Tesla scraps its plan for a $25,000 Model 2 EV

Instead, Musk is allegedly “all in on robotaxi,”

So instead of trying to compete with BYD, they are leaving that space open for Chinese domination, and instead they are trying to catch up to the Waymo-Uber-Lyft race where Tesla has not even tried to compete yet.

To me, it just seems that Musk just doesn't believe in market capitalism and competition. Or that he's exceptionally terrible at it.

I believe a huge chunk of Tesla's valuation is based on their automation tech, despite having very little real success towards full automation. So they have to focus on that and try to prove they can deliver.
But I'm guessing they won't succeed, as there are fundamental flaws with the technology itself, that can't be solved by throwing more sensors at the problem.
- It seems their stock valuation rests on an assumption that their self-driving tech is unique, useful and best-of-class. I don't see how they can benefit putting these claims to the test by trying to compete in the robotaxi market.
- But can it be solved by throwing less sensors at the problem? Cause that's what he's been doing. Removing sensors from the newer versions that were in the older ones.
- despite having very little real success towards full automation.
  Untill they released FSD Beta V12. The leap it took from the previous version is insane. It drives really good now.
They'll scream and cry for protectionist policy once they lose the lower end of the market. Musk has one superpower and it's looting the public for his own benefit.
- Not me, I see a bunch of Polestars already cruising around, and here Teslas are not even the most sold EV. Super cheap itty-bitty locally made EV "trucks" that are as big as a Smart are.
  And electric bikes I suppose.

So Tesla's entire strategy Elon was working was just abandoned.

Continues down the pathway that Tesla is just going to fade to irrelevance.

Already has.
Judging by the amount of their vehicles I'm seeing on the roads I'm suspecting they're going to fade into irrelevance like iPhones have.
- Its not a like for like comparison. People change car brands all the time, there is very little environment or peripherals to be tied to.

All their cars are 25000 dollar evs. They just sell them for 4 times that amount.

Yeah, imagine buying a car that breaks down in the rain.
https://www.thedrive.com/news/scottish-couple-left-with-huge-bill-for-replacement-tesla-battery
- Whoa, the owner acknowledged that the weather was to blame, not Tesla?!

Musk is a moron and I hope he keeps getting exposed

They probably aren't stopping planning a model 2, it just ain't gonna cost $25k.

Probably couldn't figure out a way to make the '2' serve as a 'Z' in a 1337, sophomoric sex pun, so... that's the end of that project.

The Tesla Model 2 S3XY Soon to be followed by the Model 4 and Model U.
- Model UwU...
  FTFY
S3XZY?
- This only serves to make me think you're smarter than Elon Musk.

Musky can’t make a car that cheap. That’s why.

When you get in one this is the price you feel like it should cost though
- I feel that way in all his cars.
- I know he sucks but after feeling the acceleration of a model 3 I can’t agree with that. I’ve never felt acceleration like that before, or since.

I wouldn't buy one. good job. elon destroying your brand name.

that's fine, they have the perfect alternative, the cybertruck. /s

China gonna dominate that price bracket and lower no need to enter a market you cant compete in

Tesla makes cars in China too.
- Loads of companies do, doesnt mean they can compete at that price point.
- hell I'm pretty sure its impossible to make these cars without some amount of electronics fabricated in china

I just want an inexpensive commuter that gets ~150 miles per charge. I live in a cold climate and I work about 25 miles away, so I need at least 75 miles range on the coldest days. I also want it to be cheaply repairable, so the battery pack needs to be inexpensive to replace.

Tesla isn't offering that, their battery packs are too hard to service and too expensive. So I'm going to keep driving my hybrid until someone makes something to replace it.

Those Chinese sodium-ion batteries look like the perfect solution. Inexpensive, enough range, and less fire risk. My company says they'll be putting in chargers, so I might be willing to go down a bit on range. If Elon wants my business (he probably doesn't), he needs to make a cheap commuter.

Dammit, the idea of a Tesla Hatchback could have been good. But no, they had to make that cyberjoke first...

This is the best summary I could come up with:

Tesla has abandoned plans to develop an affordable electric Model 2, according to a report in Reuters.

The news organization says it has reviewed company messages that say the affordable Model Y, which Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed would sell for $25,000 or less, has been axed.

Then, this March, Musk told Tesla workers that the Model 2 would go into production at the company's factory in Berlin.

In light of this news, that statement certainly raises eyebrows—Reuters reports that one of its three unnamed sources told it that the decision to scrap the Model 2 was made in late February.

Instead, Musk is allegedly "all in on robotaxi," Tesla's plan to create an autonomous driving system that could allow its cars to compete with Uber or Lyft without a driver in the equation.

Earlier this week, Tesla posted its worst delivery results since 2020, with an 8.5 percent drop in deliveries year over year and yet another quarter of overproduction that has left the electric carmaker with nearly 150,000 vehicles produced but unsold.

The original article contains 302 words, the summary contains 174 words. Saved 42%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

All those that claim this market belongs to China, Tesla already has production in China, and can use all the same benefits Chinese companies can. Including government subsidies.

Outside companies almost never get the same benefits as local ones, that's true even outside of china. Another thing is that china has national interests in chinese carmakers.
So long as they keep the Chinese government happy. That's a big lever China has on Musk.
- China is probably just happy that Musk is Musk. Dude sows enough discord among the US populace without them even asking. Gift horse and all...
Tesla needs to make a certain substantial profit margin, same problem as Apple's car project. BYD will sell at a loss for years to monopolize like Amazon/Walmart etc.
Chinese companies aren't buying detestable social media platforms and speedrunning them into the ground.
- No one's talking about that.
- No, they just create them and make them wildly successful so they have a backdoor in everyone's pocket.
BYD has a level of vertical integration far beyond anyone else in the industry.