Should Tesla Have Prioritized Its Next-Gen Vehicle 'Redwood' Over the Cybertruck?

Cybertruck ahead of Next Gen?

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Tesla should’ve prioritized the next-generation mass-market vehicle ahead of the Cybertruck. As a disclaimer, I’m certainly not saying I’m smarter than Elon Musk, and I most definitely have the advantage of hindsight. I will also make this argument while wearing my Cybertruck t-shirt and awaiting my delivery notification.

There is no doubt that Cybertruck is a vehicle destined for the history books; Tesla achieved what it set out to do, throwing out the old truck design and making the future look like the future. But would the future be a little kinder to Tesla now if it prioritized the next generation model, the less expensive $25,000 car, over the Cybertruck?

This decision is worth a debate among enthusiasts and critics, weighing the potential benefits and drawbacks of focusing on a niche, high-profile product over a vehicle that will allow more people to drive an EV. This editorial delves into the pros and cons of Tesla's approach, examining the implications for the company's future and the broader EV landscape.

Pros of Prioritizing Cybertruck

Market Differentiation and Branding: The Cybertruck, with its bold design and robust features, positions Tesla uniquely in the pickup truck market, a segment that has featured the same design and has been dominated by gas-powered vehicles. This move not only strengthens Tesla's brand as a leader in innovation but also attracts a new demographic of consumers who value distinctiveness and performance.

Cybertruck hits different in Matte Black

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High-Profit Margins: Pickup trucks typically offer higher profit margins than smaller cars. By prioritizing the Cybertruck, Tesla can potentially boost its profitability, providing the financial flexibility needed to fund future projects, including developing and manufacturing the next-gen platform. This strategy has been Tesla’s game plan since the Roadster, which financed the development of the Model S, and the pattern repeated.

Early Advantage: Rivian and Ford held the electric pickup truck market alone until Tesla joined the party. Ford has since significantly reduced its production goals for the Lightning, and Rivian is struggling to produce at a rate that would compete with Tesla. Tesla can now set the standard for the sector as the company plans to deliver 250,000 a year and has over a million orders.

Cons of Delaying Next-Gen "Redwood"

Missed Opportunity for Mass Market Penetration: The next-gen that is rumored to have a codename of "Redwood" is anticipated to revolutionize not just vehicle design but, more significantly, the manufacturing process. Delaying its introduction until 2025 could mean missing the opportunity to lead the EV industry towards more accessible and affordable electric vehicles, potentially slowing the global transition to sustainable transportation. Remember, Cybertruck was first introduced in 2019.

Concept of the next generation car

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Competition Catching Up: The delay allows competitors, especially those in China like BYD, to consolidate their position in the affordable EV segment. As these companies expand their global footprint, Tesla's first-mover advantage in the mass-market EV space could diminish. BYD has already overtaken Tesla in EV sales thanks largely to its affordable small, compact cars.

Potential Impact on Mission Alignment: Tesla's mission to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy aligns more closely with making EVs accessible to the mass market. Prioritizing a high-end, niche product like the Cybertruck over a potentially revolutionary but more accessible vehicle could be a deviation from this mission.

Strategic Considerations

Innovation in Manufacturing: Elon Musk's emphasis on the revolutionary manufacturing system for Redwood suggests that Tesla is not merely delaying an affordable car but is rethinking the entire production paradigm. This could result in efficiencies and advancements that significantly lower the cost of EVs, making them more accessible on a global scale once the Redwood is introduced.

Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Goals: Tesla's strategy may balance achieving short-term financial and branding objectives with Cybertruck and laying the groundwork for long-term industry transformation with Redwood. The success of the Cybertruck could provide Tesla with the necessary resources and technological insights to support the ambitious goals of the next-gen vehicle.

Global Expansion and Market Readiness: The staggered focus allows Tesla to plan its global expansion strategically, ensuring markets are ready to introduce groundbreaking vehicles. By the time the Redwood is prepared for production, Tesla may have established a more substantial worldwide infrastructure and a more favorable regulatory and consumer environment for its adoption.

Tesla's decision to prioritize the Cybertruck over the next-gen car is a calculated risk that we can consider and debate—the company balanced market opportunities with long-term transformative potential. The success of this approach will depend on Tesla's ability to execute its ambitious plans for the Cybertruck while simultaneously advancing its revolutionary manufacturing processes. Ultimately, Tesla's strategies reflect a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities in leading the global transition to sustainable transportation.

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Tesla 'We, Robot' Robotaxi Event: How and Where to Watch [Updated]

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Tesla’s Robotaxi event is coming up later today, and there’s lots of hype. It’s absolutely going to be a must-see event, so we’ve outlined how you can watch it tonight.

We’re even running a Robotaxi Event Prediction Contest – so go sign up to win some prizes from our fantastic sponsors.

If you weren’t one of the lucky lottery winners who managed to snag a ticket, there are a few ways to watch the Robotaxi event.

When

Tesla says the event will start at 10 PM EST or 7 PM PST. However, expect it to start fashionably late as usual. The agenda Tesla has provided is below.

Watch Live

The event is expected to be available on X, YouTube, and Tesla’s website. The links for X and YouTube are below. We’ll update this as the day goes along and Tesla adds additional sources.

• Watch the Robotaxi event live on X.

• Watch on YouTube (below)

Agenda

This is the agenda Tesla has provided. All times are PST.

3:00 PM: Parking Lot Opens

5:00 PM: Doors Open

5:30 PM: Check-In Begins

7:00 PM: Remarks

Watch in Tesla Showrooms

Tesla is also running events at its local showrooms worldwide. Many of these pop-up events have been organized by the Tesla showrooms or in conjunction with local Tesla Owner’s Club groups.

You can go to Tesla’s Events Page here and see if there are any showrooms open in your region. These events are in-person, and a good way to hang out with local Tesla fans and owners to watch one of the biggest events in Tesla’s history. If you don’t see an event listed, try calling your local Tesla showroom or contacting your local Owner’s Club. Other events may be running locally that you could attend.

Location

Warner Brothers Studios

3499 Warner Blvd, Burbank, CA 90068

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New Tesla Charging Visualizations Expected in the Future

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Tesla’s Alex Guichet, Mobile App Engineer and Designer, posted on X that they are hiring a new C++ UI Engineer. According to Alex, this position will be focused on building the charging UI in Tesla vehicles.

While the charging UI received some basic updates back with the big Spring Update, it hasn’t really seen major changes in a long time. So, let’s take a look at what this position is exactly, and dig into what we’d like to see in the future.

Senior Software Engineer

The position that Tesla is hiring for is a Senior Software Engineer, Vehicle User Interface Charging – working out of Tesla’s Global Engineering Headquarters in Palo Alto, California. The position will be specifically responsible for the look and feel of the user charging experience, focusing on Tesla’s in-vehicle Infotainment UI.

Tesla expects the position to also work alongside business, product, engineering, and design teams to build simple, intuitive, and fluid user experiences.

That’s a broad job description, but Tesla pays well for what it offers – with the position starting at $120,000 a year, up to $210,000 a year. If you’re interested in the position, you can read more and apply here.

Charging Visualizations

Tesla’s current charging visualizations are fairly simple and to the point, both in the app and in the vehicle. Adding some flare to both visualizations would certainly be nice. If Tesla’s new parked visualization in AMD vehicles is any indication, we’re in for a treat with these upcoming visuals. Tesla could even add different visualizations depending on whether you’re charging with a Supercharger, Wall Connector, Mobile Charger, or a third-party charger.

Imagine if Tesla implements some of these visualizations directly into the vehicle’s visuals. You could pull up to a Supercharger and see them rendered directly on the screen and maybe even see how much each vehicle is charged, so you have a better idea of which stall will be available first.

We’d also love to see better and improved integration for Charge on Solar and PowerShare. There’s certainly a lot Tesla can do.

We’re excited to see the future of the charging UI but don’t expect these changes anytime soon since Tesla just started hiring for the position. However, it’s great to know where Tesla is headed and what they’re planning.

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