- Elon Musk thinks it would be “pointless” for Tesla to build a conventional EV costing about $25,000.
- The Tesla CEO said such a move would be “silly” and “at odds with what we believe” on its earnings call.
- Musk is all-in on the robotaxi, which Tesla unveiled this month, but some investors want cheaper models.
Elon Musk is all-in on autonomous vehicles — and Tesla fans hoping it might start selling more conventional mass-market EVs should probably not hold their breath.
Speaking on Tesla’s third-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, Musk described building an affordable non-autonomous EV as “pointless” in response to a question asking when investors can expect a “$25,000 non-robotaxi regular car model.”
“I think having a regular $25,000 model is pointless. It would be silly. It would be completely at odds with what we believe,” he said.
The billionaire said all of Tesla’s upcoming vehicles would be autonomous, and that it should be “blindingly obvious” that self-driving EVs are the future.
Musk’s comments will likely come as a blow to Tesla fans hoping for a truly mass-market model.
He reaffirmed that Tesla intends to release cheaper EVs starting in the first half of 2025, but spent much of the earnings call discussing plans for a self-driving robotaxi in 2027.
Tesla unveiled the “Cybercab” earlier this month at an event in Los Angeles with such a Hollywood science-fiction sheen that it sparked legal action from the makers of “Blade Runner 2049.”
The two-seat Cybercab will cost less than $30,000, Musk said at the event. However, experts previously told Business Insider the vehicle, which has no steering wheels or pedals, is likely to face a difficult road to regulatory approval.
Tesla investors have been clamoring for news about the company’s plans for more affordable vehicles ahead of Tesla’s Q3 earnings.
The long-rumored affordable “Model 2” has been mired in uncertainty for months.
Musk told shareholders that Tesla planned to “accelerate” production of cheaper models in April, after denying a report that suggested the company had ditched plans to build a $25,000 EV.
Tesla stock rose as much as 12% in afterhours trading, erasing the losses following the robotaxi launch.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
