Connect with us

News

Tesla Made-in-China Model 3 first deliveries imminent as carriers spotted leaving Gigafactory 3

Tesla Made-in China Model 3 From Gigafactory 3 (Source: @JayinShanghai | Twitter)

Published

on

Transport trucks carrying Tesla’s Made-in-China Model 3 were spotted leaving the company’s Gigafactory 3 production facility in Shanghai, presumably on their way to customer delivery centers.

The sighting comes on the heels of Tesla’s inclusion in the list of electric vehicles that qualify for government incentives and the official green light for the company the sell and deliver its cars within the country.

Tesla owner JayinShanghai visited the China factory and posted several images of car trailers hauling Made-in-China Model 3 units out of the factory.

Tesla’s initial estimation for the first deliveries of the China-made Model 3 was late January 2020. But having received the permit to sell its locally-produced Model 3 sooner than expected, Tesla can begin its Model 3 push into the biggest automotive market in the world that’s aiming to have 25% of its car sales comprised of electrified vehicles by 2025.

Advertisement
-

Tesla’s entry into the Chinese electric vehicle market is seen as positive development even among local competition such as Xpeng Motors. President Brian Gu sees the brand serving as a catalyst in the domestic electric vehicle market and would pave the way for a better supply chain and experience for customers.

“I always believe that having a good product that really gets the consumer interested and expands the overall market is good for the industry,” Gu said.

Tesla has 24 stores in China as listed on its website and plans to expand its after-sales network by doubling the number of its maintenance shops to 63 from 29, add 100 more fast-charging stations and turn some showrooms in the country into one-stop-shop Tesla Centers.

Two Tesla Model 3 variants were included in the list of new electric vehicle incentives released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, giving consumers at least $3,550 of savings when they purchase the locally-produced Model 3.

Days prior to receiving the official green light to sell Made-in-China Model 3 vehicles, sightings of  Model 3 inventory painted a clear picture that the electric carmaker was preparing for first customer deliveries.

Tesla China also announced that its executives have opened Weibo accounts – a popular social media platform in China –  to ensure customers can communicate with the management team directly.

Advertisement
-

A curious soul who keeps wondering how Elon Musk, Tesla, electric cars, and clean energy technologies will shape the future, or do we really need to escape to Mars.

Advertisement
Comments

News

Tesla hints its already prepping for Cybercab fleet orders

Published

on

Tesla Cybercab fleet spotted at Gigafactory Texas [Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer)

Tesla has quietly opened a public interest form for companies that want to buy fleets of its purpose-built Cybercab robotaxis, marking the first official channel for commercial purchases of the two-seat autonomous vehicle. The form went live on September 3, the same day Tesla hosted an invite-only Cybercab launch event in Austin, Texas.

Tesla titled the page “Help Us Build Our Robotaxi Network.” Applicants provide name, email, phone number, company name, and deployment region. They then select one or more categories: Cybercab fleet vehicle purchasing, mobility hubs and infrastructure, event collaboration, or other. Tesla says a representative will follow up with those who express commercial interest.

f

Until now, the company had no public ordering path for the vehicle, which was first shown as a concept at the October 2024 “We, Robot” event.

Advertisement
-

The Cybercab is designed from the ground up for unsupervised operation. It has no steering wheel and no pedals.

Regulatory filings list a 48-kilowatt-hour battery, a single 219-horsepower front motor, a curb weight of 3,113 pounds, and an EPA-adjusted range near 290 to 300 miles. Tesla has already registered dozens of the vehicles with Texas authorities and has been testing them on public streets around Austin.

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

The company’s existing Robotaxi service, which currently uses modified Model Y vehicles in parts of Texas and Florida, is expected to add Cybercabs as production ramps up at Gigafactory Texas.

The form signals that Tesla is preparing to treat the Cybercab as more than an in-house fleet asset. Investors and operators have discussed buying groups of the vehicles and placing them on Tesla’s ride-hailing network, with Tesla taking a platform fee. High-profile figures have publicly stated plans to acquire fleets if Tesla allows third-party ownership.

The new page gives those parties a direct way to register interest rather than waiting for a conventional configurator.

Advertisement
-

Whether the form leads quickly to firm purchase agreements remains unclear. Regulatory approval for widespread unsupervised operation still varies by state, and Tesla has not published pricing or delivery timelines for fleet customers. The company has previously discussed a target price near $25,000 to $30,000 per vehicle.

For now, the form is an early signal that Tesla wants partners to help scale the network rather than operate every Cybercab itself.

Pairing the launch of the Cybercab fleet form with the Austin event is no coincidence. Tesla is inviting businesses to participate in the next phase of its Robotaxi plan at the moment the production vehicle first appears in public.

Continue Reading

News

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

Published

on

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.

Advertisement
-

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.

Advertisement
-

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

Continue Reading

News

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

Published

on

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.

Advertisement
-
Continue Reading