Tesla Invites Its First Cybercab Buyers, the Cybertruck Gets More Time, and a BMW Crosses Europe Barely Stopping to Charge
In the News This Week
Tesla Invites Its First Cybercab Buyers
The Cybertruck Gets Extra Time
BMW i3 Crosses Europe on Less Than Three Hours of Charging
Ford Releases Mach-E Battery Health Data
Hyundai Recalls Kona Electrics Over Airbags
Tesla spent the week working both ends of its lineup. Select customers can now order a Cybercab of their own for delivery in Austin, as long as they’re happy with a monthly bill, while the Cybertruck got extra months of production and lost every version but its most expensive one. In Europe, a BMW i3 drove from the top of Norway to the bottom of Spain on less than three hours of total charging. Ford released battery health data from the first Mach-E SUVs, which matters to anyone shopping for a used one, and Hyundai is recalling older Kona Electrics over an airbag problem owners should check for.
The Cybercab Costs $29,990, Plus $299 a Month for the Driver It Doesn’t Have
Tesla’s Robotaxi account posted on X on November 13 that select customers are being invited to buy a Cybercab for personal use. The order page in that post lists the two seat car at $29,990 before taxes, plus a required Autonomy Subscription at $299 a month, with the first month included. Tesla says the subscription and regular maintenance are required to operate it, and its subscription agreement says it can only operate inside the areas Tesla supports, which generally follow its Robotaxi service and can change at any time. Orders take a $1,000 nonrefundable deposit, and the estimated delivery is December 2026 in Austin, Texas. Tesla’s order agreement also bars reselling the car without Tesla’s written permission, and the subscription price can change with a month’s notice.
In my opinion, the price on the car is only half the story. Over five years, the subscription adds about $17,600, which is more than half of what the car itself costs.
What it means for you. If you got an invitation and live inside one of those areas, the car itself costs under $30,000, but the $299 monthly subscription isn’t optional. If you didn’t get one, the open question is how far those areas will reach beyond Austin.
The Cybertruck Gets Extra Months, but Only the $109,990 Cyberbeast Is Left
Elon Musk first said Tesla would wind down Cybertruck production around the middle of 2027. On November 11, he posted on X that production “will be extended through the end of summer 2027” to work through more of the order backlog. On Tesla’s configurator, the Dual Motor All Wheel Drive and the Premium All Wheel Drive are now grayed out, so the Cyberbeast is the only version you can order. It costs $109,990, up from $102,490 last week. Our full story covers how the timeline moved and why I think the truck’s troubles started long before the Cybercab.
What it means for you. $109,990 is now the only way in. Musk has also said Tesla will have to return deposits for a lot of people, and Tesla hasn’t said how it will decide which orders get built.
BMW’s New i3 Drove 3,658 Miles on Less Charging Time Than an Airport Layover
In November, BMW said a European i3 50 xDrive drove the Paneuropeana route, 5,886.7 km (about 3,658 miles) from Norway’s North Cape to Tarifa at the southern tip of Spain, and spent a total of 2 hours and 46 minutes charging, all at public chargers, at an average of 275 kW. BMW says that beat the previous record, set in 2017, by more than seven hours, and that the car matched the production model in hardware and software. It averaged 12.5 kWh per 100 km, about 5 miles per kWh.
What it means for you. This was a European model using European public chargers, so treat it as a demonstration of the hardware, not a forecast for a US road trip. Our i3 review covers what BMW quotes for the US model.
Five Years In, the First Mach-E SUVs Still Average 92 Percent Battery Health
Ford analyzed battery data from about 36,000 Mach-E SUVs from the 2021 model year, the first one, owned by retail and fleet customers in the US and Canada. Ford says they retained an average of 92 percent of their usable battery capacity after an average of 5.2 years of ownership, with 95 percent of them between 87 and 97 percent. More than 2,000 had passed 100,000 miles on the original battery and averaged better than 91 percent. Together they’ve covered two billion miles, which Ford points out is almost far enough to reach Neptune. These are Ford’s own figures from its connected vehicle data, not an independent study.
What it means for you. For used Mach-E shoppers, a battery that’s about five years old and still averages 92 percent is good news. The car in front of you can still be the exception, so ask for a battery health report anyway. Our used EV guide covers what else to check, and our Mach-E review covers the new one.
Hyundai Is Recalling 29,058 Kona Electrics Because Their Airbags May Not Deploy
Hyundai is recalling 29,058 Kona Electric SUVs from the 2019 to 2023 model years, according to Hyundai’s filing with NHTSA. The recall, 26V728, also covers 8,843 gas powered Veloster N cars. Hyundai says data in the airbag control unit’s memory can become corrupted if the system reboots or loses power while writing to it, which turns on the airbag warning light and deactivates the airbag system. NHTSA’s summary of the recall says the error can also deactivate the seat belt pretensioners, so in a crash, the airbags and seat belt pretensioners may not activate.
Hyundai says it knows of 331 incidents alleging the problem and no crashes, fires or injuries. The fix is a free software update at a Hyundai dealer, and owner letters are planned for January 1, 2027. Hyundai will also reimburse owners for eligible out of pocket costs to get the recall repair, under its reimbursement plan on file with NHTSA. The filing carries no do not drive or park outside advisory.
What it means for you. If you own one, run your VIN through NHTSA’s recall lookup and look for recall 26V728. The filing names the airbag warning light as the sign of the problem, so if yours comes on, contact a Hyundai dealer. If you’re shopping for a used Kona Electric, check the VIN before you sign.
Some weeks the car is the news. This week it was the fine print.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Tesla Cybercab cost?
Tesla lists it at $29,990 before taxes, plus a required Autonomy Subscription of $299 a month, with the first month included. Orders take a $1,000 nonrefundable deposit. For now, only invited customers can order, it can only operate inside the areas Tesla supports, and the estimated delivery is December 2026 in Austin, Texas.
Can I still order a new Cybertruck?
Yes, but only the Cyberbeast, at $109,990 on Tesla’s configurator. Musk says production will continue through the end of summer 2027, and he has also said Tesla will have to return deposits for a lot of people.
Which Kona Electrics are in the airbag recall?
The 2019 to 2023 Kona Electric, 29,058 vehicles in all, under recall 26V728. The fix is a free software update at a Hyundai dealer, and owner letters are planned for January 1, 2027.
How much battery capacity do older Mach-E SUVs lose?
Ford’s data on about 36,000 Mach-E SUVs from 2021 shows an average of 92 percent of usable capacity left after an average of 5.2 years. The more than 2,000 that had passed 100,000 miles averaged better than 91 percent.
