Tesla CEO Elon Musk has officially confirmed a production start date for the long-awaited Tesla Cybercab, while also shutting down a persistent rumor within the EV community.
The Cybercab, first revealed in October last year, is Tesla’s upcoming compact two-seater designed primarily for autonomous ride-hailing. Tesla had previously hinted at a late 2025 or early 2026 production window. During Tesla’s Q3 2025 earnings call, Musk finally committed to a clear timeline: Cybercab production will begin in Q2 2026.
Tesla has recently accelerated development of the vehicle, reportedly conducting on-track testing at its Fremont facility and performing crash evaluations, which are key steps toward regulatory approval.
Musk described the Cybercab as Tesla’s biggest upcoming manufacturing push:
“The single biggest expansion in production will be the Cybercab, which starts production in Q2 next year,” Musk said. “It’s a vehicle optimized for full autonomy. It does not have a steering wheel or pedals, and it’s engineered to minimize cost per mile.”
With that statement, Musk also addressed a growing debate among Tesla followers. Over the past few months, photos of Cybercab prototypes equipped with steering wheels sparked speculation that Tesla might sell a non-autonomous version to meet regulatory demands or consumer expectations. Some also pointed to features like mirrors as signs it would launch with driver controls.
Musk put those rumors to rest, reaffirming that the Cybercab is being built from the ground up as a fully autonomous vehicle, not a traditional car with optional self-driving capability. His comments signal Tesla’s unwavering commitment to its robotaxi vision, which investors have been eager to see the company reinforce.
With Cybercab production now officially scheduled, Tesla is clearly positioning it as a pivotal product in its push toward scalable autonomy and the future Tesla network of robotaxis.