- Tesla revealed its Cybercab self-driving taxi alongside a driverless Robovan.
- CEO Elon Musk was scant on details, but revealed the Cybercab doesn’t have a conventional charge port.
Well, it finally happened. Tesla revealed its much-anticipated Robotaxi, as well as a driverless Robovan during last night’s event at the Warner Bros. Discovery studio in Burbank, California.
It was the usual Elon Musk monologue with occasional random questions shouted from the audience–just like when that cool substitute teacher comes in and doesn’t really have all the details but is trying to make the best of it.
The whole reveal was devoid of technical details, so we don’t know what the battery size of the Cybercab is, how fast it charges, how fast it goes and whether it’s rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Instead, Musk focused on the “optimistic” timeline where the driverless two-door would be on the road “by the end of 2027” and that it would cost under $30,000. Let’s not forget, however, that the second-generation Tesla Roadster was revealed in 2017 but is yet to become a series production model.
That said, he did give the audience one small piece of interesting information: the Tesla Cybercab will charge wirelessly through an inductive charger, and not by plugging in a cable into a charge port. In fact, it doesn’t even have a charge port, according to Musk, who very briefly touched on the subject during last night’s event
“Something we’re also doing is, and it’s really high time we did this, is inductive charging.,” he said. “So, The robotaxi has no plug. It just goes over the inductive charger and charges. So, yeah, that’s kind of how it should be. Thanks, guys. I love you, too.”
The quote was extracted from the live stream embedded below:
But that’s everything we know on the matter, and it’s not much. A lot of unanswered questions remain, like how much time it takes to recharge, how big is the inductive charger or how much it costs to buy the charger. These are all valid questions considering Tesla’s idea of the Cybercab is people will be able to buy one (or several) and operate a personal fleet of driverless cabs from the comfort of their homes. This essentially shifts the responsibility from the company to the individual and it also raises the costs associated with running such a fleet.
Musk mentioned that the Cybercab would be a great solution for people who are currently working for Uber and Lyft. In metropolitan areas, a lot of rideshare drivers already use electric vehicles, so they’re accustomed to charging an EV and taking care of it. But if they need to buy three inductive chargers for a small fleet of Cybercabs, the initial costs will likely be higher than expected.
Gallery: Tesla Cybercab
There’s also the issue of charging speeds. Current inductive charging solutions usually top out at around 20 kilowatts, which is significantly lower than the 250 kW maximum rate available at Tesla’s own Superchargers. Granted, there are wireless charging pad prototypes out there that reached 270 kW, but they’re still years away from becoming mainstream products.
So, how would this work, exactly? If it takes a whole night to recharge the Cybercab and then expect it to run all day doing trips, someone is going to have a bad time. Downtime is essential in the ride-hailing industry. Unless Tesla figures out a way to ship a wireless charging pad that’s affordable and capable of delivering enough juice to add significant range in a short amount of time, this isn’t going to work.
Tesla’s Robotaxi Won’t Have A Charge Port. It’s Wireless Charging Only
In a groundbreaking move towards sustainability and convenience, Tesla has announced that their anticipated Robotaxi service will not have a traditional charge port. Instead, the fleet of autonomous vehicles will rely solely on wireless charging technology for their energy needs.
This decision represents a major shift in the automotive industry, as traditional electric vehicles typically rely on plug-in charging stations to power up their batteries. While these stations have become increasingly common in recent years, they still require drivers to physically connect their vehicles to the charger, which can be a cumbersome and time-consuming process.
By eliminating the need for a charge port, Tesla’s Robotaxi service will offer a level of convenience that is unprecedented in the world of electric vehicles. Customers will simply need to park the vehicle over a wireless charging pad, which will automatically begin charging the vehicle without any need for human intervention.
Not only does this system streamline the charging process for customers, but it also has far-reaching environmental benefits. Wireless charging technology is more energy-efficient than traditional plug-in charging stations, which can result in a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over time.
Additionally, the lack of a charge port eliminates the possibility of theft or vandalism that can occur at traditional charging stations. This added security measure will provide peace of mind to customers who may have concerns about leaving their vehicles unattended while they charge.
Of course, the success of Tesla’s Robotaxi service will ultimately depend on the efficiency and reliability of the wireless charging technology. While wireless charging is still a relatively new technology in the automotive industry, Tesla is known for pushing the boundaries of innovation and setting new standards for electric vehicles.
In conclusion, Tesla’s decision to forego a charge port in their Robotaxi service represents a bold step towards a more sustainable and convenient future for electric vehicles. By embracing wireless charging technology, Tesla is demonstrating their commitment to revolutionizing the way we think about transportation and energy consumption. It will be exciting to see how this innovative approach unfolds in the coming years and the impact it has on the automotive industry as a whole.