On Thursday night, Elon Musk introduced a prototype of Tesla's Robovan during the "We, Robot" event in Los Angeles. The Robovan, an electric and autonomous vehicle about the size of a bus, is designed to transport both people and goods in high-density areas. It can carry up to 20 passengers at a time, according to Musk.
Musk offered little detail about the vehicle beyond showing it on stage, stating, “We’re going to make this, and it’s going to look like that.” However, he didn’t provide information about its cost, production plans, or release date. Despite the vagueness, the design of the Robovan caught attention.
The vehicle has a retro-futuristic style, reminiscent of a mix between "The Jetsons" bus and a 1950s toaster, featuring metallic silver sides, black accents, and light strips running parallel along its body. Its sliding doors open from the middle, and the interior includes seating and standing areas with tinted windows. Being fully autonomous, the Robovan lacks a steering wheel.
Musk also remarked that Tesla aims to change the appearance of roads, as they did with the Cybertruck, emphasizing that "the future should look like the future."
The Robovan bears some resemblance to other autonomous robotaxis like those from Zoox and Cruise, though Tesla's design is notably larger. In China, a similar vehicle called the Robobus has been developed by WeRide.
However, it's important to note that the Robovan is still in its prototype stage, and there is no certainty about its final appearance or when it will be available to the public.
Tesla kept the designs of its new vehicles under wraps until this event. Earlier hints came during Tesla’s 2023 Investor Day, where two upcoming models were teased: a smaller vehicle, now known as the Cybercab, and a larger one, likely the Robovan.
Tesla has set an ambitious goal of producing 20 million vehicles annually by 2030, a significant increase from its 2022 production levels. But Musk did not share any concrete plans for how Tesla would scale up production, nor did he provide specific timelines for the Robovan. He did mention that the Cybercab could begin production by 2026 or 2027.
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