It’s no secret that Elon Musk has a reputation for missing deadlines. His usual approach is to set highly ambitious goals, push his team to the limit, and then, when it becomes clear that the deadline can’t be met, announce a delay.
This pattern is evident in both SpaceX and Tesla. A prime example is the Cybertruck, which was revealed in 2019 with a promised release date of 2021, but it only began reaching customers at the end of 2023. The same scenario seems to be playing out once again.
Back in April, after a significant drop in Tesla’s stock price, Musk promised the debut of the Robotaxi/CyberCab—a fully autonomous Tesla without a steering wheel—as a way to reassure investors. The reveal was set for August 8th. Even then, many suspected that the announcement might not hold much weight. Some speculated that Tesla could show off the exterior design without offering any real insight into the technology inside or a timeline for when these autonomous taxis might actually start cruising American streets.
However, something significant happened that led Musk to postpone the presentation. The first hints of this delay appeared in early July. During Tesla’s quarterly earnings call, Musk mentioned a new reveal date: October 10th.
Tesla appears to be taking additional time for further development and unspecified design changes. Musk also indicated that he wants the unveiling to be more than just a flashy marketing event. He aims to include concrete data and impressive demonstrations alongside his usual bold claims and theatrical flair.
