Tesla Inc. is preparing to put its purpose-built Cybercab robotaxi on public roads in Austin, Texas, potentially before the end of August 2026, according to a report by The Information citing internal company plans.
The rollout is expected to follow a phased approach: first, employee rides on public roads, followed within days by expansion into Tesla's wider Robotaxi service in the city. Tesla has not confirmed a specific date and did not respond to press requests for comment on the timeline.
The Cybercab has no steering wheel or pedals and is built solely for autonomous ride-hailing. It is a compact two-seat electric vehicle with a single 219-hp motor, a 48-kWh battery, and a curb weight of around 3,113 pounds. Tesla began testing the production version on public roads in June 2026 and has since conducted employee rides on private roads and training sessions with local first responders.
During the Q2 earnings call, Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja confirmed that Cybercab rides had already begun inside the company's Austin factory. CEO Elon Musk has said Tesla needs to collect driving data specific to the Cybercab before scaling volume production, which is not expected until next year at the earliest. Board Chair Robyn Denholm said last year the company remains open to adding traditional controls if needed, though the current production design excludes them.
Tesla shares traded around $339.84 on Monday, up 0.16%. Rival ride-hailing names Uber and Lyft dipped modestly as investors monitored the robotaxi development.
On Tuesday, Tesla stock reversed earlier losses and traded in the green as investors weighed the company's AI, robotaxi, and humanoid robot businesses. According to FactSet, about 45% of analysts covering Tesla rate it Buy, below the typical 55% to 60% for S&P 500 companies, with an average price target around $374, down from a March peak of approximately $415. Baird analyst Ben Kallo rates Tesla Buy with a $475 price target and said attention remains focused on robots and robotaxis rather than traditional automotive and energy operations.
In contrast, GLJ Research reiterated a Sell rating and a $24.86 price target, implying roughly 92% downside. Analyst Gordon Johnson cited Tesla's 1.4% second-quarter operating margin, negative $1.1 billion in free cash flow, and concerns about Full Self-Driving reliability. He said tracked FSD v14 data showed disengagements roughly every 40 miles and pointed to 22 collisions reported in NHTSA filings over the past 12 months.
Investors are also watching speculation about a possible Tesla-SpaceX combination. The Future Fund's Gary Black said there is a high probability of a Tesla-SpaceX merger this year, potentially as an all-stock offer at a roughly 20% premium, while warning of potential dilution for existing Tesla shareholders.
