- The Tesla Cybercab won't have a steering wheel or pedals, according to Elon Musk.
- The Cybercab is expected to cost $30,000 when released, according to Musk.
- There are no other details on range or performance.
The Tesla Cybercab event left us all with more questions than answers. Like, how does Tesla envision a self-driving peer-to-peer private taxi infrastructure working when he’s on the shitlist of more than a few state regulators for its unchecked and wanton use of Full Self-Driving? It’s not just the states, either. Many critics insist Tesla’s autonomous driving is not ready for prime time.
But I digress. Musk and Tesla finally showed off a prototype of this vehicle. And I have to admit that, allegations of vaporware and vague promises aside, the thing looks good.
It looks so good that I wish that Tesla would drop the pie-in-the-sky self-driving crap, and just give us a steering wheel. In fact, I think that would set Tesla apart.
We already unofficially knew some details about the Cybercab well before Tesla showed off the stainless steel-bodied coupe on a WB soundstage last night. We heard rumors that it would be a two-seat car with no steering wheel and butterfly doors. Yet, when the model was shown off, I couldn’t help but be attracted to the shape.
See, I was fully expecting to port the half-assed Syd Mead Blade Runner ethos from the controversially styled Cybertruck to a small two-door vehicle. Elon Musk loves sci-fi movies, so it wouldn’t have been out of the realm of possibility for the brand to create a stainless steel version of a Johnny Cab from Total Recall, minus the whole exploding part. (Or, maybe it will explode. We’ll just have to see how it fares if or when it ever comes to the market.)
Tesla showed off a car that I think is genuinely sleek and striking. It looks low-slung and well-proportioned, despite not necessarily being all that tall, low or wide. In an era of super high-nosed vehicles, the Cybercab’s low and rounded nose, two-door body, and thin lightbar feel unique in our current crossover-dominated landscape.
This form factor is what I’ve been waiting for in an EV, too bad it’s saddled with self-driving equipment that I do not want.
I can read your responses now: I full well know that the whole design as a whole probably isn’t all that unique. Plenty of people have made comparisons to the experimental Volkswagen XL1 or Leapmotor S01. I myself, think the car looks like a mishmash of the Audi TT mixed with the ill-fated Loremo LS concept from the mid-2000s.
However, I’m not convinced those cars are all that relevant to the point I’m making in the first place: Tesla would be better served if it just cut the self-driving crap entirely and went ahead and sold it as a traditional two-seat EV.
Stay with me here. Save for the Audi TT, all those other cars—the XL1, Leapmotor S01, and Loremo LS—have zero bearing on most modern car buyers in Europe or North America. They were limited-run or high-priced (or both) models that most people could never buy. If Musk isn’t bullshitting and can make the car for $30,000, I think he could have a real shot at reinvigorating the small coupe market.
As many things as journalists and Tesla detractors have leveled at the brand (including myself), I can’t in good conscience ever say that Tesla’s vehicles are bad to drive. The pre-facelift Model 3 has a choppy ride, but it also has a great chassis and sharp steering.
They’re so good to drive that I think it's kind of a shame that Tesla is so intent on cars that drive themselves. I often say that the Model 3 is the best BMW 3 Series that BMW never built. If Tesla figured out how to port those dynamics into a cheap EV coupe, I think it could be the start of something really special in terms of EV enthusiasm. I certainly might be persuaded to give an Audi TT done by Tesla a gander.
So, Tesla, why don’t we cut the vague promises of “unsupervised” full self-driving, and give the people what they really want: a steering wheel?
Contact the author: kevin.williams@insideevs.com
