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Tesla Cybertruck is perfect for Elon Musk’s dream HVAC system
Tesla CEO Elon Musk teased the idea of integrating its upcoming Cybertruck with a quiet and efficient HVAC system that’s also capable of distilling water. And while water distillation from a utility vehicle may seem overkill, it makes perfect sense to include such a feature in the futuristic stainless steel behemoth.
The idea became apparent during a conversation with Joe Rogan nearly two years ago, but the idea has since gained more traction. In a tweet that reiterated his desire for a “super-efficient, quiet home HVAC with HEPA & water distillation,” one of the CEO’s Twitter followers asked if he was more interested in developing the system than working on the Cybertruck. However, Musk answered by saying, “Maybe Cybertruck will have it…”
When Musk appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast in September 2018, he spoke of an intelligent home HVAC system that would only cool rooms that have people in them. This idea would increase efficiency and eliminate wasted energy throughout a home. However, it would seem that the Cybertruck may receive something along the same lines.
I’m dying to do super efficient, quiet home HVAC with HEPA & water distillation. It’s weird, but I really want to do it.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 23, 2020
Maybe Cybertruck will have it …
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 23, 2020
Having an energy-efficient HVAC system bodes well for the Tesla Cybertruck, which aims to have long-range capabilities at an affordable price point. Also, considering the vehicle’s spacious interior cabin, having an efficient heating and cooling system would reduce range-robbing energy on something as large as the Cybertruck.
The Cybertruck will likely be Tesla’s most significant vehicle to date, leaving no doubt that the powerhouse truck can accommodate a HEPA filter. The installation of this filter keeps air quality within the cabin of the vehicle extremely high. Tesla’s “Bioweapon Defense Mode,” which the company developed to protect passengers from the dangers of environmental pollution, would also be a perfect fit for the upcoming vehicle.
But Musk’s vision for the Cybertruck goes far beyond the third rock from the sun. Perhaps its purpose is geared towards life on Mars, just as much as it is for Earth.
Musk’s narratives in the past have playfully hinted at survival during cataclysmic events, with the CEO emphasizing that Teslas run off of sunlight, which will be available for far longer than fossil fuels. But Elon’s playful jokes could be a hint at something more serious, like the inevitable destruction of Earth if pollution-producing forms of energy continue to be used as fuel.
The Cybertruck’s exoskeleton and robust stainless steel body actually make it ideal for a dangerous future. The pickup’s already durable build combined with range, speed, and sustainability could be a difference-maker for passengers even in otherwise risky events. An intelligent HVAC unit, an air filtration system, and a water distillation feature just makes the all-electric pickup an even better survival tool.
Tesla Cybertruck (pressurized edition) will be official truck of Mars
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 21, 2019
But Musk seems to believe each of these items could be added onto the Cybertruck, allowing it to operate anywhere, even if the location isn’t on Earth. After all, he did say the Cybertruck’s “pressurized edition” would be the official truck of Mars.
Perhaps the Cybertruck, when paired with Bioweapon Defense Mode, an HVAC unit, and a water distillation feature, could be one of the vehicles of choice for people when things on Earth start going south due to the climate crisis.
Protecting the passengers in the car has always been a goal of Tesla, but the purpose goes much further than accident and collision safety. Musk has made several attempts to improve the air purification systems within the cars, for example, an aspect of safety that is rarely explored by traditional automakers. “Air quality has a much bigger effect on health than people realize,” he said.
The Cybertruck’s mission is likely to protect people from accidents and dirty air. The vehicle’s future could be a large part of Musk’s “Master Plan,” which entails a push towards sustainability. But beyond Earth, the priorities of Tesla will still apply. On Mars, people will surely need clean air, protection from harmful rays, and a water source. The Cybertruck just happens to be a great vehicle to provide all that, and more.
News
Tesla rolling out Robotaxi pilot in SF Bay Area this weekend: report
Similar to the Austin pilot, the Robotaxi rides will reportedly be a paid service.

Tesla is reportedly preparing to launch a Robotaxi pilot program in the Bay Area this weekend, with invites to a select number of customers reportedly being sent out as early as this Friday.
The update was shared in a report from Insider, which cited an internal memo from the electric vehicle maker.
New Robotaxi service launch
According to Insider, the Robotaxi service in the Bay Area is set to launch as soon as Friday. Thus, some Tesla owners in the area should receive invites to use the driverless ride-hailing service. Similar to the Austin pilot, the Robotaxi rides will reportedly be a paid service.
The publication noted that the Robotaxi service’s geofence in its Bay Area launch will be quite large, as it will include Marin, much of the East Bay, San Francisco, and San Jose. This is not surprising as California has long been saturated with Teslas, and it is home to several of the electric vehicle maker’s key facilities.
Unlike the Austin pilot, the Tesla Robotaxi service’s pilot in the Bay Area will use safety drivers seated in the driver’s seat. These drivers will be able to manually take over using the steering wheel and brakes as needed. As per a spokesperson from the California DMV, the agency recently met with Tesla but the company is yet to submit a formal application to operate fully driverless cars.
Tesla Robotaxi expansion
Interestingly enough, Tesla did tease the release of its Robotaxi service to the Bay Area in its second quarter earnings call. While discussing the service, Tesla VP of Autopilot/AI Software Ashok Elluswamy mentioned that the company will initially be rolling out Robotaxis with safety drivers in the San Francisco Bay Area. He did, however, also highlight that the electric vehicle maker is working hard to get government permission to release the service for consumers.
“The next thing to expand would be in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are working with the government to get approval here and, in the meanwhile, launch the service without the person in the driver seat just to expedite and while we wait for regulatory approval,” he stated.
News
Tesla is ready with a perfect counter to the end of US EV tax credits
Tesla executives have mentioned that these more affordable models would resemble the company’s current lineup.

The United States’ electric vehicle tax credit is coming to an end at the end of the third quarter. Tesla, the country’s leading electric vehicle maker, is ready to meet this challenge with a rather simple but clever counter.
Tesla executives outlined this strategy in the recently held Q2 2025 earnings call.
End of the US EV tax credit
While Elon Musk has always maintained that he prefers a market with no EV tax credit, he also emphasized that he supports the rollback of any incentives given to the oil and gas industry. The Trump administration has not done this so far, instead focusing on the expiration of the $7,500 EV tax credit at the end of the third quarter.
Tesla has been going all-in on encouraging customers to purchase their vehicles in Q3 to take advantage of lower prices. The company has also implemented a series of incentives across all its offerings, from the Cybertruck to the Model 3. This, however, is not all, as the company seems to be preparing a longer-term solution to the expiration of the EV tax credit.
Affordable variants
During the Q2 2025 earnings call, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moray stated that Tesla really did start the production of more affordable models in June. Quality builds of these vehicles are being ramped this quarter, with the goal of optimizing production over the remaining months of the year. If Tesla is successful, these models will be available for everyone in Q4.
“We started production in June, and we’re ramping quality builds and things around the quarter. And given that we started in North America and our goal is to maximize production with a higher rate. So starting Q3, we’re going to keep pushing hard on our current models to avoid complexity… We’ll be ready with new, more affordable models available for everyone in Q4.,” Moravy stated.
These comments suggest that Tesla should be able to offer vehicles that are competitively priced even after the EV tax credit has been phased out. Interestingly enough, previous comments from Tesla executives have mentioned that these more affordable models would resemble the company’s current lineup. This suggests that the more affordable models may indeed be variations of the Model Y and Model 3, but offered at a lower price.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reveals Tesla’s next Robotaxi expansion in more ways than one
Tesla Robotaxi is growing in more ways than one. Tesla wants to expand and hopes to reach half the U.S. population by the end of the year.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed the company’s plans for its next expansion of the Robotaxi in terms of both the geofence in Austin and the platform overall, as it looks to move to new areas outside of Texas.
Tesla launched the Robotaxi platform last month on June 22, and has since expanded both the pool of users and the area that the driverless Model Y vehicles can travel within.
The first expansion of the geofence caught the attention of nearly everyone and became a huge headline as Tesla picked a very interesting shape for the new geofence, resembling male reproductive parts.
🚨 Elon Musk says Tesla’s Robotaxi geofence in Austin will get “even bigger and longer” in “a couple weeks or so” pic.twitter.com/0gLeKfURMi
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 23, 2025
The next expansion will likely absolve this shape. Musk revealed last night that the new geofence will be “well in excess of what competitors are doing,” and it could happen “hopefully in a week or two.”
Musk’s full quote regarding the expansion of the geofence and the timing was:
“As some may have noted, we have already expanded our service area in Austin. It’s bigger and longer, and it’s going to get even bigger and longer. We are expecting to greatly increase the service area to well in excess of what competitors are doing, hopefully in a week or two.”
The expansion will not stop there, either. As Tesla has operated the Robotaxi platform in Austin for the past month, it has been working with regulators in other areas, like California, Arizona, Nevada, and Florida, to get the driverless ride-hailing system activated in more U.S. states.
Tesla confirmed that they are in talks with each of these states regarding the potential expansion of Robotaxi.
Musk added:
“As we get the approvals and prove out safety, we will be launching the autonomous ride-hailing across most of the country. I think we will probably have autonomous ride-hailing in probably half the population of the US by the end of the year.”
We know that Tesla and Musk have been prone to aggressive and sometimes outlandish timelines regarding self-driving technology specifically. Regulatory approvals could happen by the end of the year in several areas, and working on these large metros is the best way to reach half of the U.S. population.
Tesla said its expansion of the geofence in Austin is conservative and controlled due to its obsession with safety, even admitting at one point during the Earnings Call that they are being “paranoid.” Expanding the geofence is necessary, but Tesla realizes any significant mistake by Robotaxi could take it back to square one.
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