Elon Musk Touts a ‘Storm’ of Tesla Cybercabs in Austin, Says They Offer Better ‘Operational Efficiency’ Than Waymo

Badar Shaikh

Fri, September 4, 2026 at 11:30 PM GMT+3 4 min read

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk has backed the Cybercab ahead of its launch event in Austin, Texas, as the EV maker looks to expand its Robotaxi network.

A Storm Of Cybercabs

In a post on X in the early hours of Thursday, Musk touted the event. "A Storm of Cybercabs," he said in his post.

A Storm of Cybercabs

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 3, 2026

Don't Miss:

A single bad hire can set a startup back years. Here are the 5 hires founders most often misjudge — and why
Still Learning the Market? These 50 Must-Know Terms Can Help You Catch Up Fast

In a separate post, the Tesla CEO shared a meme showcasing a Sandstorm engulfing the city, with the sandstorm being the Cybercab and the city being Austin.

pic.twitter.com/37uaPmYBvg

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 3, 2026

Musk Touts Operational Efficiency

On Tuesday, user Nic Cruz Patane took to X and showcased the difference in costs between an Alphabet Inc.-backed Waymo's sixth-generation Ojai robotaxi manufactured by Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd.'s EV brand Zeekr.

"This is what $1 million worth of Tesla Cybercabs vs. $1 million worth of Gen 6 Waymos looks like," Patane said, sharing an image of a handful of Waymo vehicles vs. several Tesla Cybercabs.

The image showed that the estimated cost of a Waymo Robotaxi was $125,000/unit, according to Morgan Stanley, while a Cybercab cost $18,000, per ARK Invest calculations. Musk had earlier confirmed that the Cybercab would retail for around $30,000.

This is what $1 million worth of Tesla Cybercabs vs. $1 million worth of Gen 6 Waymos looks like: pic.twitter.com/N4L2aygSq6

— Nic Cruz Patane (@niccruzpatane) September 1, 2026

Musk responded to Patane's post. "And this doesn't even take into account the operational efficiency of Cybercab," he said, without providing any other details.

And this doesn't even take into account the operational efficiency of Cybercab

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 3, 2026

For reference, Tesla's VP of Engineering, Lars Moravy, had earlier said that the Cybercab had an energy consumption figure of 165 Wh/mi and features a 48 kWh battery.

🔥 Lars Moravy, VP of Vehicle Engineering, announced that the Tesla Cybercab is the most efficient EV ever certified, with an energy consumption rating of 165 Wh/mi (103 Wh/km) pic.twitter.com/aMUMhaZzV7

— The Tesla Newswire (@TeslaNewswire) May 21, 2026

Ross Gerber Backs Cybercab

Investor Ross Gerber of Gerber Kawasaki earlier backed the Cybercab as the first-ever "physical AI EV" and said that it would be "very interesting" to see how the rollout plays out. He also said that a good thing about the Cybercab was its attractive design, which was better than Waymo vehicles.

Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Read Next: Think you're saving enough for your kids? You might be dangerously off — see why

Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market

Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That's why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn't tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

Arrived

Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

Qnetic

As electricity demand rises alongside AI, data centers, and renewable energy, long-duration energy storage is becoming increasingly important. Qnetic is developing a kinetic energy storage system designed to provide long-lasting, chemical-free electricity storage, offering investors exposure to the infrastructure supporting a more resilient and reliable power grid.

EquityMultiple

For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000, with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process.

FarmTogether

Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.

Fundrise

Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.