New Delhi: According to Elon Musk’s biographer, Walter Isaacson, both the $25,000 Tesla and the company’s dedicated robotaxi will boast a futuristic look that was inspired by the Cybertruck.
Tesla’s $25k car and dedicated robotaxi will be Cybertruck-inspired.
Thoughts? https://t.co/HnFndepd4c
— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) September 8, 2023
An excerpt from Isaacson’s upcoming biography claims that Musk was so intent on developing autonomous robotaxis that it took a concerted effort from Tesla executives to convince him to pursue an affordable car as well. The CEO reportedly only gave in when his aides revealed a plan to construct the $25,000 car and Tesla’s robotaxi simultaneously.
First glance at the $25k @tesla or the robotaxi? (H/t @kolbyratigan ) pic.twitter.com/3d6ZfeQO3G
— Greggertruck (@greggertruck) September 10, 2023
By 2030, Tesla hopes to have an annual output of 20 million automobiles.
Tesla needs a car with far higher output than the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover in order to achieve this goal since it needs to mass-produce the vehicle.
Tesla upcoming new vehicles:
Cybertruck 2023
Model 3 Refresh 2023
Model Y Refresh 2025 (speculation)
Roadster TBD
25k Tesla with steering wheel TBD
Robotaxi TBD#tsla— strengthPlan (@strengthPlan) September 9, 2023
According to the source, this is precisely why Tesla developed their next-generation platform that was shown at Investor Day earlier this year.
According to Isaacson, in November of 2021, Musk gathered his top five lieutenants in Austin to discuss creating a simple, mass-produced robotaxi.
He added that Musk and his team spent almost a year discussing whether to develop a car with conventional controls or a completely autonomous vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals, which would entail a higher level of risk.
On August 18, 2022, Tesla’s Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen proposed the idea of a removable steering wheel and pedals for the robotaxi. However, Musk apparently refused to budge. “No mirrors, no pedals, no steering wheel. This is me taking responsibility for this decision,” Musk said.
Elon Musk: “No mirrors, no pedals, no steering wheel. This is me taking responsibility for this decision”
“Let me be clear. This vehicle must be designed as a clean robotaxi. We’re going to take that risk.”$TSLA will either 🚀 or 😭 https://t.co/9SkI104vLA
— Herbert Ong (@herbertong) September 8, 2023
Elon Musk on the upcoming Tesla Robotaxi and $25,000 car:
“When one of these comes around a corner, people will think they are seeing something from the future.” pic.twitter.com/e4oETgnqrW
— Tesla Hype (@TeslaHype) September 8, 2023
At a meeting with Musk in September 2022, von Holzhausen and others provided him with statistics indicating that a compact global automobile was required if Tesla was to reach its lofty expansion goals.
The team successfully persuaded Musk that the $25,000 automobile and the robotaxi could share the same cutting-edge architecture. The research also noted that assembly lines might be shared between the two cars. When von Holzhausen displayed the $25,000 Tesla and the robotaxi model side by side in Tesla’s Design Studio, it finally convinced Musk.
