In an update to Tesla’s product roadmap earlier this year, Elon Musk emphasized the company’s focus for 2022 on ramping up production of the Model Y and Model 3 models at existing factories. Although Tesla announced new plans during the Cyber Rodeo event, little is known about its plans for the next all-new model.
(via Electrek)
Interestingly, after announcing that Tesla will launch a number of products in 2023 (including a “self-driving cab”), Musk revealed on Twitter that he intends to launch a “highly configurable Robovan” capable of transporting people and cargo. A “highly configurable Robovan” capable of transporting people and cargo.
It’s unclear whether this will be a robotic cab or another model, but there have been many discussions about Tesla building electric vans, or being able to transport more people.
In fact, it’s what Musk mentions in Part 2 of his master plan, and the only model in the plan that hasn’t been launched yet.
Rumor has it that Tesla is developing a new product for The Boring Company’s Loop transportation system to efficiently move people underground in the city (to be deployed first in Las Vegas).
Musk also said last year that Tesla would launch an electric van as soon as enough batteries were available without negatively impacting the automaker’s other vehicle production plans.
As for the exact timeline, the company hasn’t disclosed it, but Tesla has been betting heavily on 4680 cells — currently in production in Texas and ready for construction in Berlin.
In addition to Tesla, several other battery suppliers are producing 4680-size cells, and availability is expected to increase significantly in 2023. But reaching the higher capacity of hundreds of gigawatts may still have to wait until 2024.
