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Tesla Cybercab hits public roads: robotaxi specs, price, timeline

© A. Krivonosov
Tesla tests its Cybercab robotaxi in CA and TX: a two-seat EV with 300-mile range, sub-50 kWh battery, $30k target price, and potential April 2026 production.
Michael Powers, Editor

Tesla is pushing ahead with road tests of its new Cybercab, a vehicle the company frames as an affordable robotaxi and a meaningful step toward mainstream autonomous mobility. In recent days, test cars have been spotted on public roads in California and Texas. Notably, the latest prototypes carry a conventional steering wheel, absent from early demonstration units.

Recently, Tesla showed an updated Cybercab with refined aerodynamics and a reworked exterior. The car now features a larger front splitter, new lighting, different wheel covers, a license-plate mount, frameless windows, and scissor-style doors. The cabin has been revised as well: the dashboard, door panels, and seats are new, and legroom has increased. The overall concept remains intact, but the package reads like a deliberate step toward production.

Cybercab is a compact two-seat EV with a teardrop silhouette aimed at maximum efficiency. This approach allows the use of a battery under 50 kWh while still delivering a real-world range of about 300 miles, or 483 km.

According to Tesla’s designers, aerodynamics is central to achieving those numbers. The model was initially expected to launch between 2026 and 2027, yet Elon Musk said mass production could begin as early as April 2026.

The stated target price is around $30,000, although it may have been calculated with earlier tax credits in mind. Next to the Model 3 and Model Y, Cybercab looks like a niche product, yet it could set a new direction for the 2026 market and for autonomous electric vehicles. In that context, staking out space for a purpose-built two-seater feels like a bold, tightly focused play.

Cybercab appears to continue Tesla’s strategy of lowering the cost of entry to EVs and automated driving. The open question is whether buyers are ready for a two-seat format and a full bet on autonomy. If Tesla delivers on price and self-driving capability, the model could become one of the most talked-about debuts of the coming years, with the balance between ambition and everyday practicality likely to determine how quickly it moves beyond the niche.