During the Q4 2024 Earnings Call, Elon Musk confirmed that Tesla’s next-generation affordable vehicle is set to launch in the first half of 2025. Now, more than three months into 2025, Tesla may be just a few months away from unveiling their next-gen model.
Surprisingly, details remain scarce—no major leaks, early sightings, or concrete reveals. That hasn’t stopped speculation, though.
Project Redwood
Internally, Tesla refers to the project as Project Redwood, while externally, fans and skeptics alike have dubbed it the Model Q or Model 2. A Chinese tech outlet leaked some details back in December, suggesting a vehicle sized somewhere between a MINI and a Model 3.
That estimate aligns with expectations for Tesla’s compact, mass-market EV, but many questions remain. Where will Tesla build it? Will it share parts with other models? And when will customers finally get their hands on it?
We have some ideas on how to answer these questions—and more. Some of this information comes from past Tesla events, such as the “We, Robot” autonomy event and previous earnings calls.
As always, we’ll cite sources where possible and point out where we’re making informed guesses or speculating.
Based on the Cybercab
@DominicBRNKMN/X
Tesla plans to build the Cybercab and the next-generation vehicle at Giga Texas. Initially, both were slated for production at Giga Mexico, but with increased tariffs under the new administration, those plans fell through. As a result, the two vehicles will likely be built side by side, making it essential for Tesla to share as many components as possible.
Just as the Model 3 and Model Y, as well as the Model S and Model X, share numerous parts, the next-gen vehicle is expected to have a significant overlap with the Cybercab. Both are designed for inner-city travel and built with affordability in mind.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean the next-gen vehicle will resemble the Cybercab. Instead, it will likely use similar components, such as a single lower-horsepower rear motor, a smaller battery pack, and a more compact frame. By streamlining parts production, Tesla can drive down costs to make both the Cybercab and the next-gen vehicle financially viable.
One key objective is ensuring that every Tesla product feels like a premium purchase—delivering more value than its price suggests. To achieve this, Tesla has been exploring new materials and innovative combinations to improve durability, design, and overall build quality, with the next-gen affordable vehicle being no exception.
Paint-Impregnated Panels
The Cybercab is using unique paint-impregnated plastic panels for its body shell—designed to be easy to produce, customize, and replace. The best part is that nicks and scratches are far less noticeable since the paint runs through the material. This makes repairs and replacements quick and hassle-free in case of accidental damage.
While the Cybercab will only come in the gold color we’ve seen, Tesla is expected to offer multiple variants and color options for the next-gen model. Given how striking the Cybercab’s base color already looks, there’s a strong potential for new finishes and textures unlike anything seen before.
City-Range
Not a Tesla App
At the We, Robot event, Tesla shared additional details about the Cybercab, and we used that information to estimate its battery size. Based on our findings, we estimate the battery pack to be between 51.6vkWh and 74.6vkWh, which would give the Cybercab an estimated range of 220 to 270 miles, assuming it achieves the 5.5 miles per kWh Tesla mentioned.
Tesla also confirmed during the Q3 2024 Earnings Call that the Cybercab will feature a more power-efficient powertrain, improving its efficiency over current models. This powertrain is likely to be shared with the next-gen model, meaning it will also see a lower miles per kW metric.
Wireless Charging
We don’t believe that Tesla will produce the next-gen model with wireless charging, like the Cybercab. Implementing wireless charging is expensive, and currently, the Cybercab is the only known vehicle capable of using it. The Cybertruck has the necessary receivers, but the feature hasn’t been implemented yet, but may be available as a retrofit.
Tesla has already said they plan to roll out wireless charging at select V4 Superchargers in the future, but these will likely be aimed at the Cybercab and Tesla’s other flagship models. This means that the upcoming Model S and Model X refresh could include wireless charging, but it may remain exclusive to higher-end models before trickling down to the rest of the lineup, due to cost.
Price
Tesla’s next-gen model has often been referred to as the “$25,000” model, however, we need to understand that was more than four years ago. Tesla has been mum on the price point of the vehicle, except for the $25k price tag that was shared back in 2021.
We believe Tesla will launch its next-gen vehicle for about $30k before any incentives. Once you account for gas savings and potential incentives, this car could sway a lot of customers due to price alone.
Release Date
Tesla previously hinted at a special event tied to its latest referral rewards system, which we believe may coincide with the unveiling of the next-gen affordable model.
With just a couple months left until until the midway point of 2025, it may not be long before we find out more details about this lower-cost vehicle.
We’re excited to cover the event in person, so if you’re considering buying a Tesla, don’t forget to check out our referral codes.
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We’ve known for a while now that Tesla has been using a custom build of FSD to allow its newly produced vehicles at Giga Texas and Fremont to autonomously navigate themselves from the production line to the outbound delivery lot.
While we knew they were using a custom build of what was likely FSD Unsupervised, thanks to a recent post from Tesla AI on X, this has now been confirmed. Tesla has also confirmed it has accrued over 50,000 driverless miles, totalled from vehicles autonomously driving themselves to delivery lots.
Giga Texas production now uses FSD Unsupervised to deliver cars from end of line to the outbound logistics lot.
Over 50,000 driverless miles have been accrued between California and Texas factories so far pic.twitter.com/79zKY0U6Ox
For most of Tesla’s vehicles - that’s a 1.4-mile trip that is shared with pedestrians, cars, trucks, and construction equipment. You can see in the video that the Teslas are navigating public roadways and encountering real human drivers.
That’s great news, especially since many were wondering whether Tesla would secure the necessary approvals in time to launch their Robotaxi network in June.
Increased Confidence
Following Tesla’s post to X, Musk followed up by saying that when Tesla launches FSD Unsupervised soon, it will be the first time there will be a generalized, pure AI solution to autonomy. Tesla and several executives continue to post more content about autonomy and the Robotaxi network, leading us to believe they’re feeling confident in the June launch.
Model Ys autonomously navigate a 1.4 mile trip on a road shared with pedestrians, cars, semi trucks, construction equipment & more pic.twitter.com/iPx2fs78v2
Back when Tesla initially announced the autonomous travel of its vehicles from production to loading lots, they mentioned that the Cybertruck was the only vehicle at Giga Texas not receiving that same treatment.
Now, that’s changed - Cybertruck is now also navigating through the Cybertunnel to make its way from the factory directly to the loading docks, all on Unsupervised FSD. And that’s making us even more excited, especially because Tesla was supposed to launch an FSD Update for the Cybertruck a little while ago - but it hasn’t made it to production yet. This update is set to bring Start FSD from Park, as well as Actually Smart Summon - bringing the Cybertruck to feature parity with Tesla’s other AI4 vehicles.
Cybertrucks autonomously navigate a 0.6 mile route traversing beneath one of America's fastest highways, emerging through a steep 17% grade to reach their destination pic.twitter.com/3ZMYCRPhIj
Now that Tesla is confidently using a build of Unsupervised FSD to navigate the tight confines of the tunnel and park, we’re pretty sure that Tesla will likely launch the expected FSD update in the near future.
FSD Update Soon?
It’s been a while since any FSD hardware variant has received an FSD update. It appears that Tesla has been focused on Unsupervised FSD and launching FSD outside of North America.
It seems like we may get a new FSD update soon, and we don’t believe it’ll be just for the Cybertruck. Those who have the opportunity to sign up for Tesla’s new Early Access program will likely be some of the first recipients to receive the FSD update, so stay tuned.
Lars Moravvy, Tesla's Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, recently took to X to pose a question to the community: “Let's make Teslas better… what do you all want for 2026?”
The question absolutely took off, and there were tons of fantastic suggestions about what Tesla owners would love to see from their vehicles in the future.
There were more than 12k suggestions, so let's take a look at some of the most popular feature requests.
Top Suggestions
CyberSUV - A classically styled SUV with a stainless steel exterior.
Faster Charging & Better Charge Curves - Tesla vehicles start off with fast charging speeds, but usually taper off quickly in comparison to other brands. This is especially true when compared to some Chinese brands, which sustain 500 kW charging at up to 70% state of charge. Let's get improved charging speeds on Teslas as well, especially with the 500 kW Superchargers coming in Q3.
450mi / 500mi range vehicles - Lots of customers want longer range vehicles, even though Tesla's analysis says the 300-mile range is ideal for 90% of its customer base. Range really does matter - especially for customers in more rural locations or those who choose to tow or haul with their vehicles.
Ambient Lighting Reacts to Music - This one is pretty straightforward, and it's surprising we don't already have this feature. Having basic integration with the currently playing audio is a neat feature, and really helps to make the entire experience even more seamless and premium.
Refresh Model 3 Signal Stalk Retrofit - Some people really love their signal stalks. While there aren't retrofits available just yet, we do recommend the Enhauto Stalks. For those who want an official retrofit, there is now some hope - Lars responded and said he'll try.
Lumbar Support in the Profile - Right now, lumbar support is the only seat item not saved to the Tesla Profile. This may change soon, as Lars followed up and mentioned that there are a few technical issues preventing it, but Tesla could make it work with some of their magic.
Model 3 Track Pack - The Model S has an exclusive Track Pack as a post-factory retrofit offered by Tesla, including premium brakes, tires, and wheels. The Refreshed Model 3 Performance is a killer track vehicle - but getting real track support from Tesla would be a game-changer for those who love to race.
Some of Our Favorites
Sentry Mode Improvements - Several users suggested adding B-pillar recording to Sentry Mode. And it looks like Tesla has already been working on this, and it'll be available in the upcoming 2025 Spring Update, which will be update 2025.14. Unfortunately, it'll be limited to what appears to be HW4 vehicles due to the additional processing.
Massaging Seats - A touch of luxury for Tesla's most premium models would be nice. Many other luxury brands already offer massaging seats so it’d help keep the Model S on par with these brands. Edit: Corrected that the Model S has never come with massaging seats.
Powershare for More Vehicles - Powershare is a fantastic feature, and bringing it to every Tesla is a must, especially as many other brands, including Ford, Kia, and Hyundai, offer either Vehicle to Load or Vehicle to Home capabilities as an option on their EVs. Tesla recently introduced the Mobile Connector with Powershare capabilities and an Outlet Adapter, but it's still exclusive to the Cybertruck for now.
Starlink Integration - Tesla currently uses cell networks for connectivity, which can sometimes be spotty. Starlink is a clear, high-tech solution that could provide data to vehicles when they have a clear line of sight to the sky.
Grok in Vehicles - Musk has already confirmed that Tesla will be integrating Grok into Tesla vehicles. We expected it to be included in Tesla's Spring Update, but it looks like they'll need a little bit longer. One of the lead xAI/Grok developers mentioned the request with a wink emoji, so it's clear it’s a feature that Tesla and xAI are actively working on. The way users will be able to naturally talk to AI will be game-changing for many users who are used to driving alone.
There was a lot of positivity in the comments, as well as a ton of interesting requests that could eventually be implemented in Tesla vehicles. Lars also responded to quite a few of the comments, which was nice to see.
While nothing is certain, some of these popular requests may come in a future update, while others may need hardware changes if Tesla wants to implement them.
2026 may seem far away, but there's already plenty of coming this year with a cheaper vehicle and the launch of the Robotaxi network.
If you love reading about feature suggestions, we also recently covered the top feature requests for Tesla, based on the many requests we hear about.
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