The First Tesla Cybercab Has Rolled Off The Assembly Line

Tesla’s first Cybercab has officially rolled off the assembly line in Texas, marking a milestone that Elon Musk enthusiastically shared on the social network X.

The Cybercab is a self-driving electric vehicle for two passengers, without a steering wheel or pedals, and is a significant step forward from the company’s fleet of robot taxis. The Model Y robotaxi still needs a human “safety monitor,” while the Cybercab has no manual control capability at all—and so big questions remain, as Tesla’s current level of autonomy seems unprepared for a vehicle that relies solely on software.

At the same time as the first production Cybercab, Musk appeared to confirm a starting price of $30,000 for the fully autonomous vehicle in response to Dillon Loomis, a Tesla enthusiast and content creator. It supports Tesla’s desire to make the Cybercab one of the most affordable vehicles to use; Musk has previously said he wants to reach $0.20 per mile for a vehicle, which includes everything from charging to insurance and depreciation.

Ride-hailing companies like Lyft and Uber are expected to be the Cybercab’s main initial customers, but private owners are also aiming to buy it. In theory, it would be a turning point for people who can’t drive, either by choice or because of a disability.

Still, there’s plenty of skepticism about Cybercab’s mass appeal.

Finally, Musk said in January that production of the Cybercab would be “excruciatingly slow” at first, given that it’s such a new concept in Tesla’s lineup.

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