Tesla is not going to be launching output of the Cybertruck EV pickup this 12 months because it focuses on rising capability at present crops in California and China and begins manufacturing at new factories in Texas and Germany, CEO Elon Musk mentioned Wednesday.
“We is not going to be introducing new car fashions this 12 months,” Musk mentioned on the corporate’s fourth-quarter earnings name. “It will not make sense.”
Musk mentioned the corporate is targeted on optimizing a restricted provide of pc chips that function fundamental car features corresponding to electrical seats and window switches, and that introducing new fashions and new complexity would really scale back car output.
Musk mentioned the corporate continues engineering and planning work on the Cybertruck, the Tesla Semi cargo truck, the Roadster and the Tesla robotic that is being known as Optimus.
However by way of manufacturing of latest merchandise, that may solely come after they improve Tesla output somewhat than restrict it. “Will probably be depending on [when we] will be capable to produce extra or fewer,” he mentioned.
Musk mentioned there aren’t any plans for a less expensive Tesla, which some observers consult with because the Mannequin 2.
“We aren’t at present engaged on a $25,000 automobile,” Musk mentioned in response to a query. “In some unspecified time in the future we are going to. However now we have sufficient on our plate proper now — an excessive amount of on our plate frankly.” He additionally advised that robotic taxis have been a greater strategy to scale back transportation prices than cheaper EVs.
Musk additionally advised that Tesla was struggling to make the Cybertruck reasonably priced whereas loading it up with new applied sciences.
“There’s loads of new know-how within the Cybertruck that can take a while to work by way of,” he mentioned on the decision Wednesday. “And there is the query of what is the common value of Cybertuck and to what diploma that’s reasonably priced.” He mentioned he hoped quantity for the pickup would reached 250,000 a 12 months finally.
The Cybertuck was timed for launch on the finish of 2021 at a beginning worth of round $40,000.
Musk additionally mentioned he anticipated Tesla’s automobiles to attain full self-driving functionality this 12 months. People are actually required to sit down behind the wheel to drive the automobile if wanted.
“I might be shocked if we don’t obtain full self-driving, safer-than-human this 12 months,” he mentioned.
The variety of full self-driving beta Tesla automobiles in the USA elevated to almost 60,000, up from a couple of thousand on the finish of September. Tesla has been testing the improved model of its automated driving software program on public roads, but it surely has mentioned the options don’t make the automobiles autonomous.
Reuters contributed to this report.