‘Would be silly’: Elon Musk rubbishes plans of a cheaper Tesla, says it's pointless

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If you were saving money for a new and cheaper Tesla model from Elon Musk, don't. The nail in the proverbial coffin for a Tesla electric car worth $25,000 (approximately ₹21 lakhs) was struck by the company CEO himself when he recently said it would be pointless to work on such a model.

Musk had previously floated the idea of an all-new Tesla electric vehicle (EV) which would sit under the Model 3, the most-affordable Tesla anywhere in the world at present. It sparked massive interest from people the world over and many believed that a ‘Model 2’ could take EVs to the masses. There were even talks of Tesla targeting emerging economies like India and Brazil with such a model. Poof, went the plans.

Earlier in 2024, Musk said that Tesla would focus on robotaxis and enhancing its autonomous-drive capabilities. The Cybercab and Cybervan models were showcased earlier this month with Musk promising a launch of the former in 2025. At the showcase event, he even highlighted the affordability part of a Cybercab, claiming that it would be cheaper to ride than existing mass-transport options. But what about affordability of a personal Tesla car?

The Tesla Cybercab has been a long-standing dream of Musk and it is now a reality. Musk has made tall claims, the biggest is that the Cybercab will cost less than $30,000. This would make it even cheaper than the Model 3, the most-affordable Tesla at present.

When asked recently about the fate of a $25,000 Tesla, Musk diverted the question to how the future is all about autonomous driving, before almost throwing the book at a cheaper Tesla plans. “I think we’ve been very clear that the future is autonomous," he said, before adding, “Basically, having a regular 25K model is pointless. It would be silly. It would be completely at odds with what we believe."

This is in sharp contrast with what Musk had said during Tesla Battery Day event back in 2020. "About three years from now, we’re confident we can make a very compelling $25,000 electric vehicle that’s also fully autonomous."

So is a ‘Model 2’ firmly in the bins? It may seem likely at the moment even though Musk has the habit of doing U-turns. And with Tesla investors raising concerns over the underwhelming Cybercab event, never say never would be the buzz words for now.

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