Elon Musk has delayed the "We, Robot" event for Tesla where they planned to showcase the Robotaxi, so they could make some alterations to its front appearance.
A Cybertruck Influence
If the goal was to give it a look similar to a Cybertruck, complete with light bar headlights, they definitely succeeded. But it’s not just the front that resembles the Cybertruck; the entire Robotaxi has hints of Cybertruck design, as its shiny silver color makes it look like it’s crafted from stainless steel.
Looks Can Be Deceiving
However, the Cybertruck-inspired aesthetic is mostly superficial. The futuristic design of the Robotaxi is actually made with basic aluminum panels, which are painted to shine like the Cybertruck's stainless steel. The self-driving Robovan also has a similar vibe, reminiscent of an Airstream trailer, yet it isn't made of stainless steel either.
Tesla's head designer, Franz von Holzhausen, stated during the unveiling that producing it in stainless steel would have been overly expensive and would contradict the aim of creating Tesla’s first vehicle priced under $30,000.
Cost-Saving Features
Apart from saving costs by not including rear seats, pedals, or a steering wheel, Tesla has also cut expenses by optimizing the battery. The Robotaxi will offer a range of approximately 200 miles powered by a roughly 40 kWh battery, which is the smallest offered by Tesla.
The wheels of the Robotaxi are designed to appear unusually large and modern by painting half of the tires in the same color as the wheel caps, creating an illusion that the 21-inch Continentals look much sleeker than they actually are.
Impressive Technology
Where Tesla invested more in the Robotaxi is in its central console screen. With a diagonal size of 21 inches, it's the biggest screen Tesla has ever included in any vehicle.
This large panel highlights the infotainment capabilities of the purpose-built autonomous Robotaxi, allowing passengers to watch movies or surf the web while the vehicle drives them to their location. For reference, the Cybertruck has the second-largest display in a Tesla, but its "infinity touchscreen" measures only 18.5 inches diagonally.
