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At an invite-only event in downtown Austin on Thursday, Tesla launched the Cybercab into service. The two-seat robotaxi, without a steering wheel or pedals, can now be hailed via the Robotaxi app, joining driverless Model Ys that have carried paying passengers since June 2025. Shares rose 5.7% on Thursday, closing at about $376.
CEO Elon Musk teased the launch earlier, posting on X about a 'storm of Cybercabs.' Texas has authorized 45 Cybercabs for driverless operation statewide. Six weeks before the launch, Tesla removed the Cybercab from its 2026 volume production list. The event marked where riders can find Cybercabs but did not address production rates.
Tesla first showed the Cybercab as a concept in October 2024, testing versions with human drivers and traditional controls. Production began earlier this year. The launch was modest, with five winners selected via a Robotaxi rider sweepstakes, but the deployment is commercial.
Tesla’s first-quarter update promised Cybercab, Tesla Semi, and Megapack 3 production in 2026, but the second-quarter update removed the Cybercab from volume production plans, citing battery pack capacity expansion as the main limiting factor. Tesla is increasing 4680 battery cell output to support production. The factory in Gigafactory Texas is built to produce over 125,000 vehicles annually but currently produces only 45 Cybercabs.
Tesla expects the Cybercab to replace the Model Y fleet over time but faces a battery constraint. Capital spending for 2026 has increased to over $25 billion, with second-quarter expenditures more than doubling year-over-year. The stock’s forward P/E ratio assumes Cybercab production will accelerate quickly, but battery output remains the critical bottleneck.
Source: The Motley Fool
