Elon Musk unveils Tesla ‘s new two-door robotaxi
MNP – Tesla CEO Elon Musk showcased a long-promised robotaxi with two gull-wing doors and without a steering wheel or pedals at a much-hyped event on Thursday, paving the path for what he has bet will drive long-term growth for the electric vehicle maker.
Musk, who arrived at the stage in one of the robotaxis – called Cybercab – said production will start in 2026 and the vehicles will be available for customers to buy for less than $30,000. They will cost 20 cents a mile to operate, he said.
“The vast majority of the time, cars are just doing nothing,” he said on stage. “But if they’re autonomous, they could be used five times more, maybe 10 times more.”
Enthusiasm around the event has been on display across social media, with screenshots of invites and speculation on what might be disclosed. But investors and analysts have flagged challenges with the technology and reined in expectations.
Stellantis chairperson John Elkann was seen in the crowd along with Musk’s younger brother, Kimbal, a social media post showed.
Musk’s plan is to operate a fleet of self-driving Tesla taxis called Cybercabs that passengers can hail through an app. Individual Tesla owners will also be able to make money on the app by listing their vehicles as robotaxis.
