Tesla Cybercab to make Asian debut at Shanghai expo
What's the story
Tesla is all set to showcase its Cybercab at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai from November 5-10. This will be the first time the autonomous vehicle will be showcased in Asia-Pacific, as confirmed by the company's Vice President Tao Lin in a post on Weibo. However, it is still unclear if Tesla plans to launch Cybercab on Chinese roads.
Launch timeline
Cybercab's mass production to begin next year
The Cybercab was first unveiled by Elon Musk in October last year. It had a soft launch in Austin in June this year, but only for select users and with human safety monitors on board. The vehicle is set to go into mass production next year. The Shanghai showcase will come as Chinese companies like Baidu and Pony AI have been testing robotaxis across various Chinese cities for years.
Sales scenario
Tesla's sluggish sales performance in China
Tesla's sales in China have slowed this year, highlighting the need for renewed momentum to regain consumer interest in the country. From January to September, the company delivered 432,704 vehicles in China, which is a 5.97% year-on-year (YoY) drop, according to CnEVPost data. Tesla saw a YoY decline in deliveries in seven of the first nine months of this year.