Tesla robotaxis are in Charlotte, which means the city is likely getting another driverless service soon, according to published reports.
The autonomous ride-hailing service is currently available in several major cities across Texas and Florida, according to Tesla’s website. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment regarding the robotaxis in Charlotte.
Investors and enthusiasts of the all-electric automaker have posted sightings of the vehicles on social media. Brian Jenkins, owner of the Mooresville-based i1Customs auto shop, posted a YouTube video detailing 14 Cybercabs at the Tesla Charlotte Northlake dealership on Twin Lakes Parkway.
Jenkins noted in his video that the vehicles will be driving around collecting data and testing the system and is not carrying passengers yet.
Tesla investor Michael Konen also posted on X about the vehicles, though he did not disclose the location. “Move over, Waymo — looks like (Tesla) is testing @robotaxi in Charlotte. Fourteen Cybercabs and 14 Model Ys with Texas plates! Sounds like employees are already driving around town testing out the service,” Konen wrote.
The vehicle sightings follow Waymo’s announcement in February regarding robotaxis in uptown Charlotte, where humans are currently testing the fleet.
Waymo is a subsidiary of Alphabet, Google’s parent company. The San Francisco Bay Area-headquartered business did not provide a timeline for its fully autonomous operations in Charlotte.
Another sign of Tesla expanding to the Charlotte region is a job posting on its website for an AI safety operator. Among the position’s responsibilities is overseeing the daily operations of ride-hailing services, including driver and rider management.
The YouTube channel i1Tesla, which has nearly 70,000 subscribers, featured Tesla Cybercab vehicles spotted at a Tesla location in Charlotte. YouTube screenshot More on Tesla’s Robotaxi service works and what it may cost.
Similar to Waymo’s system, customers can book rides through Tesla’s Robotaxi app. An average ride in an active Tesla Robotaxi market costs a $3.25 base fare plus $1.00 per mile. A typical 5-mile trip comes out to $8.25 for the average customer.
Tesla’s Robotaxi is a ride-hailing service made up of self-driving vehicles powered by the company’s Full Self-Driving software, according to its second quarter earnings report.
As of July 2026, the service operates in seven major U.S. metro areas.
Driverless rides are available in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, while safety drivers are currently are used in the San Francisco Bay Area. By June 2026, the service had logged more than 2.4 million paid robotaxi miles.
To grow the platform, Tesla has begun producing a custom, robotaxi-only vehicle called the Cybercab at its Texas factory. Tesla is testing the Cybercab on public roads and offering employee rides in Texas, while also preparing to expand to cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas through testing, permit applications, and first-responder training.
Founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, Tesla Motors was created to develop and sell high-performance, battery-powered vehicles.
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is the CEO of the company. Musk joined in 2004 as an early lead investor and became CEO in 2008.
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Chase Jordan is a business reporter for The Charlotte Observer, and has nearly a decade of experience covering news in North Carolina. Prior to joining the Observer, he was a growth and development reporter for the Wilmington StarNews. The Kansas City native is a graduate of Bethune-Cookman University.