Elon Musk replied to X users pressing for a Tesla minivanSuccessor to the Model X could be on the cardsBut Tesla has been teasing an electric van or bus for decades
During a recent interaction with Tesla fans on X, Elon Musk set the rumor mill in motion by hinting that the company is working on “something way cooler than a minivan” when pressed on the issue of a more spacious, family-orientated electric vehicle from the brand.
Speaking on the subject of Cybertruck, in particular how it can fit three child seats abreast in the rear, an X user asked the company to “make a minivan”. The Tesla CEO then hinted that something even better is on the horizon.
What form this vehicle would take is entirely up for speculation, although Tesla has only recently announced the discontinuation of its flagship Model S and large, unconventional Model X SUV.
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Not a Tesla App believes that a CyberSUV, based on the same platform as Cybertruck, would solve issues of the cramped interior and poor packaging of the Model X, while the website points out that models of larger Cybertruck-inspired SUVs were spotted in the background of official Tesla videos in the past.
Chief designer Franz von Holzhausen told Tesla fans to “wait and see” when numerous eagle-eyed viewers pointed out the teasers. However, Tesla pessimists have stated that Elon Musk has been hinting at a van, large SUV or minivan for a decade now.
In the company’s Master Plan Part Deux it stated that heavy-duty trucks (now the Cybertruck) and high passenger-density transport were in need of electrification, but it has been quiet on the latter until now.
Analysis: Tesla is openly into automation
(Image credit: Tesla)
While the announcement has predictably whipped a large sector of the internet into a frenzy, it’s also perfectly possible that Musk was referring to the Robovan or a similar fully autonomous project that could transport multiple passengers.
After all, the company has scaled back its ambitions to produce new vehicle platforms in order to focus on ‘transportation as a service’, as well as AI and humanoid robots.
On top of this, the Cybertruck has proven a massive flop in terms of overall sales, while Tesla’s grip on the EV market is steadily slipping, as an increasing number of Chinese manufacturers have started chipping away at sales in Europe and beyond.
If the refreshed Roadster project is any example to go by, we could be waiting many more months to get answers.
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