, and some of it slowly boils off while waiting in orbit. More is lost in each transfer. NASA appears to be working from what Starship can lift today, while Musk’s range assumes a more capable rocket.

Musk has pushed back on higher counts before. In 2021, after a government document suggested 16 launches, he called that “extremely unlikely” and said eight tankers would be the most required.

Much of the answer depends on hardware SpaceX has not finished flying. As Teslarati noted earlier this year, the company plans to carry out the refueling process with its upgraded V3 Starship, and Precourt described Artemis IV as carrying “a large number of firsts.” He also praised NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman’s team for working to clear obstacles for both SpaceX and Blue Origin, whose Blue Moon lander does not rely on orbital refueling for its first mission.

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Tesla’s secretive “Project Crystal Sun” gets a big green light in Texas

Fort Bend County approved four incentive agreements Thursday for Tesla’s proposed $10.1 billion solar factory.

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Elon Musk stands in profile against a clear blue sky, with a bright overhead sun shining above a vast landscape of Tesla solar panels stretching to the horizon, and a smaller Texas flag flying on a pole to his right.

Fort Bend County commissioners on Thursday approved a package of tax incentives for Tesla’s proposed $10.1 billion solar cell factory near Needville, Texas, giving the company one of the last local approvals it needs before it decides where to build. All four Tesla agreements passed 4 to 0.

The votes covered a property tax abatement inside Reinvestment Zone No. 34, a Chapter 381 economic development agreement, a foreign trade zone non-objection paired with payments in lieu of certain taxes, and a separate payment in lieu of taxes “true up” agreement, according to agenda notes from the Fort Bend Commissioners Court meeting.

The project, known internally as “Project Crystal Sun,” would make solar cells and finished modules on roughly 3,000 acres near FM 762 and FM 1994, south of the Brazos River. As Teslarati reported when the filing first surfaced in August, Tesla’s application under the state’s JETI Act splits the investment into $1.5 billion in real property and $8.6 billion in equipment, with 9,712 permanent jobs projected by 2033 and commercial operations targeted for the first quarter of 2029. The plant would handle the full chain from ingot and wafer production through cell testing.

Inside Tesla’s secretive $10 Billion “Project Crystal Sun” filing

Thursday’s approval does not lock in the site. Tesla has told the Texas Comptroller it is still weighing other locations, and site selection adviser David Dennison told Lamar Consolidated ISD trustees in September that the race had narrowed to Fort Bend and one out of state rival with a “very compelling package,” according to the Houston Chronicle. Tesla hopes to decide before the end of 2026, and the incentives still need sign off from the Comptroller and the Governor’s office.

Local officials have now done nearly everything within their control. Commissioners created the reinvestment zone in an August 24 special meeting, with Interim County Judge Daniel Wong formally withdrawing himself over his engineering firm’s past work with Tesla. Lamar CISD trustees voted 7 to 0 on September 15 to advance a JETI agreement that would tax Tesla’s qualifying property at 50 percent of its value for maintenance and operations from 2029 through 2038.

The plant lines up with a target Elon Musk set on Tesla’s Q4 2025 earnings call in January, when he said the company would “work toward getting 100 GW a year of solar cell production, integrating across the entire supply chain from raw materials all the way to finished solar panels.” In March, Tesla was reported to be negotiating a $2.9 billion purchase of Chinese solar manufacturing equipment bound for Texas. The Houston area already hosts Tesla’s Megafactory in Brookshire, where Megapack 3 production has started. Tesla said on its Q3 call that Megapack supply for 2027 is nearly sold out, and Musk wrote on X Thursday that the company is “increasing production of Megapacks as much as possible,” as demand from data centers climbs.

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Tesla is building its own maps to fix Navigation issues

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla revealed plans to develop its own maps internally to fix Navigation issues and give owners more control over their routing.

On the company’s Q3 2026 Earnings Call, a question was asked about FSD Navigation issues, particularly speed limit recognition, parking, and routing. These are issues that surface from version to version and seem to be seriously challenging for Tesla’s AI team to resolve.

Tesla’s Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, said in response to the question:

“You’re totally right that we shouldn’t be depending on external people’s maps. So we are building our own maps, but not like the same way as OneMoreMap. We are building an entirely new architecture with essentially AI-based mapping and navigation.”

He continued:

“It’s going to be super awesome. It’s going to be integrated with voice. You can talk to it, ask for different routes. It’s going to learn your personalized preferences, plus the fleet preferences. The collective intelligence of all the cars is going to flow into making the maps and navigation super cool.”

Elluswamy said this issue should be confronted, and the mapping should be available for people by the time the v15 release starts deploying to customers.

“And over the next several months,” he added, “it’s just going to take over all of the navigation functions, parking, destination handling. And it will know you better than you know yourself in some regard for the driving task, and then handle it fully.”

Tesla Summon got insanely good in FSD v14.3.2 — Navigation? Not so much

Navigation is perhaps the most notable complaint with FSD, and although it has gotten better, it is still flawed. Much of the time, FSD will take people on routes that are not preferred by the driver, but Tesla tried to combat this with a routing feature in the Summer 2026 Update.

Tesla currently relies on Google for map data, but it is sort of counterintuitive to believe the company would rely on a third party for this. These improvements will be welcome, as routing and navigation have been such a pain point for so many owners for so long.

Quotes via Motley Fool

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