Week 19/25 Report: Cybertruck Discontent, Autonomous Taxi Programming, Next-Gen AI Packages, Tank vs Model 3 Battle
In the world of electric vehicles, Tesla continues to make headlines, with its latest offerings and plans causing a stir among enthusiasts. However, as the company pushes forward with its ambitious robotaxi plans and the operation of its AI company xAI, some challenges have emerged for its top Cybertruck spenders.
The U.S. Patent Office has rejected Tesla's application to trademark "Robotaxi" for its autonomous vehicles, deeming the term too generic. Despite this setback, Tesla's robotaxi plans, led by CEO Elon Musk, are considered more important than mere electric vehicle sales. In fact, Tesla is preparing for normal customers to use the robotaxi service, following its current employee service in Austin and the Bay Area.
Meanwhile, Tesla's Cybertruck, set to be delivered in late 2023, faces two significant challenges for its biggest spenders. The cancellation of the Cybertruck's extended-range battery option has caused disappointment and practical issues for owners planning to tow heavy loads. The standard-range battery does not provide sufficient range for heavy towing without frequent charging stops, leading to concerns about range anxiety and reliability on lengthy journeys. Consequently, some owners are even selling their Cybertrucks due to unmet expectations around towing range.
The second challenge lies in the ongoing development of the Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) features. Tesla is actively promoting the FSD package and offering financial incentives to encourage adoption. The Autopilot system enables features including steering, traffic sign response, and lane changes under active supervision. However, Tesla is still working on software updates to improve these capabilities, including a rumored integration of AI like Grok to enhance vehicle intelligence. Some installation issues and bugs have also been reported in recent Cybertruck software updates, indicating ongoing challenges in perfecting the Autopilot experience.
On a positive note, Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, is now fully operational in Memphis and is powered by Tesla's Megapacks with a combined capacity of 150 megawatts. Moreover, xAI recently acquired X (formerly Twitter).
Protests targeting Tesla and Elon Musk have seemingly subsided, but there have been reports of a Tesla catching fire in Berlin and a U.S. insurance portal reporting that 44% of Tesla owners had experienced intentional damage to their vehicles. A peaceful protest against Elon Musk and Tesla involved a video being projected onto the German Tesla factory in January, featuring Musk making a gesture that was interpreted as a Nazi salute.
In the face of these challenges, Musk has announced that he will spend more time on Tesla instead of serving as a consultant to U.S. President Trump. As Tesla continues to innovate and face hurdles, the future remains uncertain but promising for the electric vehicle giant.
[1] Source: [Link to the article about the cancellation of the Cybertruck's extended-range battery] [2] Source: [Link to the article about the ongoing development of Autopilot/FSD features] [3] Source: [Link to the article about Tesla's sales declines in Europe] [4] Source: [Link to the article about the issues with the Cybertruck software updates]
- The U.S. Patent Office's rejection of Tesla's trademark application for "Robotaxi" presents challenges for the company's ambitious autonomous vehicle plans.
- The cancellation of the Cybertruck's extended-range battery option and concerns about range anxiety from its standard-range battery have caused issues for the vehicle's top spenders.
- The ongoing development of Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) features, including the rumored integration of AI like Grok, presents both opportunities and challenges for Tesla.
- Tesla's AI company, xAI, powered by Tesla's Megapacks, is now fully operational in Memphis and has recently acquired X (formerly Twitter).
- Protests against Elon Musk and Tesla have subsided but have been replaced by reports of vehicle fires and intentional damage, such as the incident in Berlin where a video was projected onto the German Tesla factory, featuring Musk making a gesture perceived as a Nazi salute.
