- Elon Musk responded to X users pushing for a Tesla minivan
- The successor to the Model X could be on the cards
- But Tesla has been teasing an electric van or bus for decades
During a recent interaction with Tesla fans at X, Elon Musk set the rumor mill in motion by hinting that the company is working on “something much cooler than a minivan” when pressed on the issue of a roomier, family-oriented electric vehicle from the brand.
Speaking on the subject of the Cybertruck, particularly how it can fit three child seats in the back, one X user asked the company to “make a minivan”. The Tesla boss then hinted that something even better is on the horizon.
What form this vehicle would take is entirely up for speculation, though 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 the Cybertruck, would solve problems with the cramped interior and poor packaging of the Model X, while the website points out that models of larger Cybertruck-inspired SUVs were seen in the background of official Tesla videos in the past.
Chief designer Franz von Holzhausen told Tesla fans to “wait and see” as several eagle-eyed viewers pointed to the teasers. However, Tesla pessimists have stated that Elon Musk has been hinting at a van, large SUV or minivan for a decade now.
The company’s Master Plan Part Deux stated that heavy trucks (now the Cybertruck) and transport with high passenger density needed electrification, but it has been silent on the latter until now.
Analysis: Tesla is clearly into automation
While the announcement has predictably whipped much of the internet into a frenzy, it’s also entirely possible that Musk was referring to the Robovan or a similar fully autonomous project that could carry multiple passengers.
After all, the company has scaled back its ambitions to produce new vehicle platforms to focus on ‘transportation as a service’ as well as AI and humanoid robots.
On top of this, the Cybertruck has proven to be a massive flop in terms of overall sales, while Tesla’s grip on the electric market is steadily slipping as a growing number of Chinese manufacturers begin to scrape sales in Europe and beyond.
If the refreshed Roadster project is anything to go by, we may be waiting many more months for answers.
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