Tesla's upcoming Cybercab, a futuristic electric vehicle, is being designed with innovative features, optimized production, and strategic deployment plans, with the goal of achieving a low cost of $20,000-$25,000 and potentially disrupting the transportation industry
Questions to inspire discussion
Cost & Manufacturing Strategy
🔋 Q: What battery flexibility does Cybercab offer for different markets? A: Battery pack is form factor and chemistry agnostic, accommodating 4680, LFP, or blade batteries in a standard large battery space to serve various market requirements.
💰 Q: How will Tesla achieve sub-$30k Cybercab pricing? A: Cost savings from fewer and cheaper components versus Model 3 (only wheels/tires cost more), targeting below $28,000 by year one, potentially reaching $25,000 or less at scale.
🏭 Q: Where are Cybercab's plastic body panels manufactured? A: Plastic body panels produced in-house at Tesla's Giga factories in Nevada, Texas, Fremont, Berlin, and Shanghai, leveraging Tesla's extensive plastics manufacturing experience.
Technology & Architecture
🖥️ Q: How will AI5 computer costs decrease over time? A: AI5 computer prices will drop substantially when producing millions of units at scale, making the autonomous system cost-effective for mass production.
⚡ Q: What infrastructure challenge is Cybercab facing? A: 48V architecture's supply chain has been slow to ramp up, requiring time for component suppliers to scale production capacity.
Safety & Autonomous Features
🚗 Q: How does Cybercab prevent door-related accidents? A: Front camera sees past the door and cameras/sensors prevent vehicle movement if something is nearby, enabling safe passenger exit while car parks itself elsewhere to avoid door dings.
Key Insights
Manufacturing & Cost Innovation
- 🏭 Tesla manufactures Cybercab's plastic body panels and moldings in-house across all Giga factories (Nevada, Texas, Fremont, Berlin, Shanghai), leveraging existing expertise from battery pack plastics production to reduce dependency on external suppliers.
- 💰 Cybercab achieves sub-$25,000 production cost at scale through simplified controls, smaller battery pack, smaller motor, and fewer total parts compared to Model 3, despite incorporating the expensive AI5 computer for autonomous operation.
Battery & Powertrain Flexibility
- 🔋 Battery pack design is form factor and chemistry agnostic, enabling deployment of 4680 cells, LFP, or blade batteries depending on regional battery availability and market requirements without redesigning the vehicle platform.
- ⚡ Single rear motor with electric stability control delivers sufficient traction in low-traction conditions like snow, eliminating the need for dual motor configuration in most major cities and further reducing manufacturing complexity.
Safety & Design Trade-offs
- 🚪 Front and side cameras enable door safety features that prevent movement when objects are nearby and avoid collisions with moving objects, surpassing safety capabilities of human-operated doors through sensor integration.
- 🔧 Frunk area serves as service access for front motors and HVAC systems rather than user storage, sacrificing traditional hood design with hinges and heavy springs to optimize serviceability over consumer convenience.
#Tesla #Cybercab
XMentions: @FutureAzA @HabitatsDigital @Tesla
WatchUrl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DDE7FF4OWE
Clips
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00:00 🚗 Tesla's Cybercab features interchangeable battery packs of varying sizes and types, allowing for optimized production and fleet utilization.
- The analyst, Brian, reviews the new and improved Tesla Cybercab at Santana Row, addressing viewer questions about its engineering details in a two-part video series.
- Tesla Cybercab's battery pack is form factor and chemistry agnostic, according to engineers who designed and built it.
- Tesla's Cybercab design allows for interchangeable battery packs of varying sizes and types, enabling a mix of longer and shorter range cars to optimize production and fleet utilization.
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03:05 🚗 Tesla aims for $20,000-$25,000 Cybercab cost by cutting engineering features and scaling production, potentially dropping to $25,000 or less within the first year.
- Tesla aims for a Cybercab cost per unit of around $20,000-$25,000 by removing unnecessary controls and engineering features and using a smaller battery compared to the Model 3.
- The Cybercab has cost-saving measures such as a smaller, cheaper motor and simplified components, but also added expenses like sensor cleaning and road-legal requirements that increase its cost.
- Tesla's Cybercab will likely use the AI5 computer, and at scale production, its cost could drop to around $25,000 or less within the first year, with minimal additional hardware needed for road legality.
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06:18 🚗 Tesla Cybercab's door design utilizes cameras to detect obstacles, making it safer than traditional doors despite its unusual shape.
- Tesla Cybercab's door design, despite having a pointed corner at head height, is safer than traditional doors because its cameras can detect obstacles and prevent the door from moving if something is nearby.
- Lars Strand Ritter's YouTube channel with over 100,000 subscribers was hacked, and his account was compromised despite having a large following.
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08:29 🚗 Tesla is likely to start deploying Cybercabs in Arizona soon, possibly in low volumes within weeks, after receiving statewide approval.
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09:42 🚗 Tesla's Cybercab faces design challenges with narrow width and seating, and may not need dual-motor or snow-specific features due to its electronic stability control.
- The Cybercab's front seats should be a three-seater bench, but its narrow width poses challenges for accommodating three passengers with proper safety restraints.
- Tesla's electric vehicles, including rear-wheel drive models, handle well in snow due to their electronic stability control and instant motor throttle response, making a dual-motor version or snow-specific features for the Cybercab unlikely.
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11:30 🚗 Analyst discusses potential limitations of Tesla Cybercab's design in narrow spaces, but notes possible workarounds to mitigate issues.
- The analyst believes employees taking photos but not video are overly cautious and possibly mistaken, but it hasn't hindered their work.
- Tesla Cybercab's design may pose limitations in narrow residential garages and parking spots, particularly with door clearance, but this can be mitigated by letting the car park in a more convenient location.
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13:11 🚗 Analyst disputes claims of Tesla Cybercab having a frunk, citing engineering limitations making it a service-only area with motors and mechanical components.
- An analyst questions why a person continues to claim Tesla's Cybercab has a frunk or engine compartment despite being impossible from an engineering standpoint.
- The Tesla Cybercab's front compartment is a service-only area with motors, HVAC, and mechanical components, making it unsuitable as a traditional frunk or a flexible platform for various vehicle configurations.
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15:18 🚗 Tesla's Cybercab faces production concept problems, with estimated $20-25 billion annual production costs, but company expects to offset with increasing revenue.
- Tesla's Cybercab, showcased at CES 2023, has yet to be released due to concept problems.
- A million Cybercab units per year would cost around $20-25 billion to produce, but with increasing production and revenue, the company would have sufficient cash on hand and incoming revenue to offset costs.
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Duration: 0:16:49
Publication Date: 2025-12-29T18:40:30Z
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