Tesla’s reveal of a robotaxi designed as a low-slung, two-seater, sporty coupe - quite the opposite of a typical taxi with room for several passengers and luggage - flummoxed investors and analysts.

But in true Musk style, he skipped over expectations of how a two-seater robotaxi would serve the needs of families headed to a restaurant or to the airport, or if he expected these to appeal only to a niche clientele.

Investors jeered the design and the lack of financial detail, with Tesla stocks tumbling 9% on Wall Street on Friday.

“When you think of a cab, you think of something that’s going to carry more than two people,” said Jonathan Elfalan, vehicle testing director for the automotive website Edmunds.com. “Making this a two-seat-only car is very perplexing.”

  • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    It may only have 2 seats, but didn’t they notice the tires are painted gold. That’s an awesome design decision right there! /s
    The 2 seats are probably meant to keep the death toll low. 😋

    But if they thought the robotaxi was weird, that was nothing compared to the robovan. Almost no clearance and almost no windows, and then Musk exclaimed: Yes! We are gonna build it like that! It’s siiick.

    neither robo- taxi or van are likely to be moneymakers. They’ll be a sinkhole of development cost, that will never come to market.

    But more are probably finally catching on, with an event causing the stock to drop 9%.
    It’s kind of hilarious that Enron Musks attempt to pump the stock failed so bad. 😋