Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the automaker’s next vehicle platform will exceed Model 3 and Model Y production output, be roughly half the cost of the Model 3 and Model Y platforms, and be smaller in size.
Musk and other Tesla executives were asked about any potential developments from the next generation of Tesla vehicles. The question mentioned the dramatic drop in cost from the Model S and Model X platform to the Model 3 and Model Y platform. The Model 3 and Model Y brought Tesla’s electric vehicles to levels of mass affordability, which truly sparked the beginning of the transition to electric vehicles.
The Model 3 and Model Y are Tesla’s best-selling vehicles, accounting for 95 percent of the company’s total delivery mix for Q3, according to data from the automaker.
The retail investor asked whether Tesla’s third platform has an expected release date, along with what the company expected in terms of the total reduction in cost.
Earlier in the call, Tesla’s executives fielding questions during the Q3 Earnings Call scoffed at the idea of revealing development timelines for future vehicles and plans of the vehicle roadmap. Musk said the company was always moving forward with developments but was unwilling to give any specific details.
However, more color was offered from the Tesla CEO when he was asked about the company’s third vehicle platform.
It will exceed Tesla Model 3 and Model Y production output
Tesla Model Y production at Gigafactory Texas (Credit: Tesla)
Musk said the third-generation Tesla vehicle would be produced in quantities that outshine the Model 3 and Model Y. In fact, it would outpace manufacturing of all other Tesla vehicles combined.
This may be due to the vehicle’s size, which we’ll get to later. However, it is a true testament to Musk’s belief in Tesla’s manufacturing. With the utilization of one-piece castings, the Giga Press, and other manufacturing techniques, Tesla truly outshines many companies in terms of manufacturing efficiency. However, the company has still struggled with the build quality of its cars, which has been an issue for several years.
“Tesla will be head and shoulders above everyone else in manufacturing, that is our goal.” -Elon Musk
Tesla’s current annual production capacity is listed at roughly 1.9 million units. This figure is reflected in the Q3 2022 Shareholder Deck, which was released on October 19.
It will be roughly half the cost of the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y platform
Tesla’s goals reflected in Elon Musk’s Master Plan revealed a trickle-down pricing strategy that would ultimately see premium-priced vehicles fund projects for more affordable cars down the line. The 2008 Roadster led to the Model S and Model X, which led to the Model 3 and Model Y.
Each vehicle chapter became more affordable, helping surge the adoption of electric vehicles. Musk confirmed the next vehicle platform will be roughly half the cost of the Model 3 and Model Y, bringing up flashbacks of the rumored $25,000 Tesla.
Elon Musk unveiling the Model 3 in March 2016
Musk neither confirmed nor denied that Tesla was developing a $25,000 model during the Q4 and Full Year 2021 Earnings Call in January. However, he did confirm on the Q3 call that the next vehicle platform is “the primary focus of the vehicle development team.”
The next vehicle is also fully expected to be used as the fully autonomous Robotaxi, which is still a few years away. However, the vehicle is not likely to come within the two years, as Tesla is turning its focus to ramping Cybertruck manufacturing and Semi production, which it targets to be 50,000 by 2024.
It will be Tesla’s smallest vehicle
Musk said that the new vehicle platform would also be smaller in size, as it would also help cut the total cost of the vehicle.
However, projections of what the $25,000 model would look like are usually smaller and more compact than the Model 3.
Credit: Alwinart/Twitter
While these are not officially Tesla designs, what is illustrated above is likely a similar size to what the company will bring to the table for the $25,000 model. The cost reduction can start at the dimensions of the vehicle overall, which will cut costs significantly. However, the real reduction comes from developing new batteries and the scaling of production. Musk also detailed on the Q3 Earnings Call that he still sees a path to a potential $70 per kWh cell, which is 30 percent less expensive than the projected “price parity” number, which lies at $100 per kWh. This, in theory, would bring EVs to the same cost as gas cars.
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Elon Musk
SpaceX’s Starship V3 is almost ready and it will change space travel forever
SpaceX is targeting April for the debut test launch of Starship V3 “Version 3”
SpaceX is closing in on one of the most anticipated rocket launches in history, as the company readies for a planned April test launch and debut of its next-gen Starship V3 “Version 3”.
The latest iteration of Starship V3 has a slightly taller Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage than their predecessors, and produce stronger, more efficient thrust using SpaceX’s upgraded Raptor 3 engines. V3 also features increased propellant capacity, targeting a total payload capacity of over 100 tons to low Earth orbit, compared to around 35 tons for its predecessor. With Musk’s lifelong aspiration to colonize Mars one day, the increased payload capacity matters enormously, because Mars missions require moving massive amounts of cargo, fuel, and eventually, people. But the most critical upgrade may be orbital refueling. SpaceX’s entire deep space architecture depends on moving large amounts of propellant in space, and having orbital refueling capabilities turn Starship from just a rocket into a true transport system. Without it, neither the Moon nor Mars is reachable at scale.
Initial Super Heavy V3 and Starbase Pad 2 activation campaign complete, wrapping up several days of testing that loaded cryogenic fuel and oxidizer on a V3 vehicle for the first time. While the 10-engine static fire ended early due to a ground-side issue, we saw successful… pic.twitter.com/uHGji17srv
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 18, 2026
A fully reusable Starship and Super Heavy, SpaceX aims to drive marginal launch costs down and at a tenfold reduction compared to current market leaders. To put that in perspective, getting a kilogram of cargo to orbit today costs thousands of dollars. Bring that number down far enough and space stops being an exclusive domain. That price point unlocks mass deployment of satellite constellations, large-scale science payloads, and affordable human transport beyond Earth orbit. It also means the Moon stops being a destination we visit and starts being one we inhabit.
NASA expects Starship to take off for the Moon’s South Pole in 2028, with the ultimate goal of establishing a permanently crewed science station there. A successful V3 flight this spring keeps that timeline alive. As for Mars, Musk has shifted focus toward building a self-sustaining city on the Moon first, arguing that the Moon can be reached every 10 days versus Mars’s 26-month alignment window. Mars remains the horizon, but the Moon is the proving ground.
Elon Musk hasn’t been shy with hyping the upcoming Starship V3 launch. In a social media post on Wednesday, he confirmed the first V3 flight is getting closer to launch. SpaceX also announced its initial activation campaign for V3 and Starbase Pad 2 was complete, wrapping up several days of cryogenic fuel testing on a V3 vehicle for the first time. The countdown is on. April can’t come soon enough.
Cybertruck
Tesla Cybertruck gets long-awaited safety feature
Tesla has announced the rollout of its innovative anti-dooring protection feature to the Cybertruck via the 2026.8 software update.
Tesla is rolling out a new and long-awaited feature to the Cybertruck all-electric pickup, and it is a safety addition geared toward pedestrian and cyclist safety, as well as accidents with other vehicles.
Tesla has announced the rollout of its innovative anti-dooring protection feature to the Cybertruck via the 2026.8 software update.
This safety enhancement uses the vehicle’s existing cameras to detect approaching cyclists, pedestrians, or vehicles in the blind spot while parked. Upon attempting to open a door, if a hazard is detected, the system activates: the blind spot indicator light flashes, an audible chime sounds, and the door will not open on the initial button press.
Drivers must wait briefly and press the button again to override, providing crucial seconds to avoid an accident.
Anti-dooring protection now rolling out to @Cybertruck
This feature comes standard on every new Model 3, Model Y & Cybertruck – using cameras to delay door opening if a cyclist, pedestrian or other vehicle is detected approaching in your blind spot
— Tesla North America (@tesla_na) March 17, 2026
The feature, also known as Blind Spot Warning While Parked, comes standard on every new Model 3 and Model Y, and is now extending to the Cybertruck. Leveraging Tesla’s vision-based system without requiring new hardware, it represents a cost-effective software solution that builds on community suggestions dating back to 2018.
This technology addresses the persistent danger of “dooring,” where a driver opens a car door into the path of a passing cyclist or pedestrian.
Tesla implemented this little-known feature to make its cars even safer
Dooring incidents are alarmingly common in urban environments.
According to Chicago data, in 2011 alone, there were 344 reported dooring crashes, accounting for approximately 20 percent of all bicycle crashes in the city, nearly one incident per day.
While numbers have fluctuated (dropping to 11 percent in 2014 before rising again), dooring consistently represents 10-20 percent of bike-related crashes in major cities.
A national analysis of emergency department data estimates over 17,000 dooring-related injuries treated in the U.S. over a decade, with many involving fractures, contusions, and head trauma, particularly affecting upper extremities.
By automatically intervening, Tesla’s system not only protects vulnerable road users but also safeguards its owners from potential liability and enhances overall road safety.
As cities promote cycling for sustainable transport, features like this demonstrate how advanced driver assistance and camera systems can evolve beyond highway driving to everyday urban scenarios.
Enthusiastic responses on social media highlight appreciation for the proactive safety measure, with some calling for broader rollout to older models where hardware permits. Tesla continues to push the boundaries of vehicle safety through over-the-air updates, making its fleet smarter and safer over time.
Elon Musk
Tesla Roadster is ‘sorcery and magic’ and might be worth the wait, Uber founder says
Perhaps the wait will be worth it, especially according to Uber founder Travis Kalanick, who recently teased the Roadster’s potential capabilities based on what he has heard from internal Tesla sources.
Tesla is planning to unveil the Roadster in late April after years of waiting. But the wait might be worth it, according to Travis Kalanick, the founder of Uber, who recently shed some light on his expectations for the all-electric supercar.
We all know the Roadster is supposed to have some serious capability. CEO Elon Musk has said on numerous occasions that the Roadster will be unlike anything else ever produced. It might go from 0-60 MPH in about a second, it might hover, it might have SpaceX cold gas thrusters.
However, the constant delays in the Roadster program and its unveiling event continue to send Tesla fans into confusion because they’re just not sure when, or if, they’ll ever see the finished product.
Perhaps the wait will be worth it, especially according to Uber founder Travis Kalanick, who recently teased the Roadster’s potential capabilities based on what he has heard from internal Tesla sources.
Kalanick said on X:
When I’ve run into people who are in the know, I inquire, they tell me nothing, but their eyebrows raise and their eyes widen in a way that can only mean something of sorcery and magic is coming…
— travis kalanick (@travisk) March 17, 2026
Musk has said this vehicle is not going to be geared for safety, and that, “If safety is your number one goal, do not buy the Roadster.”
There has been so much hype regarding the Roadster that it is hard to believe the company could not come through on some kind of crazy features for the vehicle.
However, the latest delay that Tesla put on the unveiling event is definitely eye-opening, especially considering it is the latest in a series of pushbacks the company has put on the vehicle for the past several years.
Tesla has made several jumps in the Roadster project over the past few months, as it has ramped up hiring for the vehicle and also applied for a patent for a new seat design.
The car has been a back-burner project for Tesla, as it has been focusing primarily on autonomy and the rollout of Robotaxi and Cybercab. Additionally, its other vehicle projects, like the Model 3 and Model Y refreshes, took precedence.
Tesla still plans to unveil the Roadster next month, so we can hope the company can stick to this timeframe.
SpaceX’s Starship V3 is almost ready and it will change space travel forever
Tesla Cybertruck gets long-awaited safety feature
