Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made a major announcement regarding the introduction of a new robotaxi on August 8th. This news comes shortly after a report by Reuters claimed that Tesla was scrapping its plans to produce a low-cost electric vehicle.
Musk has directed the company to focus on developing robotaxis built on a small-vehicle platform, abandoning previous promises of a more affordable EV with prices starting at $25,000. He had previously indicated that the more budget-friendly model would be available by the second half of 2025.
In response to the Reuters report, Musk took to Twitter to call the news organization out for lying. It is believed that he was specifically referring to the claim that Tesla had canceled plans for a more affordable EV. Currently, the cheapest vehicle offered by Tesla is the Model 3, with a starting price of $39,000.
One of the main questions surrounding the introduction of the robotaxi is how Tesla plans to make it work with its camera-only system. The company has previously removed radar and other sensors from its driver assistance technologies, raising concerns about the effectiveness and safety of the new robotaxi.
With this latest announcement from Elon Musk, it remains to be seen how Tesla will navigate the transition from focusing on a low-cost EV to pursuing the development of a robotaxi. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
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