Original content by New Energy Outlook (ID: xinnengyuanqianzhan)

Total word count: 2828, estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Go Down in History - This is Musk's expectation for the "We, Robot" event held in the morning of October 11, Beijing time.

Three products: Autonomous Taxi Robotaxi, Autonomous RoboVan, and Humanoid Robot Optimus. Whether they can "go down in history" is subjective. However, the day after the event, investors responded with a sharp drop of 8.7% in share prices, erasing $67 billion in market value.

Nevertheless, Musk still managed to impress domestic consumers with 20 minutes of "uniqueness."

Tesla, which boasts of entering the "ROBOT" era, forgoes the fridges, TVs, and large sofas that domestic new energy vehicle brands compete over. It even eliminates steering wheels, pedals, and charging ports. Will such a Tesla continue to be the "catfish" that stirs up the automotive market? Would you (dare) ride in such a Tesla?

1. This time, no steering wheel or pedals!

At the event, Musk, dressed in a black leather jacket, exuded confidence. To deliberately showcase Tesla's futuristic tech vibe, he debuted alongside a "spaceman" in a spacesuit, engaging in a cosplay. After parting ways with the spaceman, he arrived on stage in the autonomous taxi Robotaxi to be unveiled.

Tesla's Rototaxi is named "CyberCab," with 50 fully autonomous vehicles on-site. Musk emphasized that these are fully autonomous vehicles.

He attempted to shift public perception by comparing it to elevators: In the past, elevators had operators who controlled the movement; now, elevators run automatically upon receiving a command.

Musk firmly stated that cars will undergo a similar transformation.

In other words, cars will no longer require direct human control: "You can think of an autonomous car as a small lounge where you can sit comfortably and do whatever you want."

The CyberCab, designed for autonomous driving, features two seats and butterfly doors. Notably, it lacks a steering wheel, pedals, rearview mirrors, and even a charging port (adopting inductive charging), relying solely on Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software.

Image/CyberCab butterfly doors

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Outlook

The system has been updated to version V12.4.3. The arrival of FSD V12.4 signals the gradual elimination of the "hold the steering wheel" reminder. Musk emphasized that FSD's safety level far exceeds human driving, stating, "It's 10 times safer than human driving."

Regarding the highly anticipated introduction of FSD in China, authoritative sources close to Musk indicate that Tesla plans to apply for approval of a supervised version of FSD from Chinese regulators in either V12.5 or V12.6, with Musk expecting approval by the end of this year.

Autonomous driving is not a novelty; after all, domestic autonomous driving services like Luobo Kuaipao have been operating on our city roads for over half a year. However, a car without a steering wheel or pedals is a refreshing sight.

Musk calculated that the vehicle cost of the CyberCab will be below $30,000, and the cost of autonomous travel is expected to rival public transportation. He predicts that operating costs in the US could drop to 20 cents per mile, equivalent to 0.88 yuan per kilometer.

Of course, this remains a "future promise." Tesla expects to start mass-producing the CyberCab in 2026. Musk said that by 2027, "its production volume will be astonishing."

Musk also introduced the "Robovan," a medium-to-large bus. Without delving into technical details, he noted that it can carry up to 20 passengers and fulfill cargo transport needs.

Image/Robovan "Medium-to-Large Bus"

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Outlook

The humanoid robot Optimus was also a highlight of the day. According to Musk, many technologies developed by Tesla for its cars, such as batteries, motors, software, and AI processors, can be reused in robots. With large-scale deployment, the cost of humanoid robots could drop to $20,000-30,000, "making them a necessity for every household."

2. Can Tesla Still Be That "Catfish"?

One detail highlights how smart Tesla's new products are.

At the event, Optimus served drinks at the bar, following instructions to pass objects to the audience, waving or giving a thumbs-up, and even engaging in interactive games like Rock-Paper-Scissors. It also recognized photo opportunities, smoothly approaching photographers and posing with a victory sign.

Image/Optimus Robot "Bartender"

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Outlook

Despite post-event reports that the humanoid robots were remotely controlled and not as intelligent as portrayed, they still left a profound impression on people with their demonstrated intelligence.

"Always competing over fridges, TVs, and sofas, who's really ahead? Some of our brands really need to look up and see the bigger picture," commented netizens watching the live broadcast.

Tesla is often seen as a benchmark in the new energy vehicle industry. Founded in 2003, it rapidly grew into one of the world's largest pure electric vehicle manufacturers, occupying a significant position in the luxury electric vehicle market.

Through continuous technological innovation and high-quality products, Tesla has set industry standards. Its Autopilot, despite controversies, is still seen as a pioneer in autonomous driving and one of the most widely used semi-autonomous driving systems. The ongoing development of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system has sparked intense interest in China, with many Tesla fans eagerly anticipating its launch.

Image/Autopilot Safety Report

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Outlook

After entering the Chinese market, Tesla played a pivotal role, bringing advanced technology and management experience, intensifying competition with local brands, and promoting overall industry advancements in technology and service quality. The establishment of the Shanghai Gigafactory marked Tesla's deep involvement in the Chinese market.

For Tesla, this involvement helped reduce costs and enhance product competitiveness. For China, Tesla accelerated the popularization of electric vehicles and intelligent driving, facilitating the transition from fuel-powered to electric vehicles and fostering a more open and tech-embracing consumer base.

Crucially, Tesla acted as a "catfish" in the new energy vehicle industry, disrupting the status quo and spurring domestic automakers to develop globally competitive products and services, enhancing the image of "Made in China."

Undeniably, having a formidable competitor is crucial for technological innovation in China's new energy vehicle industry.

3. Electric Cars: Tesla or Others?

Many netizens hailed Tesla's event as an innovation showcase, marveling at the "science fiction becoming reality." Others were skeptical, comparing Musk to overzealous salespeople.

Whether impressed or skeptical,

In recent years, Musk has aggressively pursued technological innovations. For instance, SpaceX's successful retrieval of a Starship rocket using its "chopsticks" mechanism garnered widespread attention.

Image/SpaceX Rocket's First Successful Retrieval

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Outlook

At the same time, Musk has wielded the price war baton, particularly in the Chinese market, aiming to capture more market share.

On pricing, rumors abound about the Model 2, said to have significantly reduced manufacturing costs and a potential price tag of around 100,000 yuan. While it didn't debut at the event as anticipated, these rumors still psychologically impacted domestic new energy brands.

During the event, many industry insiders likely tuned in to watch Musk's grandstanding from across the globe.

Technologically, intelligent autonomous driving is a key focus. Inspired by Tesla's "catfish" effect, Chinese new energy vehicle manufacturers like NIO, Xpeng, and Lixiang have intensified their efforts in developing intelligent driving solutions.

While Tesla adheres to a pure vision-based approach, relying primarily on cameras, domestic brands prefer a multi-sensor fusion strategy, combining lidar, millimeter-wave radar, and ultrasonic sensors to enhance safety.

Image/Comparison between Pure Vision and Lidar Solutions

Source/Screenshot from New Energy Outlook

However, many automakers have reverted to pure vision-based autonomous driving.

The future new energy vehicle market promises a more diverse and vibrant competitive landscape. In the post-ROBOT era, Tesla may continue to act as the "catfish," potentially exerting even greater influence in the AI realm, where new energy vehicles and humanoid robots converge. Its tail fin might splash even more vigorously, continuing to stir up the industry.

Yet, everything is interconnected and ever-evolving. Preferences vary; some find Tesla appealing, while others find it off-putting, much like different music genres each with their unique charm and fanbase.

So, returning to our question, will you continue to hold the belief that electric car options are limited to "Tesla or Others"?",