Tesla has made headlines in the past for claims that take a while to come to fruition. A new Tesla Roadster has been on the table for more years than the original car was ever in production for, and the company is scrutinized for crashes and even deaths allegedly resulting from the claimed "full self-driving" abilities. Keeping that in mind, there are some future models allegedly still in the works. Tesla's future cars range from a more affordable Model Y to a smaller pickup truck, and a massive fleet of autonomous taxis in every major city around the world. Here's everything you need to know about Tesla's upcoming cars.
The models discussed in this article are still concepts or ideas with little to no news relating to official release dates, or confirmation that they'll go into production at all. All proposed specifications have been sourced from Tesla. Most concepts avoid providing too many details, so some specifications are speculative.
Tesla's Current 2025 Model Lineup
Five Models to Choose From
Tesla
The current Tesla lineup ranges from the brand's flagship sedan and three-row SUV, both of which start near the six-figure mark, to the more affordable sedan and crossover for half the price of the Model S, and finally an angular pickup truck. You can find most models with performance variants that will beat nearly any competitor off the line in a drag race, but they all start with more reasonable power levels and decent range on a full battery. This article isn't all about these models, although a couple of future Tesla models are promised to be built off existing Tesla cars.
The Cybertruck keeps getting more expensive, and the Model Y's sales are declining worldwide. With that in mind, let's talk about a more affordable Model Y and a smaller Cybertruck that might compete in the midsize truck segment.
A Smaller Tesla Cybertruck In The Near Future?
Competing with Other Upcoming Small EV Trucks
Tesla
With Cybertruck sales stagnating, and prices ever-growing out of reach for most people, Tesla is looking for other ways to motivate buyers into a new electric pickup truck. The current Cybertruck only moved about 10,000 units in the first half of 2025, which is 3,000 units behind its main rival, the Ford F-150 Lightning. One way the brand is looking to reignite excitement over its electric work horse is with a "baby Cybertruck," or at least one that's slightly smaller and cheaper.
Elon Musk suggested the idea of making a smaller pickup truck as far back as 2019 — before the current one ever hit production. According to Lars Moravy, Tesla's engineering VP, they have "definitely been churning in the design studio about what we might do to serve that need for sure." We still don't have any concrete details regarding a timeline, design, or specifications. As of now, it doesn't exist in any form, but there is enought talk - and motivation - to suggest it's a good idea.
Affordable Model Y: The Elusive $25k Tesla
Can Such a Cheap EV Even Exist?
Tesla
Many automakers promise cheaper entry-level cars to get people excited about the future. Could Tesla, an EV manufacturer with 2/5ths of its models starting near $100,000, make an affordable car? Earlier this year, Elon Musk told the world about a $25,000 car before he told his own company they were making one. In other words, Elon claimed a Reuters report about the $25k Tesla being dead was a lie; other executives knew it was dead, but Musk carried on.
That previous project is, indeed, dead. However, a cheaper Model Y was supposedly in the works with production set for the latter half of 2025. However, this article is being written at the end of September 2025, and there are still no concrete details, plans, pictures, or even renders of such a project. It would make sense for the brand to build an affordable car based on their existing popular model. The Model Y was one of the best-selling cars in the country last year, and shares many parts with the Model 3. Therefore, parts are already readily available for a new, affordable production model.
"Hackers" online have claimed to have found code in the current Model Y's recent firmware update that alludes to a cheap version on the horizon. Some features the anonymous hacker announced include a list of simplified commodities, or features that have been removed altogether. The list produced from the firmware update includes changes like removing the puddle lights, power folding mirrors, glass roof, second-row display, and even the TPMS. Reductions in current features include removing the heater from the backup camera, downgraded suspension, simplified seat controls, and more.
The Futuristic "2026" Tesla Robotaxi
A Robotaxi by 2026 is a Bold Claim
Tesla
Until Tesla gives in and starts using LIDAR like nearly every other high-profile "autonomous driving" company, the Robotaxi may struggle to come into existence. For example, Waymo is a driverless taxi service in which its cars use a host of sensors in addition to cameras to prevent accidents, and promote safer driving for occupants and pedestrians. As of the time of writing, Waymo hasn't been involved in a single fatal accident, while Tesla's "full self-driving" has been cited as the defendant in many court cases involving pedestrian and driver deaths. Waymo isn't perfect, but they're ahead of the competition and have real, working cars on the streets of major cities.
The Tesla Robotaxi/Cybercab is still just a concept for now; when they were announced, the brand targeted 2026 as a release date. If they ever make an appearance on public roads as production models, Robotaxis should be fully autonomous without the need for a person to monitor in the driver's seat. The goal is to make commuting easier, reduce traffic deaths, reduce the stress of driving, and make finding parking in larger cities obsolete as it would supposedly drop passengers off then pick them back up later on when summoned.
Tesla Roadster: Is It In The Pipeline?
It's Been Eight Years Since This was Announced
Tesla
This last one is a touchy subject for some EV enthusiasts, since a new Roadster sports car was announced almost an entire decade ago with little to no progress since then. At one point, Tesla blasted a pre-production model into space while streaming it live; we'll admit that was pretty cool, but it didn't get us any closer to actually driving a new Roadster. When it was originally revealed in 2017, Tesla said it was aiming for a 2020 release date. Well, we're nearing 2026 and there's still no Roadster.
Unlike some of the other models we've talked about today, there are some bold claims about specifications being thrown around. The latest news about the two-door EV doesn't have any claim on exact horsepower output, but states a 0-60 time of 1.9 seconds with 10,000 nm or torque to the wheels, a top speed of 250 miles per hour, and a maximum range of 620 miles on a full charge. It sounds like one of the most impressive electric vehicles ever, if it ever makes it to production.
We can't talk about this possibly real car without bringing up the fact that, despite not actually existing for eight years, Tesla opened up pre-orders all the way back in 2018 with a deposit of $50,000. And, as of now, the option to reserve a Roadster (still with a $50k deposit, of course) is still open.
" The reason it hasn't come out yet is because the Roadster is not just the icing on the cake, it’s the cherry on the icing on the cake. Our larger mission is to accelerate the progress towards a sustainable energy future, try to do things that maximize the probability the future is good for humanity and for Earth. That necessarily means that things like that are kind of like dessert."
- Elon Musk, Tesla Q3 2024 Financial Results Webcast
Summary: A Promising Future?
So many claims we're excited about, but how many are actually in the pipeline? Results have been sparse, and that's a shame because all of the ideas above would add some value to the automotive world. A cheaper Model Y would be a welcome option for many households, as would a smaller Cybertruck for those who don't mind being seen driving one. The notion of a Robotaxi is still a long way away from existing, and the Roadster may never happen, even if you give them enough money to buy an entire Model Y up front - but we'd still like to see it come to fruition.
Sources: Tesla, Electrek, Business Insider
