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According to Elon Musk, we’re just a few months away from a Tesla robotaxi.The X owner on Friday tweeted: “Tesla Robotaxi unveil on 8/8.”
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The news comes at the same time Tesla is reportedly scrapping its plans for a low-cost EV. During an earnings call in January, Musk said that production of its next-generation EVs would begin by the end of 2025, with the potential for a $25,000 model. (The Model 3 is currently its most affordable model at just under $40,000.)According to Reuters, however, Tesla is facing strong competition from Chinese electric vehicle makers that can produce EVs priced as low as $10,000. Instead of launching a low-priced vehicle, Reuters says Tesla is instead going “all in” on the robotaxi. Later, Musk tweeted that Reuters was “lying,” though he didn’t specify what part of the report was false.
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Musk’s tweet announcing the unveiling of the robotaxi came a few hours after Reuters published its report. But Musk has been talking about robotaxis for several years. In a 2022 earnings call, Musk said robotaxis will be “a very powerful product where we aspire to reach volume production of that in 2024.”At the time, Musk said Tesla robotaxis would be manufactured without steering wheels or pedals, adding “there are a number of other innovations around it that I think are quite exciting.” It’s unclear if regulators will allow that; many require human drivers behind the wheel, at least during the initial testing phase. In California, where Tesla has a major presence, the company currently has a permit to test with a safety driver, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
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In Texas, where Tesla is now headquartered, a 2017 law allows for driverless vehicles, but as Texas Monthly notes, there’s little oversight of that law, which also cedes control to the state versus the cities in which these robotaxis will be operating.On X, Musk pushed back on arguments that regulators will be the biggest roadblock to getting Tesla robotaxis on the road. In response to someone countering that “The biggest factor by far is making the tech work well,” Musk responded: “Exactly.”
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