Musk’s announcement, though lacking in detail, is reminiscent of Tesla’s past deadlines for major projects. In particular, the Cybertruck electric pickup took four years from announcement to mass production, and the Tesla Semi took five years.

When will the Tesla robot taxi be introduced?

Musk is expected to provide more details about the robot taxi’s launch date during or before the August 8 event.

Tesla shares reacted positively after Musk’s statement, Increased by 3.81% after the previous decrease. The announcement appears to refute recent speculation that Tesla plans to discontinue production of the mass-produced EV (Tesal’s cheapest) priced around $25,000.

With Tesla shares down a third since the start of the year and disappointing first-quarter results, the launch of the robot taxi could be a defining moment for the company.

What is known about the project?

Tesla’s robotic taxi concept has been in development since 2019, coinciding with the announcement of the Cybertruck. The launch of the vehicle depends on the maturity of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, which promises fully autonomous driving.

Initially, it was assumed that the electric car would share the same platform as an affordable electric car. Investors have been eagerly awaiting the achievement of autonomy since 2019; Each end of the year was set as an important milestone but was continually postponed.

In response to a Reuters report about Tesla’s alleged cancellation of plans to produce low-cost electric cars, Elon Musk said they were false, although he declined to comment further. Meanwhile, Tesla is introducing measures to stimulate demand for its electric vehicles, including interest-free installment plans for customers in China and generous discounts in the US.