Tesla announced Friday that it is now taking orders from select customers for its Cybercab, a fully autonomous two-seat vehicle priced at $29,990 with an additional required monthly "Autonomy Subscription" fee of $299 [1]. The gold-colored Cybercab features butterfly doors but no steering wheel or pedals, and had previously been used only in Tesla's robotaxi fleet in select U.S. cities [1]. CEO Elon Musk stated the vehicle would be available nationwide as regulatory approvals are received, though he acknowledged the monthly subscription fee is "too high," suggesting it should be comparable to the combined cost of Tesla's Full Self-Driving software and connectivity services at approximately $115 per month [1].
The Cybercab will initially be available in the same locations as Tesla's robotaxi fleet, which includes Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Miami, Orlando, San Antonio, and Tampa [1]. Tesla's vice president of vehicle engineering previously indicated the company plans to start selling Cybercabs by the end of this year [1]. This strategic shift reflects Tesla's growing emphasis on artificial intelligence and robotics, with the driverless vehicle expected to play a key role in its planned global robotaxi network [1]. Notably, Musk announced earlier this month that Tesla would end Cybertruck production at its Gigafactory Texas facility around the middle of next year to focus resources on Cybercab production [1].
The announcement comes amid ongoing regulatory scrutiny of Tesla's autonomous technology. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an audit in September to review whether Tesla properly self-certified the Cybercab's compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards [1]. Tesla has asserted to NHTSA that the Cybercab meets federal safety standards [1]. The two-seater robotaxi entered production earlier this year and remains a relatively small program for Tesla, which has listed an installed annual production capacity of more than 125,000 vehicles [1]. At the time of the announcement, Tesla stock (TSLA) was trading at $390.22, down $7.23 or -1.82% [1].
CONCLUSION
Tesla's expansion of Cybercab availability to select consumers represents a significant milestone in bringing fully autonomous vehicles to the mass market, though regulatory uncertainties and the company's acknowledgment that subscription pricing needs adjustment present near-term headwinds. The strategic pivot toward Cybercab production over Cybertruck manufacturing signals Tesla's prioritization of its autonomous vehicle ambitions, which could reshape the company's long-term revenue model if regulatory approvals and market adoption materialize as planned.