Tesla is asking businesses to purchase and operate their own fleets of Cybercab robotaxis on its network, reviving a pitch Elon Musk first introduced in 2019, according to Electrek. The proposition asks companies to buy the vehicles, deploy them on Tesla’s Robotaxi network, and split the resulting revenue.
The Repeat Pitch and Past Broken Promises
At the Cybercab event on September 3, Tesla circulated interest forms for “Cybercab fleet vehicle purchasing,” echoing the Autonomy Day presentation held in 2019. During that earlier event, according to Electrek, Musk claimed that vehicle owners could add cars to the “Tesla Network” and generate up to $30,000 a year in gross profit per vehicle while calling Teslas “appreciating assets.”
Those financial returns never materialized. Owners who paid up to $15,000 for Full Self-Driving on the promise of taxi income remain unable to operate their vehicles as robotaxis, as Tesla currently runs the service itself.
The MisterGreen Bankruptcy Case Study
Real-world attempts to build a business on Musk’s assertions have resulted in severe financial losses. MisterGreen, a Dutch leasing firm, bought more than 4,000 Teslas based on the expectation that the vehicles would maintain their value and generate robotaxi income, as reported by Electrek.
Instead, Tesla enacted deep price cuts on new vehicles, causing used Teslas to depreciate at roughly three times the rate of the broader used car market. The anticipated robotaxi revenue failed to appear, leading MisterGreen to file for bankruptcy in December 2025, wiping out bondholders and resulting in $40 million in losses.
Hidden Operational Burdens and Risk Shifting
Operating an autonomous ride-hailing fleet involves significant expenses beyond vehicle acquisition. Fleet owners must manage charging, cleaning, vehicle repairs, remote assistance, passenger complaints, insurance, and regulatory compliance, all of which eat into profit margins.
Additionally, the Cybercab design features no steering wheel or pedals, rendering it unsuitable for traditional private ownership. This leaves buyers dependent on Tesla’s software achieving true full autonomy to secure rider demand.
Platform Control and Direct Competition
By selling the Cybercab, Tesla outsources capital costs and depreciation while retaining control of the software margin, dispatch, pricing, and the network split, according to Electrek. Fleet buyers find themselves competing directly against the platform owner.
Tesla maintains the ability to undercut prices, prioritize its own vehicles within the app, alter revenue splits, or geofence external operators entirely. Rather than owning an independent business, fleet buyers assume the financial downside of the operation.
Did You Know? Early fleet ventures in Los Angeles between 2018 and 2020 also purchased vehicles in anticipation of the “Tesla Network” revenue, only to shut down shortly after when the promised income failed to materialize.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can regular owners currently run their Teslas as robotaxis?
No. Despite previous promises regarding the “Tesla Network,” owners cannot run their vehicles as autonomous taxis, and Tesla operates its current service independently.
What are the primary operational costs for a robotaxi fleet?
According to industry reports, fleet owners must handle charging, cleaning, repairs, remote assistance, insurance, passenger complaints, and regulatory compliance.
Why is Tesla selling Cybercabs instead of operating them all internally?
Selling the vehicles allows Tesla to offload capital costs, vehicle depreciation, and operational risks to buyers while retaining software margins and revenue splits.