Tesla seems to abandon its core automotive business model after Elon Musk announced the Cybercab robotaxi will mark the company’s future direction. Tesla has redirected its efforts toward developing affordable variants of existing models while devoting its resources to building autonomous ride-hailing and humanoid robot technology.
The upcoming Tesla vehicles will be basic versions of existing models, including the Model 3 and Y, according to recent Q1 investor call information. Chief Engineer Lars Moravy focused on factory optimization, and CEO Elon Musk failed to mention new EVs because he believes car ownership will become outdated. The CEO declared that future society would not purchase cars.
Tesla’s primary focus is the Cybercab because Musk envisions it will create a second “iPhone moment” following the Model Y’s success. The Cybercab production in Austin relies on the unboxed manufacturing approach to create vehicles at an unprecedented rate of one vehicle per five seconds.
Tesla plans to produce one million Optimus humanoid robots annually by 2030 while targeting a 50% gross margin on these units, according to Musk. The Cybercab and Optimus products form the core of Tesla’s upcoming business direction.
The Semi truck moves toward volume production in 2026, while the Robovan and Roadster receive reduced focus as Tesla shifts its main direction. The automotive industry seems to have reached its limit for launching new vehicles to capture every market segment. Musk has declared his mission to develop a single intelligent vehicle and intelligent robot that will transform the world through high-volume manufacturing.
