By FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP
Is Elon Musk's promise to launch an autonomous vehicle for under $25,000 finally about to come true? With the CEO poised to unveil Tesla's strategy for the coming months at an "Investor Day" event on Wednesday, March 1, the rumor is resurfacing.
Is Elon Musk's promise to launch an autonomous vehicle for under $25,000 finally about to come true? With the CEO poised to unveil Tesla's strategy for the coming months at an "Investor Day" event on Wednesday, March 1, the rumor is resurfacing.
A Tesla for just $25,000? This dream could soon be on the road to reality. A few days before Tesla's investor event, the specialist website Autospy shared images of a camouflaged vehicle that could be this famous car. Meanwhile, some internet users thought they could see the first outlines of this new model in a video shared on social media by Tesla.
This Model 2 (or A, or C) could be a more compact version of the current Model 3, built on a new platform and with a smaller battery. The car may even be produced in the firm's Shanghai factory in China, the only way to really push down the price. In any case, its launch is not rumored to be on the cards before 2024, at the soonest.
With a vehicle that is finally "affordable" and sold at almost half the price of the entry-level Model 3 and Y, Tesla could boost its production and sales. In 2022, the American manufacturer sold 1.3 million vehicles worldwide, a new record.
In comparison, European drivers currently shopping for an electric car with a budget of between €25,000 and €30,000 would be looking at small city cars like the Renault ZOE, the Peugeot e-208 or the Fiat 500. However, it remains to be seen whether this new Tesla -- whatever its name -- will be distributed via the brand's consumer catalog at a discounted price, or whether it will be exclusively reserved for future fleets of robotaxis, another one of Elon Musk's major projects.
In addition to this possible announcement, the "Investor Day" event could be an opportunity to learn more about the forthcoming availability of the Cybertruck and the Semi truck, the potential launch of a restyled version of the Model 3, the construction of future battery gigafactories, and the arrival of a next generation of on-board computer (HW4) and autonomous driving software. We might even learn more about the humanoid robot Optimus.
See also: When Chinese car-makers find inspiration in the Tesla Model 3
