Musk’s announcement on X wasn’t the one time Tesla’s Robotaxi was talked about on April 5. Just hours earlier, it was revealed that the long-awaited Model 2 project was essentially dead. Leaked inner emails from Tesla prompt that the corporate had pulled the plug on its plans to provide an ultra-cheap household automotive. These plans stretched again to the early days of Tesla, when Elon Musk prompt that the early concentrate on premium autos was all supposed to finally facilitate a platform that would provide low-cost, but high-quality, EVs to the plenty. This thought was fleshed out as time went on, and the primary price range Tesla was set to roll off the manufacturing line in early 2025.
However, not like the repeatedly delayed Cybertruck, the Model 2 will probably by no means see the sunshine of day. Competition from Chinese EV producers, together with some that produce autos for lower than half of the Model 2’s purported MSRP, appears to be the rationale the mission was scrapped.
The one silver lining for these concerned appears to be Musk’s plans to construct a self-driving Robotaxi on the platform that the Model 2 would have used. While Musk is tight lipped on that — posting on X solely that “Reuters is dead” in response to the leaks — it could actually match with previous reports about the shared architecture. Whether we see an actual Robotaxi in August, or one thing nearer to a render or mockup, is anybody’s guess: in any case, we’re speaking about an organization whose first humanoid robotic “demo” was an individual dancing in a spandex go well with.
For those that do not keep in mind, Musk’s acquisition of Twitter was a little bit of a multitude. After his preliminary provide, broadly thought of to have dramatically over-valued the platform, Musk tried to kill the Twitter deal. The firm’s executives then put authorized strain on the multi-billionaire to observe by way of along with his provide till he in the end made an about-face and agreed to purchase Twitter at his authentic worth. He then fired lots of the identical executives who led the corporate when it pushed Musk to purchase it, claiming gross negligence and willful misconduct.
According to the WSJ, the fired Twitter executives say that these expenses haven’t any advantage, and they’re now collectively suing Musk for greater than $128 million. The article cites the group, which claims, “This is the Musk playbook: to keep the money he owes other people, and force them to sue him. Even in defeat, Musk can impose delay, hassle, and expense on others less able to afford it.”
These people have argued that not one of the causes offered by Musk are supportable and that firing executives with out their contractual severance units a foul precedent, since with out severance, there’s often no motive for them to remain on throughout a transition that’s prone to finish of their termination.
The Tesla Cybertruck, created by Elon Musk, has gained attention for its futuristic design and is seen as a symbol of the future of electric vehicles. While the Cybertruck has not been released to the public, it has found a unique role within one of Musk’s other ventures, SpaceX. SpaceX is known for its work in space exploration and its goal of enabling human colonization of Mars. The Cybertruck’s utilitarian design and strong construction make it a perfect fit for SpaceX’s needs.
SpaceX has been using the Cybertruck to tow a SpaceX Raptor rocket engine at its testing grounds in Southern Texas. This has been showcased through images and videos shared on social media, bringing attention to the Cybertruck’s towing capabilities. The Raptor engine weighs around 3,500 pounds, and while Tesla claims the Cybertruck can tow over 14,000 pounds, independent assessments are needed to confirm this.
In another video, the Cybertruck was seen with bullet marks on its left side, sparking discussions about its potential bulletproof capabilities. However, skepticism arose regarding the safety claims and the authenticity of the video. Questions were raised about the vehicle’s durability, given a previous incident where the Cybertruck’s window shattered during a demonstration.
The Tesla Cybertruck will be available in three versions: single-motor, dual-motor, and tri-motor, offering different ranges and acceleration times. It will also have impressive off-road capabilities, making it suitable for adventurous driving. Additionally, the Cybertruck will feature power outlets in the bed, making it practical for various purposes such as camping or powering tools.
The Cybertruck’s exterior design has generated mixed opinions, with some praising its forward-thinking aesthetics and others criticizing it for its unconventional appearance. The interior follows a minimalist approach, with a large screen in the center of the dashboard and comfortable seating for six passengers.
Although the release date of the Cybertruck has faced speculation, Tesla plans to have its first deliveries in November at an event in Texas. Challenges in designing and manufacturing the distinctive exterior have contributed to the delay. However, the Cybertruck has already made an impact, showcasing its potential through its partnership with SpaceX and its capabilities in towing and off-road driving.
On one hand, Privacy Not Included’s deeper dive into Tesla notes that Elon Musk’s electric car company pledges in its privacy policy that your data will never be “sold, tracked or shared without your permission or knowledge.” On the other hand, Tesla’s past actions have shown that the company can’t entirely be trusted in that regard. Back in April, Reuters reported that photos and videos taken by Tesla vehicles’ outside-facing cameras were freely shared among company employees. This included everything from a random customer approaching his car naked to a peek inside Musk’s garage. The following month, a whistleblower helped break a story about customer data breaches, as well.
There are other issues, too. While Tesla gives the option to opt out of data collection, it stresses that the data collection is required for “certain advanced features such as over-the-air updates, remote services, and interactivity with mobile applications and in-car features such as location search, Internet radio, voice commands, and web browser functionality.” It gets worse, though: Tesla further states that “This may result in your vehicle suffering from reduced functionality, serious damage, or inoperability” because “we will not be able to know or notify you of issues applicable to your vehicle in real time.” Yes, Tesla says that opting out of data collection could brick your car.
Tesla’s electric vehicles are still selling well due to Elon Musk’s price cuts, despite increasing competition from other manufacturers like BYD.
The upcoming Tesla Cybertruck features a unique design inspired by Blade Runner and has impressive capabilities, such as a towing capacity of up to 14,000 pounds.
Tesla is planning to launch three new models, including the Roadster 2.0 and an affordable hatchback called the Model 2, which aims to make high-end EVs more accessible to a broader range of buyers.
While the first electric car came in the 19th century, it was Tesla that established a foothold for electric vehicles in our times. The California-based company may have a competitive lineup of sedans and crossover SUV models that run on electricity, but other manufacturers have now caught up. Tesla’s models are still selling like hotcakes, especially due to Elon Musk’s price cuts. However, 2022 saw the Chinese manufacturer BYD beating Tesla in terms of sales figures.
It is worth noting that the Chinese brand’s BEV lineup is not limited to all-electric vehicles and includes hybrid vehicles too. Since hybrids are the natural gateway for consumers holding on to their old-school ICE cars, trucks, and SUVs, it gives the Chinese-based company a genuine advantage over the American-based company that only deals in all-electric versions.
That said, Tesla will launch three new models in the coming years. Granted, they will still not be anything but the all-electric vehicles that you have come to expect from Tesla, but with three new editions to the lineup, they will be able to greatly increase the amount of sales they can push through in a year. These three great additions are the Cybertruck, Roadster 2.0, and the much-discussed, entry-level Tesla, and here’s how each of them will change the game in its respective segment.
Updated on August 27, 2023: Tesla is one of the most common names when electric vehicles are brought up. Since the company is bringing us three more great additions to its lineup, we have decided to refresh and update this piece rather than letting it get lost in the shuffle. Stay tuned for all the most current updates.
Tesla’s Cybertruck certainly isn’t news. Announced in 2019, Tesla’s first pick-up truck divided opinions and the consistent delays haven’t helped. The main reason, however, was its design, which literally looks like something an eight-year-old kid would draw if you ask them to draw you a car. According to Elon Musk, the Cybertruck’s design was inspired by Blade Runner and James Bond’s Lotus Esprit from “The Spy Who Loved Me.” Musk actually bought that very car, which in the movie doubled as a submarine. Apparently, water capabilities are another thing the Cybertruck and 007 car have in common since, according to Musk, the Cybertruck can float as a boat for a limited time.
Of course, we can talk about figures like the range of 250 to 500 miles (400 to 800 km) on a single charge, the range-topping, tri-motor setup with 805 horsepower (592 kilowatts) – a quad-motor variant is also, reportedly, in the works – or the 0 to 60 MPH (97 km/h) time of 6.5 to 2.9 seconds, but it is the looks of the EV pick-up truck that are its most unique feature. Even more impressive are the maximum payload of 3,500 pounds (1,600 kg) and a towing capacity of up to 14,000 pounds (6.4 tons) for the tri-version, which are expected to be dwarfed by the quad-motor variant.
Tesla Cybertruck Specifications
Motors
Three electric motors
Combined Power
805 horsepower
Combined Torque
1,055 pound-feet
Drivetrain
All-wheel drive
0 to 60 MPH
2.9 seconds
Top Speed
130 MPH
Range
Up to 500 miles
A $69,900 price had been quoted for the tri-motor variant, but that was before Tesla’s price cutting, which means the Tesla Cybertruck pickup truck will be a real bargain compared to the Ford F150 Lightning, which costs between $55,000 and $97,000 depending on the specs.
According to the latest reports, the Tesla Cybertruck’s first production unit has rolled off the assembly lines in Texas. If the model is a good seller, it will prompt others to take a page out of Tesla’s book. Instead of the traditional, body-on-frame structure, the Cybertruck features an aircraft-inspired exoskeleton, which provides space for a larger battery pack. Another unique feature is the body panels, made of 30x, rolled, cold steel. More interestingly, when Tesla’s chief designer, Franz von Holzhausen, was asked on Ride the Lightning podcast, if a “Cybercar” with a similar design could happen, he replied, “Possibly”. At this point, we don’t know if Cybertruck’s angular design will spill across the rest of Tesla’s lineup, but even so, the EV truck still smashes the design norms for the entire segment.
Like the Cybertruck, Tesla’s second-generation Roadster has been delayed. The latest reports indicate production will start sometime in 2023. High-performance EVs are nothing new, but the Tesla Roadster 2.0 promises to be one of the quickest-accelerating, high-performance models and still has plenty of long-range capabilities to send range anxiety into oblivion.
Very few high-performance EVs boast similar figures as the Roadster 2.0. The Rimac Nevera, for example, makes the sprint to 60 MPH (97 km/h) in 1.85 seconds and gets to 100 MPH (161 km/h) in 4.3 seconds. Judging by these numbers alone, Tesla’s claimed figure of around 1,000 horsepower seems highly underrated, given the Nevera has almost double that. Regardless, the upcoming Tesla Roadster will be the only EV with such high-performance levels offering a more practical, 2+2 layout.
It’s clear that with the recent price cuts, Tesla’s offerings will become an even bigger bargain compared to other high-end EV manufacturers. Furthermore, the company is working on a new platform to underpin an entry-level Tesla. So far, we know it will likely be called the Model 2 and be a hatchback. It will also have a starting price of no more than $25,000 and will be produced in much more significant quantities than all current Tesla models combined.
Affordable EVs are very few and far between. This is especially true for those with actual performance, but Tesla wants to change that. By taking lessons from the production of previous models, the brand has optimized the production method to boost production output by 40 percent compared to 2022. Moreover, the Biden administration’s GREEN Act provides a tax credit of up to $7,500, meaning the entry-level Tesla could start from under $18,000.
Tesla Model 2 Estimated Specifications
Motors
Single electric motor
Power
283 horsepower
Torque
283 pound-feet
Drivetrain
Rear-wheel drive
0 to 60 MPH
6.0 seconds
Top Speed
125 MPH
Range
Up to 250 miles
On Tesla Investor’s Day, it was confirmed that the entry-level Tesla will arrive sometime in 2025 and be produced in Tesla’s plant in Monterey, Mexico. It has also been stated by Elon that a plan is still in the works to build a site in India and mass produce what has been dubbed the new Tesla Model 2. This will be the brand’s most important model as it will be the most mass-produced by a large margin and will make Tesla’s offerings available to a much broader spectrum of buyers.
Elon Musk has recently made a decision that has sparked strong opposition from Twitter users who find the block feature to be essential. The block feature is widely recognized as an important tool for combating abuse on social media platforms, including Twitter. Contrary to Musk’s viewpoint, blocking a user on Twitter provides comprehensive protection by making the entire profile invisible to the blocked user, which includes tweets, likes, and retweets. In contrast, the “Mute” option only prevents users from seeing tweets.
Interestingly, before taking over Twitter, Musk was a strong advocate for the block feature and frequently used it to block accounts that criticized him. It seems that he never considered using the mute option instead. However, Musk’s stance changed in February 2023 when he unblocked everyone on the platform and encouraged others to do the same.
While the consequences of Musk’s decision to remove the block feature are still uncertain, many users believe it could contribute to the downfall of Twitter. It has also been brought to attention that Musk’s choice may conflict with Apple’s App Store policies, potentially leading to the removal of the Twitter app (now X) from Apple’s platform. Given these circumstances, it remains to be seen whether Musk will proceed with his decision and risk being de-platformed by Apple.
Following Elon Musk’s spontaneous unveiling of the rebrand, many people have noticed that the new X logo seems to be an open-source Unicode character represented by the hex code U+1D54F. The Unicode character, as per Unicode’s Terms of Use, is intended for “personal or internal business uses only” and not for product usage. As the Unicode Consortium has not made any public statements about its usage, it is possible that the X logo was made bold to differentiate it for commercial purposes.
However, the design of the logo may only be half of the challenge for Twitter. The letter X is commonly used by numerous companies and is associated with more than one trademark, including one belonging to their direct competitor, Meta, and another belonging to Microsoft. The active trademark for Meta’s X allows for various applications, including digital and social media, which could pose a problem for Musk’s company, as they offer similar services.
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