In addition to the autonomous Cybercab robotaxi, Tesla also unveiled a brand-new vehicle during the We, Robot event — the autonomous Robovan. This vehicle is designed for fully autonomous operation without human drivers.
The Tesla Robovan can accommodate up to 20 passengers or cargo. The configuration showcased during the presentation was the passenger version. Tesla shared several images on its website for those interested to see what the van's interior might look like.
Even in the passenger configuration, there appears to be considerable cargo space. This could be advantageous for use as an airport shuttle.
This type of vehicle could be beneficial for shuttle services that require frequent transit (such as airport buses or student shuttles), for municipalities lacking enough passengers for a regular 80-passenger bus, and for last-mile deliveries within cities in a cargo setup.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk mentioned that the Robotaxi could reduce transportation costs to about 20 cents per mile, while the Robovan is projected to improve this metric to 5-10 cents per mile.
The design of the Tesla Robovan is undoubtedly quite unique and futuristic. It is likely that part of this design will carry over to the production models. However, the ground clearance of about 1-2 inches on the demonstration vehicle seems insufficient for urban roads.
Unlike the Cybercab, Tesla has not announced a release date for the Robovan.
Source: electrek
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