Feeling like being played by the world's richest man.
Everyone knows that Musk is a senior pancake master, but who would have thought that this time he served pancakes without cooking, and served them raw?
At 11 a.m. on October 11th Beijing time, after being one hour late, Tesla's &#34;We Robot&#34; event finally took place at Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles.
This event is also known as &#34;Robotaxi Day&#34;, reportedly a demonstration of Tesla's unmanned taxi Robotaxi, which has attracted much attention early on. The event, which was postponed from August to October, made the outside world feel that Musk was holding back a big move, with expectations running high.
Before the event started, the outside world was still tiptoeing and stretching their necks to speculate on what information would be announced this time.
Some media outlets even speculated in the preview messages released on that day that Musk might announce a new car model related to unmanned taxis, &#34;Cybercab&#34;, and disclose details of the car service. Analysts also predicted that Musk might provide a timeline for Robotaxi and may announce new information about the robot project.
However, apart from the debut of the new car model and robots walking around, none of the other speculations were correct.
The entire event, from the moment someone took the stage to Musk's &#34;Let's party together&#34; ending, lasted only 20 minutes.
Even Tesla fans expressed on X: &#34;It seems very short, and Elon is very tired, almost quiet.&#34;
It must be admitted that the new cars showcased by Tesla are indeed cool and futuristic. However, there were no technical explanations, no announcement of timelines for future production and launch, making it more like a sample displayed in a cabinet for dishes, and it's unclear when this dish will be served.
One thing everyone has always been right about: Tesla's entry into Robotaxi is a long and arduous journey.
First, let's take a specific look back at this event. Anyway, it's only 20 minutes in total, so it won't take much of our time to review.
The event started 1 hour later than expected. Musk entered the venue in a new unmanned taxi model Cybercab, with a small fleet slowly moving outside the venue.
Musk introduced that there were about 20 Cybercabs at the scene today. The design of the car is full of futuristic elements: a streamlined body with angular features, a headlight that crosses from left to right on the front of the car, wheels without visible frames, and doors that open like butterfly wings.
The biggest highlight is that there is no steering wheel, pedals, or driver in the car. Even a dog sitting in the car can drive to the destination.
<img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://img.huxiucdn.com/article/content/202410/11/160504632528.png/query-aW1hZ2VWaWV3Mi8yL3cvMTAwMC9mb3JtYXQvcG5nL2ludGVybGFjZS8xL3EvODU?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" alt="" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://img.huxiucdn.com/article/content/202410/11/160504632528.png/query-aW1hZ2VWaWV3Mi8yL3cvMTAwMC9mb3JtYXQvcG5nL2ludGVybGFjZS8xL3EvODU"/>
![](https://img.huxiucdn.com/article/content/202410/11/160505580830.png?
On the technical details of this model, Musk did not elaborate, only mentioning that the Cybercab will be charged wirelessly. When asked by enthusiastic audience members when they can purchase the Cybercab, Musk vaguely responded, &#34;I'm not very optimistic about the timeframe, but it will be achieved by 2026. Let's put it this way, before 2027.&#34; As for the timeline for mass production and launch, Musk did not provide any information, nor did he disclose the price.
In addition, Musk also mentioned the next step in fully autonomous driving. He stated that Tesla's unsupervised full self-driving will be launched next year in Texas and California in the United States.
While the live demonstration of the actual vehicle was impressive, people are unsure of the true value of this move. Several media outlets, including The Verge, reported that Tesla had already mapped the area before the event, although Tesla claims that its FSD does not rely on high-definition maps.
Furthermore, the event also featured the on-site debut of the concept vehicle Robovan for the first time. This is a driverless box truck that can accommodate 20 people and can also transport goods.
Apart from cars, Musk once again brought the Tesla Optimus robot to the scene, and this time there were many of them. Some robots walked in line like models, some interacted with the audience, and some served as bartenders.
There were also abstract robots that took on the role of entertainers. After Musk announced &#34;Let's party together,&#34; several robots danced in a &#34;cyber disco hall&#34; resembling an octagonal cage, dancing to millennium music.
<img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://img.huxiucdn.com/article/content/202410/11/160507525117.png/query-aW1hZ2VWaWV3Mi8yL3cvMTAwMC9mb3JtYXQvcG5nL2ludGVybGFjZS8xL3EvODU?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" alt="" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://img.huxiucdn.com/article/content/202410/11/160507525117.png/query-aW1hZ2VWaWV3Mi8yL3cvMTAwMC9mb3JtYXQvcG5nL2ludGVybGFjZS8xL3EvODU"/>
<img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://img.huxiucdn.com/article/content/202410/11/160508578841.png/query-aW1hZ2VWaWV3Mi8yL3cvMTAwMC9mb3JtYXQvcG5nL2ludGVybGFjZS8xL3EvODU?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" alt="" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://img.huxiucdn.com/article/content/202410/11/160508578841.png/query-aW1hZ2VWaWV3Mi8yL3cvMTAwMC9mb3JtYXQvcG5nL2ludGVybGFjZS8xL3EvODU"/>
<img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://img.huxiucdn.com/article/content/202410/11/160509905468.png/query-aW1hZ2VWaWV3Mi8yL3cvMTAwMC9mb3JtYXQvcG5nL2ludGVybGFjZS8xL3EvODU?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" alt="" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://img.huxiucdn.com/article/content/202410/11/160509905468.png/query-aW1hZ2VWaWV3Mi8yL3cvMTAwMC9mb3JtYXQvcG5nL2ludGVybGFjZS8xL3EvODU"/>
<img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://img.huxiucdn.com/article/content/202410/11/160510658682.png/query-aW1hZ2VWaWV3Mi8yL3cvMTAwMC9mb3JtYXQvcG5nL2ludGVybGFjZS8xL3EvODU?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" alt="" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://img.huxiucdn.com/article/content/202410/11/160510658682.png/query-aW1hZ2VWaWV3Mi8yL3cvMTAwMC9mb3JtYXQvcG5nL2ludGVybGFjZS8xL3EvODU"/>
Elon Musk revealed that the Optimus project has made significant progress, and with mass production, costs will be between $20,000 and $30,000. Furthermore, he once again preached the advantages of Robotaxi in cost reduction, stating that over time, the operating cost of Cybercab is expected to be around $0.2 per mile, with a tax-inclusive price of $0.3 per mile; the cost of Cybercab is expected to be less than $30,000, and the travel cost of Robovan is between 5 cents and 10 cents per mile.
Although this sounds tempting, don't forget that this is a scenario that may happen &#34;over time,&#34; which is already quite vague and can be considered almost without prospects. The core issue now is not &#34;over time, Tesla may launch Robotaxi services, but it's uncertain when it will happen,&#34; right?
While this event cannot be said to be a complete failure, after all, Musk presented a new car model. But at least it can be said that this event appeared very brief, with vague content, and seriously deviated from expectations.
From another perspective, this also precisely indicates that Musk may be in a situation where he has no choice but to hold this event. It's like the pancake is not cooked but forced to be served.
In April of this year, Tesla suddenly announced that Robotaxi would officially debut on August 8th. The stock price, which had been falling the day before, instantly rose. Subsequently, Musk revealed during the first quarter earnings report in 2024 that the new car model might be unveiled as early as the beginning of 2025 or even the end of 2024, causing Tesla's market value to skyrocket by $60 billion in a day.
The market's sensitive response to Tesla's Robotaxi project and new car model plan has its reasons. The industry has begun to reevaluate electric vehicles, with many automakers reassessing their electrification strategies. Competition in the electric vehicle market is becoming increasingly fierce, with Tesla's production exceeding first-quarter deliveries, forcing them to adopt significant price reduction strategies.
In such a situation, whether due to Tesla's performance pressure or consideration of investor confidence, Tesla is expected to take action. In the previous few years, Tesla did not launch a new flagship sedan, and the Cybertruck, which was grandly launched in November 2019, has been repeatedly delayed due to production issues and slow capacity growth.
Robotaxi and the new car model are the two major promises Musk has made to the market. In July, Tesla announced that the Robotaxi event scheduled for August was postponed to October, and Musk tasted bitterness. With this news, Tesla's 11-day streak of stock price increases came to an end, with a single-day drop of over 8%, causing a market value loss of over $70 billion.
Perhaps the days of grand promises and repeated delays are over. Under the intense feedback from the market, it is hard to imagine Musk delaying this event once again
However, perfunctory actions do not guarantee smooth sailing. Tesla's stock price experienced significant fluctuations on the day of the event, with a surge of over 5% during after-hours trading, followed by a sharp decline of over 4% as the event unfolded.
Tesla didn't have much time to begin with. In the Robotaxi arena, Tesla's entry was not considered early.
Cruise, acquired by General Motors, had already announced the public launch of Robotaxi services back in February 2022. Waymo, initiated within Google in 2009 and spun off in 2016, began testing the following year and is currently operating on a full-day basis in limited areas, including the densely populated San Francisco area. The combined road testing mileage of these two companies has already reached millions of miles.
Another threat is the emergence of multiple Robotaxi players in Tesla's key market, China. While Tesla was still &#34;rumored&#34; to be launching its Robotaxi in China, local players such as Pony.ai, Baidu Apollo, and others have already been operational in limited areas, similar to Waymo.
What's even more unfavorable for Tesla is that Chinese Robotaxi services are making moves to go global. Prior to Tesla's Robotaxi Day event, Baidu Apollo was rumored to be planning to enter global markets and may test and deploy autonomous taxis in regions such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Middle East.
Furthermore, the key hurdle for autonomous taxis, autonomous driving technology, is facing challenges, with several incidents causing traffic congestion and even injuries. In the United States, federal safety regulators are investigating multiple companies, including Tesla, Ford, Waymo, and Cruise, citing potential safety vulnerabilities.
Therefore, when Musk frequently mentioned progress in FSD this year and the upcoming launch of Robotaxi, there were high expectations from the public. Musk had previously hinted that the October Robotaxi Day event would be &#34;historic&#34; and even suggested it could be the most significant event in the company's history.
Now that the event has concluded, it may indeed go down in Tesla's &#34;history,&#34; but not necessarily as a shining chapter

TSLA

Elon Musk showcased the new Cybercab model at the Tesla "We Robot" event held in Los Angeles on October 11, but the event only lasted 20 minutes without disclosing technical details or production timelines, leading to disappointment. Despite the futuristic design of the new car, the brief event and lack of substantive content made it feel like an immature showcase, leaving Tesla's prospects in the Robotaxi field still full of challenges

- The Tesla "We Robot" event, also known as "Robotaxi Day," took place on October 11, 2023, after a one-hour delay, showcasing the new Cybercab model.  
- Despite high expectations for announcements regarding the Robotaxi timeline and new models, the event lasted only 20 minutes and lacked substantial technical details or a clear timeline for production.  
- The event's brevity and vagueness left many disappointed, highlighting the challenges Tesla faces in the competitive Robotaxi market, especially with established players already operational.

Musk cooked a pot of half-cooked rice