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Tesla’s pickup truck and Rivian’s R1T can topple the mighty Ford F-150
The mighty Ford F-150 might see a legitimate challenge in the near future, if the veteran automaker neglects to prepare adequately for the arrival of two all-electric pickup trucks on the market — the Tesla Truck and the Rivian R1T.
The disruption of battery-powered pickup trucks was highlighted in a note from Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas on Thursday. Addressing the firm’s investors, the analyst stated that an electric pickup successfully launched by a new player like Tesla or Rivian “could be a serious problem for the Detroit-based traditional automakers.” With the arrival of compelling vehicles, Jonas noted that experienced carmakers like Ford could lose the opportunity to gain a “first mover advantage” in the electric pickup market.
Promising Challengers
The Wall St analyst’s points hit the nail on the head, considering that the innate characteristics of electric vehicles such as instant torque and generous towing capacity are factors that are vital to the pickup truck market. The Rivian R1T, for example, is listed with a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds, though CEO RJ Scaringe noted in a recent interview that the truck could tow far beyond its official rating. Thanks to the R1T’s four electric motors, the truck is also able to hit 60 mph in just 3 seconds.
The Tesla Truck, on the other hand, has been mentioned several times by Elon Musk in recent months. Last year, Musk held a Twitter brainstorming session with his social media followers to list down features that are important for pickup truck owners. By the end of the session, Musk noted that the Tesla Truck would have two electric motors and dynamic suspension, a range of 400-500 miles per charge, four-wheel steering, a 240-volt connection for heavy-duty tools, and even an air compressor to run other equipment. Musk also noted that the vehicle could tow as much as 300,000 pounds.
Tesla’s Acid Test
Anyone skeptical of the potential disruption from an electric vehicle does not need to look very far. Over the past year, Tesla’s Model 3 midsize sedan all but shook the United States’ passenger car market, creeping up on ubiquitous vehicles like the Toyota Camry and dominating in revenue rankings. By the end of 2018, the Model 3 was the US’ best-selling luxury vehicle, despite being a sedan in a market that prefers SUVs and pickup trucks.
With a battery-powered pickup truck that is reasonably priced and well-equipped with features, carmakers such as Tesla and Rivian could challenge even the US auto industry’s biggest sellers, including the Ford F-150. One thing that would be a hindrance to this potential disruption, of course, would be the capability of electric car makers to scale production, especially considering the demand for pickups in the US. In this light, Rivian must still prove itself, since the production of the R1T is yet to begin. Tesla, on the other hand, is already learning the art of mass production, as shown by its growing pains with the Model 3 ramp.
A Way to Maintain the Status Quo
Despite the upcoming challenge and Wall Street’s recent warning, Ford does have a way to maintain the status quo in the pickup truck market. Last month, Jim Farley, Ford’s president of global markets, announced that the F-series would be going electric. Farley later added that the decision to adopt all-electric and hybrid power is a way to “future-proof” the company’s most successful vehicle line.
If recent sightings are any indication, it appears that Ford is at least testing an electric prototype of the F-150. As noted in a recent sighting, a camouflaged electric F-150 has been spotted charging at a station. The vehicle looked a lot like a regular truck, save for its charging port and its higher ride height, which appeared to be the result of batteries installed underneath the vehicle. Provided that Ford does not show some ill-timed hubris by giving the electric F-150 mediocre specs and range, the company could very well weather the storm of electric trucks coming its way.
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Tesla already has a complete Robotaxi model, and it doesn’t depend on passenger count
That scenario was discussed during the company’s Q4 and FY 2025 earnings call, when executives explained why the majority of Robotaxi rides will only involve one or two people.
Tesla already has the pieces in place for a full Robotaxi service that works regardless of passenger count, even if the backbone of the program is a small autonomous two-seater.
That scenario was discussed during the company’s Q4 and FY 2025 earnings call, when executives explained why the majority of Robotaxi rides will only involve one or two people.
Two-seat Cybercabs make perfect sense
During the Q&A portion of the call, Tesla Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy pointed out that more than 90% of vehicle miles traveled today involve two or fewer passengers. This, the executive noted, directly informed the design of the Cybercab.
“Autonomy and Cybercab are going to change the global market size and mix quite significantly. I think that’s quite obvious. General transportation is going to be better served by autonomy as it will be safer and cheaper. Over 90% of vehicle miles traveled are with two or fewer passengers now. This is why we designed Cybercab that way,” Moravy said.
Elon Musk expanded on the point, emphasizing that there is no fallback for Tesla’s bet on the Cybercab’s autonomous design. He reiterated that the autonomous two seater’s production is expected to start in April and noted that, over time, Tesla expects to produce far more Cybercabs than all of its other vehicles combined.
“Just to add to what Lars said there. The point that Lars made, which is that 90% of miles driven are with one or two passengers or one or two occupants, essentially, is a very important one… So this is clearly, there’s no fallback mechanism here. It’s like this car either drives itself or it does not drive… We would expect over time to make far more CyberCabs than all of our other vehicles combined. Given that 90% of distance driven or distance being distance traveled exactly, no longer driving, is one or two people,” Musk said.
Tesla’s robotaxi lineup is already here
The more interesting takeaway from the Q4 and FY 2025 earnings call is the fact that Tesla does not need the Cybercab to serve every possible passenger scenario, simply because the company already has a functional Robotaxi model that scales by vehicle type.
The Cybercab will handle the bulk of the Robotaxi network’s trips, but for groups that need three or four seats, the Model Y fills that role. For higher-end or larger-family use cases, the extended-wheelbase Model Y L could cover five or six occupants, provided that Elon Musk greenlights the vehicle for North America. And for even larger groups or commercial transport, Tesla has already unveiled the Robovan, which could seat over ten people.
Rather than forcing one vehicle to satisfy every use case, Tesla’s approach mirrors how transportation works today. Different vehicles will be used for different needs, while unifying everything under a single autonomous software and fleet platform.
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Tesla Cybercab spotted with interesting charging solution, stimulating discussion
The port is located in the rear of the vehicle and features a manual door and latch for plug-in, and the video shows an employee connecting to a Tesla Supercharger.
Tesla Cybercab units are being tested publicly on roads throughout various areas of the United States, and a recent sighting of the vehicle’s charging port has certainly stimulated some discussions throughout the community.
The Cybercab is geared toward being a fully-autonomous vehicle, void of a steering wheel or pedals, only operating with the use of the Full Self-Driving suite. Everything from the driving itself to the charging to the cleaning is intended to be operated autonomously.
But a recent sighting of the vehicle has incited some speculation as to whether the vehicle might have some manual features, which would make sense, but let’s take a look:
🚨 Tesla Cybercab charging port is in the rear of the vehicle!
Here’s a great look at plugging it in!!
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 29, 2026
The port is located in the rear of the vehicle and features a manual door and latch for plug-in, and the video shows an employee connecting to a Tesla Supercharger.
Now, it is important to remember these are prototype vehicles, and not the final product. Additionally, Tesla has said it plans to introduce wireless induction charging in the future, but it is not currently available, so these units need to have some ability to charge.
However, there are some arguments for a charging system like this, especially as the operation of the Cybercab begins after production starts, which is scheduled for April.
Wireless for Operation, Wired for Downtime
It seems ideal to use induction charging when the Cybercab is in operation. As it is for most Tesla owners taking roadtrips, Supercharging stops are only a few minutes long for the most part.
The Cybercab would benefit from more frequent Supercharging stops in between rides while it is operating a ride-sharing program.
Tesla wireless charging patent revealed ahead of Robotaxi unveiling event
However, when the vehicle rolls back to its hub for cleaning and maintenance, standard charging, where it is plugged into a charger of some kind, seems more ideal.
In the 45-minutes that the car is being cleaned and is having maintenance, it could be fully charged and ready for another full shift of rides, grabbing a few miles of range with induction charging when it’s out and about.
Induction Charging Challenges
Induction charging is still something that presents many challenges for companies that use it for anything, including things as trivial as charging cell phones.
While it is convenient, a lot of the charge is lost during heat transfer, which is something that is common with wireless charging solutions. Even in Teslas, the wireless charging mat present in its vehicles has been a common complaint among owners, so much so that the company recently included a feature to turn them off.
Production Timing and Potential Challenges
With Tesla planning to begin Cybercab production in April, the real challenge with the induction charging is whether the company can develop an effective wireless apparatus in that short time frame.
It has been in development for several years, but solving the issue with heat and energy loss is something that is not an easy task.
In the short-term, Tesla could utilize this port for normal Supercharging operation on the Cybercab. Eventually, it could be phased out as induction charging proves to be a more effective and convenient option.
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Tesla confirms that it finally solved its 4680 battery’s dry cathode process
The suggests the company has finally resolved one of the most challenging aspects of its next-generation battery cells.
Tesla has confirmed that it is now producing both the anode and cathode of its 4680 battery cells using a dry-electrode process, marking a key breakthrough in a technology the company has been working to industrialize for years.
The update, disclosed in Tesla’s Q4 and FY 2025 update letter, suggests the company has finally resolved one of the most challenging aspects of its next-generation battery cells.
Dry cathode 4680 cells
In its Q4 and FY 2025 update letter, Tesla stated that it is now producing 4680 cells whose anode and cathode were produced during the dry electrode process. The confirmation addresses long-standing questions around whether Tesla could bring its dry cathode process into sustained production.
The disclosure was highlighted on X by Bonne Eggleston, Tesla’s Vice President of 4680 batteries, who wrote that “both electrodes use our dry process.”
Tesla first introduced the dry-electrode concept during its Battery Day presentation in 2020, pitching it as a way to simplify production, reduce factory footprint, lower costs, and improve energy density. While Tesla has been producing 4680 cells for some time, the company had previously relied on more conventional approaches for parts of the process, leading to questions about whether a full dry-electrode process could even be achieved.
4680 packs for Model Y
Tesla also revealed in its Q4 and FY 2025 Update Letter that it has begun producing battery packs for certain Model Y vehicles using its in-house 4680 cells. As per Tesla:
“We have begun to produce battery packs for certain Model Ys with our 4680 cells, unlocking an additional vector of supply to help navigate increasingly complex supply chain challenges caused by trade barriers and tariff risks.”
The timing is notable. With Tesla preparing to wind down Model S and Model X production, the Model Y and Model 3 are expected to account for an even larger share of the company’s vehicle output. Ensuring that the Model Y can be equipped with domestically produced 4680 battery packs gives Tesla greater flexibility to maintain production volumes in the United States, even as global battery supply chains face increasing complexity.
Tesla already has a complete Robotaxi model, and it doesn’t depend on passenger count
Tesla Cybercab spotted with interesting charging solution, stimulating discussion
