Photo: @ajtourville via X
Elon Musk was consumed by the idea of building a robotaxi long before the Master Plan Part Deux was published in 2016. The autonomous people mover is now closer to production, and a design sketch from Walter Isaacson's book "Elon Musk" shows what it might look like.
Tesla's third-generation automotive platform should allow the EV maker to cut production costs significantly, thanks to a simplified manufacturing process and architecture optimizations. Tesla aims to sell the upcoming compact vehicles at about $25,000, and the development of the new model is now in full swing. Elon Musk, who is adamant that autonomous vehicles represent the future of Tesla, also wants to build a robotaxi using the same platform and production lines.
We have no idea what the Gen-3 vehicles might look like, but it has been speculated before that the mass-market compact EV is a shrunk Model Y. More recent reports based on Isaacson's book "Elon Musk" indicate that the new models don't look like anything on the road today, which would exclude the bland look of the Model Y. Mor recent information also speaks of "Cybertruck vibes" when describing the design of the two compact EVs.
Still, Elon Musk confirmed that neither the robotaxi nor the mass-market EV looks like the Cybertruck. Besides the Tesla badge, their only common characteristic is that both designs are "out of this world." In reply to an article claiming that the two vehicles are inspired by the Cybertruck's design, Musk denied it but said the robotaxi "will look like the future." A sketch of the upcoming robotaxi has been included in Issacson's book, offering a glimpse at what Musk's automotive baby might look like.
Musk and other Tesla executives discussed the design sketch during a secret meeting in 2022. Musk was thrilled by the looks, although the others were less enthusiastic. The picture shows a two-seater, which is surprising considering that most imagined the robotaxi as a minivan. Still, the two-seater makes more sense if you think about it, considering that most people commute alone or with a companion. For the rare occasions you need a robotaxi for more people, Tesla can offer one of its bigger models, including the 7-seater Model X.
The sketch depicts a short vehicle with the rear wheels covered, arguably for improved aerodynamics. The silhouette resembles the wooden model from the CNBC interview with Tesla's chief designer Franz von Holzhausen. The lack of a second seat row allows the small car to optimize the storage space in the trunk, which is an essential quality for a robotaxi. This is likely an early design, and the upcoming robotaxi might end up looking completely different.
Just because the robotaxi looks like this doesn't mean that the $25,000 compact EV will also follow the same design motif. They will be completely different vehicles, although they'll share most components, including the battery, drive units, software architecture, and production lines. Selling a two-seater to the masses is not a very good idea, so expect the upcoming Gen-3 model to feature four or even five seats.
We have no idea what the Gen-3 vehicles might look like, but it has been speculated before that the mass-market compact EV is a shrunk Model Y. More recent reports based on Isaacson's book "Elon Musk" indicate that the new models don't look like anything on the road today, which would exclude the bland look of the Model Y. Mor recent information also speaks of "Cybertruck vibes" when describing the design of the two compact EVs.
Still, Elon Musk confirmed that neither the robotaxi nor the mass-market EV looks like the Cybertruck. Besides the Tesla badge, their only common characteristic is that both designs are "out of this world." In reply to an article claiming that the two vehicles are inspired by the Cybertruck's design, Musk denied it but said the robotaxi "will look like the future." A sketch of the upcoming robotaxi has been included in Issacson's book, offering a glimpse at what Musk's automotive baby might look like.
Musk and other Tesla executives discussed the design sketch during a secret meeting in 2022. Musk was thrilled by the looks, although the others were less enthusiastic. The picture shows a two-seater, which is surprising considering that most imagined the robotaxi as a minivan. Still, the two-seater makes more sense if you think about it, considering that most people commute alone or with a companion. For the rare occasions you need a robotaxi for more people, Tesla can offer one of its bigger models, including the 7-seater Model X.
The sketch depicts a short vehicle with the rear wheels covered, arguably for improved aerodynamics. The silhouette resembles the wooden model from the CNBC interview with Tesla's chief designer Franz von Holzhausen. The lack of a second seat row allows the small car to optimize the storage space in the trunk, which is an essential quality for a robotaxi. This is likely an early design, and the upcoming robotaxi might end up looking completely different.
Just because the robotaxi looks like this doesn't mean that the $25,000 compact EV will also follow the same design motif. They will be completely different vehicles, although they'll share most components, including the battery, drive units, software architecture, and production lines. Selling a two-seater to the masses is not a very good idea, so expect the upcoming Gen-3 model to feature four or even five seats.
Source: Elon Musk biography by @WalterIsaacson pic.twitter.com/y3H3pmnV6w
— ALEX (@ajtourville) September 11, 2023
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