Sad about the direction Tesla is taking

[jameslook]

I’m sad about the news regarding the Model S and X being cancelled but more so that Tesla is moving away from developing automobiles.
The Cybertruck is my first Tesla and I was looking forward to more innovative and awesome vehicles and of course exciting iterations of the Cybertruck. Finally getting on board and now it’s going away…

Well, glad I got one now I guess.
I’ll have to get an Optimus to ride shot gun in the Cyberbeast.

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[RM Rilke]

They will still develop Automobiles. Just more emphasis on the Auto part. In the process, they will make further progress on the manufacturing side. Once that is handled at scale, they will presumably be nimble in creating whatever class of vehicle they want. I think the larger idea is that robots, AI, autonomy will open the largest possibility space in history. Think the iPhone, where Jobs said he didn’t know what developers would do with the iPhone. They were opening a possibility space. The past can’t adequately inform what will develop. Thus, why commit to manufacturing cars firmly rooted in the past? Instead, develop flexibility around manufacturing potential to have the capability to adapt to whatever opportunities arise out of this new possibility space. The Next decade is going to be maximally strange.

 

[ActiveArch]

They will still develop Automobiles. Just more emphasis on the Auto part. In the process, they will make further progress on the manufacturing side. Once that is handled at scale, they will presumably be nimble in creating whatever class of vehicle they want. I think the larger idea is that robots, AI, autonomy will open the largest possibility space in history. Think the iPhone, where Jobs said he didn’t know what developers would do with the iPhone. They were opening a possibility space. The past can’t adequately inform what will develop. Thus, why commit to manufacturing cars firmly rooted in the past? Instead, develop flexibility around manufacturing potential to have the capability to adapt to whatever opportunities arise out of this new possibility space. The Next decade is going to be maximally strange.

Excellent response.

 

[EVnewbie]

I’m sad about the news regarding the Model S and X being cancelled but more so that Tesla is moving away from developing automobiles.
The Cybertruck is my first Tesla and I was looking forward to more innovative and awesome vehicles and of course exciting iterations of the Cybertruck. Finally getting on board and now it’s going away…

Well, glad I got one now I guess.
I’ll have to get an Optimus to ride shot gun in the Cyberbeast.

Wow, these are my recent thoughts exactly. Although a lifelong “car guy”, I just recently discovered the world of Tesla with the Cybertruck. I’ve always been an American V-8 muscle car guy, zero interest in EVs, until the CT. One drive in this amazing machine and I had to have one. The brutal looks, tough stainless, steer by wire, love it. Tesla in general was a huge surprise to me, as I had never even been in one before. Tesla seemed so far ahead of legacy carmakers that it almost made me mad GM, Ford, etc. get away with selling such outdated stuff in comparison. I am (was) so on board, we are (were) even planning to get a Model X for my wife to replace her Lincoln Aviator when her lease is up!

All of this being said, I have zero interest in the new “autonomous” future that Tesla seems to be staking the future on. Just like above, I was looking forward to more awesome consumer vehicles. I have zero desire to have a vehicle with no steering wheel, and even less desire to ride in some shared autonomous car everywhere. And a humanoid robot living in the house, wow, no.

So, as fast as my appreciation for Tesla came on, it will be leaving if they are “done with consumer automobiles”. I’ll have to try out Rivian or some other EV brand I guess if it gets to that point, or if they’re still in business, lol.

 

[jameslook]

Yep, Rivian or Lucid for the cool factor.
Also, I am driving my Mercedes G63 for the first time in awhile and it feels absolutely prehistoric after the craziness of the Cyberbeast.

 

[TheLastStarfighter]

Yeah, as a car lover I enjoyed the Tesla reveals, and their cars have been awesomely different and groundbreaking. It's crazy to think when the CT was revealed AI wasn't even being talked about, and Elon was all about ramping up Gigafactories. Now the Mexico plant is stalled/cancelled and Tesla seems to have shifted focus on AI, robots and autonomy. Those things are much more boring to me. I want more cool cars, not less.

I don't think they've given up on cars, and we did just get the Cybercab reveal. And Elon was talking about killing the S and X for years, they were low volume cars with dated tech and dated assembly processes. But I agree I prefer the old focus, and I'd love to hear about a cool new Tesla car.

 

[Bipster]

It’s absolutely the right pivot for Tesla. As a shareholder, I appreciate Elon making those hard strategic decisions for the company! Like someone else said, they will still make cars, but the focus will be on full autonomy. Can’t wait for Optimus and want to see Tesla flood the Austin market with CyberCabs. The Future is HERE!

 

[jameslook]

It’s absolutely the right pivot for Tesla. As a shareholder, I appreciate Elon making those hard strategic decisions for the company! Like someone else said, they will still make cars, but the focus will be on full autonomy. Can’t wait for Optimus and want to see Tesla flood the Austin market with CyberCabs. The Future is HERE!

If they still make cars, I’m happy!
I agree. These are bold decisions. CRAZY times and the future is here.

I saw the Tesla diner and thought, this is so cool! Everyone pulling up in their Teslas and charging and heading into the diner.
Driving the Cybertruck and FSD has changed my perspective. I agree somewhat to what is the point to driving anymore?
I disagree somewhat with people saying I love driving. Driving is boring. Being in a vehicle that does amazing things is fun.
Now, flying down the tarmac in a Ferrari 296 and hammering on the brakes is fun but that is not daily driving.
Even the Trail Assist in the Cybertruck does off-roading automatically. It’s still fun.

 

[4 SPACE]

We have a Cyber Truck FS with lifetime super charging and a 2026 model Y and I think they are absolutely awesome. I might go trade the Y in for an X just because of the included FSD and lifetime free super charging. If I don't trade it then for sure I will purchase the FSD outright on the (Y) because I think it will go up in price when it becomes autonomous. But that don't fix the lifetime free super charging. Being close to retirement and able just to travel around it would be nice to never pay to charge. What does everyone think??

 

[M0unt41nm4n]

I’m sad about the news regarding the Model S and X being cancelled but more so that Tesla is moving away from developing automobiles.
The Cybertruck is my first Tesla and I was looking forward to more innovative and awesome vehicles and of course exciting iterations of the Cybertruck. Finally getting on board and now it’s going away…

Well, glad I got one now I guess.
I’ll have to get an Optimus to ride shot gun in the Cyberbeast.

I have to agree with you here. I am disappointed. I have been a truck guy since 2006. My main reason for getting heavy trucks was I was a fire fighter and noticed that when there were accidents, a higher percentage of people were ambulatory and walked away with a crash who had trucks. Smaller vehicles seemed to have more fatalities. So I was a truck guy ever since.

The CT was my first EV. I was waiting for a good EV Truck that had some size to it. The Rivian RT1 I had my eyes on, but it lacked the bed size and the cool tech I wanted. I knew Tesla’s tech was leaps and bounds ahead of anyone else.

I love the CT. I also own 2 Ford trucks and a Jeep Gladiator. The CT is so much more fun to drive (except maybe for the Jeep in the canyons). I am coming up on 2 years with my CT and have been thinking about trading it in on year 4 (for the warranty) for a new one. I even was thinking additionally about a Model S for the more luxe experience to add to my quiver. Enjoying the near zero maintenance has been wonderful (no more oil changes, transmission flushes, coolant flushes, etc). I am a big believer in EVs.

But reading between the lines, I am disappointed in the S and X going away with the possibility this may go to the CT as well due to sales numbers. If they do end up pulling the CT, then I unfortunately won’t be a Tesla auto customer unless they expand their offerings. The M3 and MY are too small for my liking. My son has a M3 and he loves it, but I am just a truck guy. Ford closing out the Lightening was a super disappointment because my other son has that and I absolutely love his truck. So much so, I considered trading in my F150 Platinum ICE for a Lightening. That leaves me with Rivian RT1 which doesn’t have the bed size nor the tech. Going from the CT to anything else is a step down.

I really hope this is a brain fart by Musk and that he or the Tesla Board can go back to its roots and listen to what its customers want and need. I hope they keep the CT so I can continue to upgrade it when the time comes. Otherwise if they fully pivot or other companies don’t offer up a compelling truck, I am unfortunately out. Tesla has been wonderful and I was banking on their longevity with vehicles. So here is to me crossing my fingers that they will continue to offer a truck and provide their awesome tech to all of us.

 

[REM]

I really hope this is a brain fart by Musk and that he or the Tesla Board can go back to its roots and listen to what its customers want and need.

Elon has been telling us the playbook for many years, I guess no-one believed him. The Cybertruck isn't going anywhere; it will be immensely valuable on the robotaxi network.

And I don't see them removing pilot controls randomly, because people will still want to do truck things manually. I think people are just over reacting to this. S and X are low volume, low profit, and they don't make sense to continue offering to consumers.

 

[jameslook]

Elon has been telling us the playbook for many years, I guess no-one believed him. The Cybertruck isn't going anywhere; it will be immensely valuable on the robotaxi network.

And I don't see them removing pilot controls randomly, because people will still want to do truck things manually. I think people are just over reacting to this. S and X are low volume, low profit, and they don't make sense to continue offering to consumers.

I agree. I guess the articles “Tesla is no longer an automobile company” strikes the sad chord.

 

[RAY INGRASSIA]

Wow, these are my recent thoughts exactly. Although a lifelong “car guy”, I just recently discovered the world of Tesla with the Cybertruck. I’ve always been an American V-8 muscle car guy, zero interest in EVs, until the CT. One drive in this amazing machine and I had to have one. The brutal looks, tough stainless, steer by wire, love it. Tesla in general was a huge surprise to me, as I had never even been in one before. Tesla seemed so far ahead of legacy carmakers that it almost made me mad GM, Ford, etc. get away with selling such outdated stuff in comparison. I am (was) so on board, we are (were) even planning to get a Model X for my wife to replace her Lincoln Aviator when her lease is up!

All of this being said, I have zero interest in the new “autonomous” future that Tesla seems to be staking the future on. Just like above, I was looking forward to more awesome consumer vehicles. I have zero desire to have a vehicle with no steering wheel, and even less desire to ride in some shared autonomous car everywhere. And a humanoid robot living in the house, wow, no.

So, as fast as my appreciation for Tesla came on, it will be leaving if they are “done with consumer automobiles”. I’ll have to try out Rivian or some other EV brand I guess if it gets to that point, or if they’re still in business, lol.

My experience and thoughts exactly. I'm 80 years young and been a car buff all my life. Never thought I'd buy an electrical vehicle since I've owned many hot rods. Well, to my surprise and just wanted to try something different, I bought the CT and actually love it. I too am concerned about the future direction of Tesla, but I probably won't be around to experience. I've had my CT for a little over a year with no issues (good think since dealership isn't close). I never use my FSD nor want to. Truck is easy enough to drive on its own. Hey, great chatting with you. Drive Safe.

 

[YDR37]

But reading between the lines, I am disappointed in the S and X going away with the possibility this may go to the CT as well due to sales numbers.

According to Elon, the S & X aren't going away just because of low sales. Tesla wants factory capacity to start mass production of Optimus 3 robots. It makes sense to locate the initial production at the Fremont factory, because Optimus 3 is being developed at the Tesla Engineering campus in Palo Alto, just 25 miles away. And if factory space in Fremont is needed, then it makes sense to repurpose the S/X manufacturing lines. S/X production peaked in 2017-2018; those lines are now running at only a fraction of capacity.

The Cybertruck is built at the Austin factory, so it is probably safe in the short term, despite the discontinuation of the S/X. Over the long term, however, Elon has stated that:

Optimus 4 will be built in Texas at much higher volume

So if and when Tesla ramps up production of the next-generation Optimus 4 robot, they will probably take a hard look at the Cybertruck production lines in Austin. But that could be years from now.

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