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Tesla Robotaxi Cybercab: Seats, price, special features, release date, and more

Credit: Tesla

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Tesla has officially unveiled its Robotaxi Cybercab, a long-awaited and highly-anticipated fully autonomous vehicle that the company says will revolutionize passenger travel. The vehicle was unveiled to the world on October 10 in an event held by Tesla at Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles.

During his presentation, CEO Elon Musk mentioned that the Cybercab will enter production before 2027 and will cost less than $30,000. Real-world tests of Unsupervised Full Self Driving (FSD), which would be used in the Cybercab, are expected to start in California and Texas sometime next year.

The following is a quick overview of the Cybercab, its features, price, and other characteristics.

Credit: Teslarati

Design and Tire Specs

As soon as the Cybercab showed up on the “We, Robot” livestream, it was immediately evident why the vehicle was named as such. The Cybercab’s front and futuristic design theme was evidently inspired by the Cybertruck, though its curves and lines are inspired by Tesla’s other vehicles, not the brutalist pickup truck.

The Cybercab’s wheels are also fitted with aero covers that extend partly into the tire itself. This gives the Cybercab a very futuristic appearance, and it should also help with the vehicle’s efficiency. Attendees of the event have also observed that the Robotaxi rides on 225/60/R21 tires at the rear.

Cabin, Cargo, and Charging

Tesla did not provide the specific dimensions of the Cybercab’s interior and cargo area, though videos and images shared by attendees of the event showed that the passenger area is quite spacious. Press photos of the Cybercab suggest that it would have some decent cargo space as well, likely exceeding the Model 3’s trunk.

The Tesla Cybercab will not feature a NACS port. Instead, the vehicle would use an inductive charging system. Tesla has been working on wireless inductive charging for some time and acquired Wiferion last year. Teaser images of an inductive charging setup have also been shared by the company in the past.

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Price and Potential Variants

Musk says the Tesla Cybercab will cost below $30,000, making the vehicle very competitively priced. Such a price is quite reasonable for a vehicle like the Cybercab, especially for those who wish to use the car as a fleet vehicle for businesses.

It should be noted, however, that Tesla only unveiled the driverless Cybercab for now. Previous reports have suggested that the Cybercab may have a sibling that would be equipped with a steering wheel and pedals. Such a vehicle could be a big hit in markets such as Asia and Europe.

Credit: Teslarati

Production and Delivery Date

Tesla said the Cybercab is expected to enter production in 2026, and although he admits he can be very ambitious with his timelines, he confirmed it will aim toward being manufactured “before 2027.” Musk did not mention the vehicle’s estimated delivery date as well, or where it would be produced. Considering that the Cybercab is expected to be built using the company’s unboxed process, however, it would not be surprising if the vehicle gets produced at the Giga Texas complex.

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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SpaceX wants to catch Starship for launch 14, Elon Musk says

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Credit: SpaceX

Just hours after Starship Flight 13 achieved a successful soft splashdown of its upper stage in the Indian Ocean on July 24, Elon Musk announced an ambitious next step for the company’s next launch of the rocket.

“Unless we discover problems after mission data review, SpaceX will attempt to catch the ship with the tower on [the] next flight,” the SpaceX CEO posted on X on Friday.

That “next flight” is expected to be Flight 14. The plan involves returning the Starship upper stage, commonly called the “ship,” to the Starbase launch tower in Texas and catching it mid-air using the same mechanical “chopsticks” arms that have already proven themselves with the Super Heavy booster.

A successful catch would mark the first time an orbital-class upper stage has been recovered this way, advancing SpaceX’s goal of full and rapid reusability for the entire vehicle.

SpaceX has already demonstrated the tower-catch technique multiple times with Super Heavy. The first successful catch came on Flight 5 in October 2024, when Booster 12 was plucked from the sky by the Mechazilla arms. Subsequent flights, including those involving Boosters 14 and 15, repeated the feat. Several of those recovered boosters were later inspected, refurbished, and flown again, proving the system’s viability for quick turnaround.

Traditional reusable rockets, such as SpaceX’s own Falcon 9 or Blue Origin’s New Shepard, land on legs either on land or droneships. Rocket Lab has recovered its small Electron first stages by helicopter, but those are far lighter vehicles.

SpaceX Starship just nailed something it’s never done before

The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC), completed a catch of its booster on July 10. They are the only entity besides SpaceX to attempt and complete the feat.

Flight 13 provided encouraging data. The ship executed a controlled reentry, flipped, and soft-landed intact in the ocean after deploying Starlink satellites, offering the first clear post-splashdown views of an undamaged heat shield. The Super Heavy booster, meanwhile, experienced a harder splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.

Musk has previously stressed that ship catches would only follow multiple successful soft ocean landings to minimize risk of debris over land.

If Flight 14 succeeds, SpaceX would take a major stride toward routine, rapid reuse of both stages—critical for lowering launch costs and supporting ambitious plans for lunar and Mars missions. For now, teams are reviewing the Flight 13 data. Should everything check out, the next Starship flight could deliver one of the most spectacular recoveries in aerospace history.

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Tesla to open source Model S and Model X designs and software

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In a move echoing its earlier commitment to open innovation, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced recently that the company plans to make the design and software of its Model S and Model X fully open source.

This follows the same approach Tesla took with its original Roadster, releasing all available design, engineering, and diagnostic materials in November 2023 so that “whatever we have, you now have.”

The Model S, introduced in 2012, was Tesla’s first mass-produced vehicle and a groundbreaking luxury electric sedan. It offered impressive range, rapid acceleration, and over-the-air software updates that redefined expectations for electric cars.

The Model X, launched in 2015, built on that foundation as a high-performance electric SUV notable for its distinctive falcon-wing doors, spacious interior, and advanced safety features. Both models served as flagships that helped establish Tesla as a leader in the EV industry and popularized long-range battery-electric vehicles.

Production of the Model S and Model X was wound down earlier in 2026, with manufacturing ending in the second quarter. Tesla redirected the Fremont factory space previously used for these vehicles toward higher-priority projects, including Optimus humanoid robots and the Cybercab autonomous vehicle.

By the time of Musk’s open-source announcement, custom orders had closed and only remaining inventory was available.

Open-sourcing the designs and software offers several clear advantages. Owners of these aging but still capable vehicles gain better access to technical documentation, diagnostic tools, and software resources, making independent repairs and modifications easier and more affordable.

Independent repair shops and third-party specialists can support the large existing fleet without relying solely on Tesla’s service network. Enthusiasts and engineers can study real-world implementations of Tesla’s battery, powertrain, and software systems, potentially accelerating broader industry progress in electric mobility.

The step aligns with Tesla’s 2014 patent pledge and its overall mission to advance sustainable transport by sharing hard-won knowledge rather than locking it behind proprietary walls.

By releasing these materials now that the models have left production, Tesla ensures continued support for its early adopters while freeing internal resources for future technologies. The open-source release of the original Roadster already enabled simulations, community projects, and deeper technical understanding.

Extending that practice to the Model S and Model X should deliver similar benefits on a larger scale, helping keep these influential vehicles relevant and repairable for years to come

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Tesla flexes incredible Robotaxi metric that skeptics will hate

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla flexed one incredible Robotaxi metric during the Q2 Earnings Call that skeptics have to hate to hear. The company’s platform has already driven more than 380,000 miles of unsupervised ride-hailing across several states with no notable incidents.

During the company’s Q2 Earnings Call on Wednesday, Vice President of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, said:

“First of all, I’d like to state that the Robotaxi program has been operating extremely well. Especially in terms of safety, the program has had an impeccable safety record. We have driven more than 380,000 miles of unsupervised Robotaxi, now across six cities in two different states. We have had zero notable incidents. Any reports have been of other actors impacting us when we were stationary. I like to emphasize how safe the operation has been so far. Zero notable incidents over 380,000 miles.”

Elluswamy’s claim over Robotaxi miles is a significant milestone for Tesla in the grand scheme, especially considering this is a sizeable number of miles without any incident.

Tesla’s self-driving approach is much different than that of other companies. Tesla has maintained that vision is the only thing needed to have a solid and effective self-driving suite. Many self-driving companies utilize things like LiDAR, sensors, and other elements to improve performance, but Elluswamy sent a jab at those who believe it’s needed.

“Historically, the so-called experts have always claimed that you need LiDARs, radars, HD maps, and the entire kitchen sink to drive safely. Here we show that such is not true. You can have safe, comfortable, and affordable autonomy with just cameras. This record should be a huge validation of Tesla’s entire AI approach.”

The feat of accumulating this many miles without any driver behind the wheel is impressive. The thing is, Tesla is also doing this across several different locations, with varying traffic rules, pedestrian levels, weather patterns, and other important factors.

While Tesla is not ready to roll out an unsupervised platform completely, it is a slow but steady indication that the company is well on its way to figuring things out.

The company’s attitude toward expansion is slow, safe, and controlled, and despite this huge milestone, it will still be some time until we see Tesla truly unleash unsupervised rides more aggressively.

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