Tesla Cybercab Deliveries Set For Year End
The automaker plans to hand over its first units to buyers before 2026 concludes, though most vehicles will remain with the company.
By Emily Carter ·
Tesla plans to begin delivering its autonomous Cybercab to customers before the end of 2026, a timeline confirmed during the company's third-quarter earnings call on October 21. The confirmation ends prolonged speculation regarding when the purpose-built robotaxi would become available for purchase.
Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy told listeners that the company aims to fulfill orders for the vehicle before the year concludes. "We're trying to get Cybercabs to customers by the end of this year, 2026," he said. While manufacturing lines at Gigafactory Texas are currently active, Moravy noted that "all of those are currently going to our own internal Robotaxi fleet," indicating that immediate production is being diverted to internal operations rather than external sales.
As operations expand, the company intends to transition toward delivering fully designed autonomous vehicles to external buyers, with the Cybercab serving as the first model for this strategy. Moravy explained that initial deliveries will start at a small scale as the company gains experience with the logistics involved in shipping vehicles, managing ownership models, and administering fleet operations outside of its direct control.
CEO Elon Musk further clarified the limited nature of these initial private transactions, describing the vehicle primarily as a service rather than a personal possession. "The vast majority of the Cybercab stuff will be Tesla-owned and transport-as-a-service," Musk said. He contrasted this approach with personal ownership models associated with vehicles like the Model 3, Model Y, or the upcoming Roadster.
The Cybercab itself is a two-seater vehicle designed without a steering wheel or pedals, relying entirely on the Full Self-Driving suite. Production on the vehicle began in February 2026. While early units were placed into the public Robotaxi service in early September, the company has previously indicated an intention to sell Cybercabs for approximately $30,000.
Looking ahead, unsupervised Full Self-Driving capabilities are expected to reach consumer vehicles during the second quarter of 2027, according to Head of AI Ashok Elluswamy. However, early buyers or fleet operators may receive vehicles whose ability to operate autonomously remains restricted to certain geographic areas, as regulatory agencies have yet to approve broader usage.
Despite the schedule set for year-end deliveries, significant hurdles remain regarding the rollout. The company must navigate the transition from internal fleet management to external ownership logistics while addressing the current regulatory landscape surrounding autonomous operation.
Source: Teslarati
