Elon Musk suggested that maybe Tesla should get into making a robovan. It will not only be for cargo but also for people. Tesla is already into making Tesla Semi vehicles, and robotaxis. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Robovan also comes along.
It is true that a new vehicle hasn’t been launched by Tesla in recent times. This year, the automaker is focused on ramping up its existing models- Model Y and Model 3. So far there hasn’t been any news on a new vehicle launch. It appears that Elon Musk has taken note of it and is working on revealing a new vehicle. Because earlier, Musk promised to have a new vehicle launch wave in 2023. Where one of them is known to be a “new futuristic-looking electric vehicle” that will be dedicated to robotaxi. The CEO announced the new vehicle program at Tesla’s Cyber Rodeo event earlier this year, but not much is known about the new Tesla vehicle yet.
Maybe Tesla should make a highly configurable Robovan for people & cargo?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 7, 2022
It’s not clear if this would be the robotaxi, since he referenced that it would transport both people and cargo, or a separate vehicle program. Tesla making an electric van or a vehicle to transport a higher number of people is something that has been discussed many times. It was actually mentioned in Musk’s Tesla Master Plan Part 2, and it is still the only vehicle from that plan that has yet to be unveiled by the automaker.
The Boring Company
Such a vehicle has also been rumored to be in the works by Tesla to use in The Boring Company’s Loop system, which utilizes Tesla vehicles to move people in tunnels underneath cities with the first application currently being deployed in Las Vegas.
Last year, Musk also said that a Tesla electric van is coming as soon as there are enough batteries available to make it in volume without negatively affecting the automaker’s other vehicle programs. The company hasn’t offered a clear timing for when that would happen, but Tesla has been betting heavily on its new 4680 battery cell format. It is currently ramping up the production of those cells in Texas, and it is preparing to build them in Berlin.
Several cell suppliers are also investing in 4680 cell production to supply them with Tesla. Higher availability is expected in 2023, but the real high volume in the hundreds of gigawatt-hours might more likely arrive in 2024. It would be a positive sign to look forward to many other new reveals.
