Elon Musk Reveals His Favorite Car

Tesla CEO says there's a car he's going to drive every day.

Elon Musk has already inscribed his name in automotive history. 

He will no doubt be known as the one who pushed and encouraged the world to adopt electric vehicles with his company Tesla as part of his mission to achieve and use sustainable energy.

The history of the automobile will also remember that he completely transformed the vision of the car. He wants to make it a living room on four wheels. The vehicle is no longer simply an ordinary means of travel but it's a living room that is transported everywhere thanks to the technologies with which the vehicle is covered. 

As a result, Musk always pointed out that Tesla  (TSLA) - Get Free Report was a technology group that builds vehicles. To this end, the group has developed driving assistance systems, the most advanced of which is Full Self Driving (FSD), which is one of the charming assets of Tesla cars. 

The automaker currently markets five models. The Model 3 entry-level sedan, the Model S luxury sedan, the Model Y SUV/crossover, and the Model X luxury SUV. And finally, the Tesla Semi. 

Musk Calls It an 'Incredible Product'

If Musk has often praised the merits of all these vehicles, it is not necessarily one of them that the billionaire prefers. He has just indicated that the car he would drive every day is not currently in the Tesla offering.

The car the Techno King, as he's known inside the company, would drive every day is the Cybertruck, the very first pickup/truck that Tesla developed. Its production is supposed to start "late this year" the company said on Jan. 25.

"So it's an incredible product. I can't wait to drive it personally," the billionaire told analysts during the fourth quarter earnings call. "It will be the car that I drive every day. I actually just -- I'm wearing the T-shirt with this matched glass."

"And it's just one of those products that only comes along once in a while, and it's really special."

The Cybertruck is a futuristic design vehicle eagerly awaited by Tesla fans and competitors. Musk first unveiled the electric pickup prototype in November 2019 at a promotional event in Los Angeles. 

The vehicle has been described as something out of the films "Mad Max" and "Blade Runner." The billionaire himself said that the Cybertruck had been "influenced partly by 'The Spy Who Loved Me," a reference to the amphibious Lotus Esprit S1 featured in the 1977 James Bond film.

Main Difference in Hardware is Security

There is currently only fragmentary information on this vehicle which, according to Musk and Chief Vehicle Designer Franz von Holzhausen, will capture the imagination. The tech mogul for example said on Jan. 25 that the Cybertruck will come with Tesla's "Hardware 4" FSD computer. This will be the first major FSD update since the announcement of "Hardware 3 in 2019.

"Yes, Cybertruck will have Hardware 4," Musk told analysts.

The main difference between Hardware 3 and Hardware 4 is in security, he added.

"Let's say, for argument's sake, if Hardware 3 can be, say, 200% or 300% safer than human, Hardware 4 might be 500% or 600%. It will be Hardware 5 beyond that. But what really matters is are we improving the average safety on the road."

The Tesla Cybertruck promises up to 500 miles of electric range, a maximum tow rating of 14,000 pounds, and a base price under $40,000. Buyers will also have to add Tesla driver assistance system Full Self-Driving for $15,000.

Musk on Nov. 24, 2019, said that Tesla had already received at least 187,000 orders for the Cybertruck. It was five days after the vehicle was unveiled. 

Tesla is no longer taking orders for the Cybertruck in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. But the vehicle can still be ordered in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

People can reserve one of the vehicles for a refundable $100 deposit -- essentially no commitment for a vehicle that won't be cheap. 

But Musk doesn't expect the Cybertruck to be a big contributor to Tesla's profits this year.

"To be clear, for 2023, Cybertruck will not be a significant contributor to the bottom line, but it will be next year," he said.