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Tesla’s Elon Musk reveals release date for ATV, hints at electric dirt bike
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) the company unveiled in the Cybertruck event will be released around the same time as the all-electric pickup. The Cybertruck’s Dual-Motor and Tri-Motor variants will begin production in late 2021, with the Single Motor RWD trim starting in late 2022.
Musk made the announcement following a question from the Tesla Owners Silicon Valley’s Twitter account, which asked if there were any updates on the ATV. Details about the ATV were slim following the unveiling, as Musk announced the four-wheeler at the tail end of the Cybertruck unveiling event. Musk did mention that the ATV will be a two-seater, and it will complement the Cybertruck as it charges directly in the pickup’s “Vault.” An electric dirt bike was also mentioned.
“We’ll aim to have it come out same time as truck. Two-seater electric ATV designed to work with Cybertruck will be fun! Electric dirt bikes would be cool too. We won’t do road bikes, as too dangerous. I was hit by a truck & almost died on one when I was 17,” Musk said on Twitter.
We’ll aim to have it come out same time as truck. Two seater electric ATV designed to work with Cybertruck will be fun! Electric dirt bikes would be cool too. We won’t do road bikes, as too dangerous. I was hit by a truck & almost died on one when I was 17.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 8, 2019
Musk also addressed the idea that the company could produce a street-legal motorcycle in the future. While some Tesla enthusiasts have been asking for the Silicon Valley-based electric car maker to produce a motorcycle that could be used on the street, Musk shot down the idea with a story from his teenage years where he was hit by a truck while riding one. Musk has told this story in the past, specifically at the 2018 Tesla Shareholder’s Meeting, when he stated that an accident with a motorbike nearly ended his life. “We’re not going to do motorcycles,” Musk stated.
Those interested in the ATV are still waiting for Tesla and Musk to release the finer details of the vehicle, like weight, range, and whether it will be available in different variants like the company’s cars. Those who have pre-ordered the Cybertruck will have the ATV available as an option, according to a previous tweet from the Tesla CEO.
Tesla’s unveiling of the Cybertruck, along with its development of an ATV and now a possible dirt bike, is evidence the company is starting to embracing the outdoor market. The Cybertruck, while not aimed directly toward off-roading, camping, and outdoor activities like the Rivian R1T pickup and R1S sport utility vehicle, offer enough towing capacity to haul a fully-loaded camper or RV. Musk’s interest in four-wheelers and dirt bikes could help Tesla reach out to a completely new customer base as well, just as the Cybertruck attracts a potential new market.
The Tesla Cybertruck’s full capabilities were not really discussed much during its unveiling event, as Musk appeared to have expedited the vehicle’s presentation following its failed Armor Glass demonstration. Yet, despite this, there is very little doubt that the Cybertruck will be a tough-as-nails pickup, as evidenced by its stainless steel exoskeleton and its potential off-roading capability that is teased by its 16″ ride height. Auto veteran Jack Rickard mentioned this in a segment in his YouTube channel.
“This thing’s a Hummer. A Ford F-150, the tricked out 4×4 Supercrew cab, has 9.6” of ground clearance. This has 16” – that’s like a Hummer. I think the Hummer H1 was 16. So it makes a big difference in off-roading And underneath that, I’m told it’s all armored, it’s all covered, you can’t get at the motors, you can’t get at the batteries, it’s a skidplate. So specifically, on the things that define a pickup truck, and I’m surprised Elon Musk even knew what those were, but he’s got it, and that’s this offroad capability, and this kind of tough, durable, manly kind of gig,” Rickard said.
Tesla has expanded the footprint of a massive safety feature worldwide with a recent Software Update labeled as 2026.20.6. The expansion of the “Blind Spot Warning While Parked” feature represents the more widespread availability of the feature, which aims to prevent “dooring.”
Dooring is when a driver or passenger opens a car door into the path of an oncoming road user, usually a cyclist or motorcyclist. It is among the most common types of cycling accidents, the League of American Bicyclists says.
For this reason, Tesla created a feature that warns occupants not to open the door because an object is approaching. The feature will sound a chime, and it will also delay the opening of the door to prevent an incident.
The release notes state (via Not a Tesla App):
“If you attempt to open a door while an approaching object is detected in your blind spot (for example, a bicyclist approaching from behind) a chime sounds, and your door will not open upon initial button press. Wait a short time and press the button a second time to override the warning.”
Tesla initially rolled out this feature back in 2024 with the Model 3 “Highland.” However, it remained with the Model 3 exclusively for over a year; that was until Tesla added it to the Cybertruck this past Spring.
Now, it is making its way to the new Model Y, 2021 and newer Model S, and 2021 or newer Model X.
The prevention of dooring incidents could eliminate many injuries to cyclists, especially in an urban setting. Dooring accounts for 10-20 percent of bike-related crashes in major cities, and over 17,000 dooring-related incidents were treated in the U.S. over the course of a decade. These usually involve fractures, contusions, and head trauma.
Tesla confirmed this morning that it has sent the first production units, manufactured with no steering wheel or pedals, to on-road testing in Austin, sharing video of the first rides with no human controls.
The lack of steering wheels and pedals in the Cybercab aligns with Tesla’s self-certification of Robotaxi as Level 4 SAE, a platform it plans to make widespread through internal vehicles and customer-owned cars that will operate and generate revenue for individuals.
The start of these engineering tests is a major signal for Tesla, which plans to bring driverless, wheel-less, and pedal-less Cybercabs to market in the coming months. With production already well underway at Gigafactory Texas, where the Cybercab is built, there is some inclination to believe the first public rides could happen sooner rather than later.
Engineering tests of the first production Cybercab have begun in Austin pic.twitter.com/fk3KQvcE8a
— Tesla (@Tesla) June 30, 2026
Tesla’s engineering tests will put the Cybercab in real-world scenarios, testing not only the hardware, but more importantly, the software that drives the car around Austin with nobody supervising it within the car.
This is perhaps the biggest part of the internal testing process, especially prior to allowing regular, everyday people to hail the Cybercab for an autonomous ride. These early rides serve as a true benchmark for Tesla: How many rides can it achieve safely? How many miles did it travel consecutively without needing an intervention? What scenarios challenge the Full Self-Driving suite the most?
The proper precautions have already been put into place as well, as Tesla released the First Responders Guide to Cybercab over the weekend, ensuring that emergency services have 24/7 access to Robotaxi Assistance, as well as other boundaries, such as Geofencing features that can be used to redirect autonomous vehicle traffic due to accidents, road closures, construction, or maintenance.
Cybercab seems genuinely close to being added to the Robotaxi fleet in Austin, but Tesla has prioritized safety throughout this entire process. Therefore, we think it could be months before it truly starts giving rides to the public. People have been frustrated with this, but Robotaxi in Austin has a tremendous safety record so far, so the slow rollout has kept people safe and accidents to a minimum.
The most important thing is that Tesla continues to show consistent progress in the Cybercab’s ramp-up toward fleet addition. A few weeks back, we saw the EPA reward the Cybercab a Certificate of Conformity, allowing it to enter the stream of commerce. Then, we saw Tesla add decals, signaling that it was likely about to start testing it publicly. That has now happened.
The next big move will be the announcement of the first rides, so this Summer should be filled with anticipation.
For years, there have been images and videos across social media platforms that have reminded me of when I was a 15-year-old kid teased by “Xbox 720” videos on YouTube. These videos are of the supposed “Tesla Phone” that Elon Musk was secretly developing in between leading Tesla with its electric cars and SpaceX with its reusable rockets.
Would you buy a Tesla phone ? pic.twitter.com/aaTwvvIJit
— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) October 6, 2023
Although Musk has put those rumors to bed several times, it was never completely out of the realm that he could get involved in cell phones in some capacity. Think outside the box and more macro-level, though. Instead of reinventing the computer, Musk reinvented connectivity by developing Starlink with SpaceX.
It could be something similar, TD Cowen analyst Gregory Williams said in a note last week, where he hinted SpaceX could be gathering some steam to acquire T-Mobile.
Williams said it would be the “clear choice” for SpaceX if it decided to go through with a network acquisition. He also suggested AT&T.
The move would be possible through selling more of its own stock, which would help SpaceX raise the money to purchase T-Mobile, which would cost roughly $300 billion. It could be one of the moves SpaceX makes post-IPO in terms of an acquisition: it already acquired Cursor AI for $60 billion.
Other analysts, like Dan Ives of Wedbush, believe SpaceX and Tesla will eventually merge into one anyway, and that conglomeration could come as soon as this year, some have said.
The implications of SpaceX purchasing T-Mobile are massive. A combined entity would create a truly ubiquitous network: T-Mobile’s terrestrial 5G towers and Starlink’s growing constellation of Direct-to-Cell satellites. This would essentially eliminate dead zones across the U.S. and potentially globally.
SpaceX would instantly become a full-scale facilities-based carrier with satellite differentiation; a huge advantage. This would pressure AT&T and Verizon heavily.
There are also concerns like a potential reduction in long-term competition, and of course, a deal of that size would face intense scrutiny from government agencies.
The strategic fit is compelling due to the existing Starlink–T-Mobile partnership and complementary technologies (space + terrestrial). It could create a dominant integrated communications player. However, the regulatory, financial, and execution hurdles are enormous — this remains highly speculative with no indication SpaceX is actively pursuing it right now.
Tesla expands massive safety feature worldwide in latest update
Tesla sends production Cybercab with no steering wheel, pedals to on-road testing
