Elon Musk Says Tesla Cybercab, Optimus Robot Production Will Be 'Agonizingly Slow' To Start

Good morning! It's Wednesday, January 21, 2025, and this is The Morning Shift, your daily roundup of the top automotive headlines from around the world, in one place. This is where you'll find the most important stories that are shaping the way Americans drive and get around.

In this morning's edition, Elon Musk makes a not-so-bold proclamation about the Tesla Cybercab's production ramp-up, Jaguar dealers are really nervous about the brand's all-electric makeover, Acura dealers are dreading the RDX's absence and Ford has a huge recall to really kick 2026 into high gear.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is already tamping expectations when it comes to Cybercab and Optimus robot production, saying both would be "agonizingly slow" before accelerating over time. I certainly believe half of what he's saying here, but I'm sure many investors are biting on the whole thing. After all, a huge chunk of Tesla's near-$1.4 trillion valuation hinges on the expectation that this company will eventually start producing self-driving technology and humanoid robots.

Musk made the declaration, as he does with most things, on his social media site, X (the everything app). He was responding to a post about Cybercab production beginning in less than 100 days, saying that the pace of the ramp-up depends on complexity. The CEO added that production speed is inversely proportional to the number of new parts and manufacturing steps involved. Yeah, bud. We know. From Reuters:

"For Cybercab and Optimus, almost everything is new, so the early production rate will be agonizingly slow, but eventually end up being insanely fast," Musk wrote.

[...]

The EV maker has said it was on track to start volume production of Cybercab in 2026, with Optimus output "hopefully" starting towards the end of the year.

In December, Musk said Tesla was testing robotaxis without safety monitors in the front passenger seat.

Last year, Tesla launched a limited robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, using its Model Y SUVs equipped with a version of its Full Self-Driving software. Early operations were geo-fenced and included a human safety monitor in the passenger seat.

Musk has described the humanoid robot project as central to Tesla's long-term strategy, saying it could eventually dwarf its vehicle business. He has argued the robots could unlock massive new economic value by taking on a wide range of tasks that humans are unwilling to perform.

Maybe I'm a pessimist when it comes to Tesla's ramp-ups, but this sounds a hell of a lot like Musk hedging his bets before things get too far out of hand. I suppose time will tell, but it's not like his supporters will care.

Jaguar's ambitious plans to reposition itself as an all-electric luxury brand, just as its main competition retreats from their EV ambitions, have dealers a bit worried. A lot has changed in the automotive world since Jaguar unveiled the Type 00 concept car and announced its new plans. The U.S. government has completely pulled the rug out from under its EV incentives, Chinese buyers are no longer interested in Western luxury brands and even Europe is starting to favor hybrids more and more. It's left dealers and some industry experts a bit shaken up, which is a shame, because it could leave Jaguar with a chunk of the market all to itself if it plays its cards right. From Automotive News:

Dealers and analysts have doubts about the brand's repositioning. Industry experts see no clear example of electric luxury cars succeeding at scale. Jaguar's strategy is especially risky because it relies on a pure BEV platform that is not shared with parent Jaguar Land Rover's other brands such as Range Rovers or Land Rovers.

"I don't see a single luxury manufacturer where electric models have truly succeeded," said Martin Benecke, an analyst at S&P Global. Most electric luxury projects announced in recent years have either failed or been delayed significantly, he said.

Jaguar postponed the launch of the first of its new-generation high performance BEVs by several months to August to allow time for more testing and for EV demand to pick up, the Guardian newspaper reported last year, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Dealers say that orders for the new model, which is going to be a big four-door grand tourer based on the Type 00, are expected to open in March or April of this year, and it'll carry a starting price of around $130,000. It'll be built on the company's new Jaguar Electric Architecture platform, which can't be easily adapted for hybrid or gas powertrains, and that's a concern to some dealers.

A Jaguar media campaign to promote the rebranding last November attracted criticism because it featured androgynous models and dropped the brand's iconic "leaper" big cat logo. Many long-standing customers voiced their dissatisfaction directly to dealers, saying they no longer recognized the brand.

A subsequent six-month period of limited communication from the brand further increased uncertainty within the retail network.

Jaguar's sales targets are ambitious but fragile. The brand is targeting annual sales of about 10,000 cars globally, according to dealer sources ― roughly on the scale of competitor Bentley, which delivered around 7,200 vehicles in the first three quarters of 2025.

While Jaguar cites strong early expressions of interest, dealers question how many will convert into actual orders at prices starting around $130,000.

"I doubt that Jaguar's strategy will work," Benecke said. "Jaguar wants to go where other luxury manufacturers are withdrawing due to a lack of demand. Which customers does Jaguar want to reach with its electric luxury cars? I don't know whether you can survive with this strategy."

[...]

At present, 150 prototypes are being tested, JLR said. Through events, the company has collected around 40,000 "Keep Me Informed" inquiries (expressions of interest), despite not having released full product details.

Jaguar is changing its retail model on a fundamental level. It plans to tightly control used-car supply, limit dealer inventory and require highly specialized sales staff. Each dealership will operate with just one demo vehicle and one new car in stock. Basically, it wants to be more like Bentley and less like BMW. It's a big risk, and I'm not sure it's one traditional dealers will want to take, but if it works, it could really be an interesting addition to the market. 

I hope it does, too, because the Type 00 is seriously cool, if you ask me. And, for all the people who complain that it isn't a real Jag or it doesn't remind them of what the brand once was, may I remind you that whatever the brand "once was" got it in this precarious position in the first place, so trying something new seems very necessary.

Dealers are apparently just in a sad-sack complaining mood today, because Acura retailers are spooked about Honda's plans to suspend RDX production for two years. They say the move could create a massive issue for them and the Japanese automaker as a whole. While the RDX is quite old at this point, with its last redesign dating back to 2018, it's still the company's second-best-selling model, accounting for nearly a quarter of its U.S. sales in 2025. From Automotive News:

On Jan. 14, Acura told dealers that RDX production would be halted this year at the East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio because of multiple parts shortages. The fourth generation is not expected to arrive until 2028.

Several retailers told Automotive News they were caught off guard by the decision.

"To cancel production on such short notice just leaves us hanging," said Brian Benstock, vice president at Paragon Acura in New York City.

Dealer Andy Wright called discontinuing the current-generation RDX "premature" given how far out a redesign is.

"Not having an offering in a large and competitive segment for more than a year is definitely going to be a disadvantage," said Wright, managing partner at Vinart Dealerships, which operates an Acura store in Emmaus, Pa.

[...]

When the RDX returns, it's slated to have Acura's first two-motor hybrid powertrain — a significant step in the brand's push toward a mix of gasoline, hybrid and electric vehicles.

Some dealers are rightfully miffed at the simple fact that Acura doesn't offer much in the way of variety anymore. It killed off the TLX sedan and ZDX EV in 2025, so it went from selling six cars to four. Soon, that number will be down to three with just the MDX, Integra and ADX remaining.

"We were promised Acura would be adding models, not subtracting," said another retailer, who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation. "Their selection is starting to dwindle to a minimal amount, which is a huge problem for dealers."

[...]

For Acura dealers, the lengthy break between RDX generations and the brand's lack of an electrified variant in the fiercely competitive luxury compact crossover segment hits hard.

For now, it seems that dealers will just have to hold on until the new RDX comes around in early-to-mid-2028, but that hybrid system will hopefully make it worth the wait for customers and dealers alike. For customers, it'll be good because, well, Honda makes a great hybrid system. For dealers, it'll help compete with cars like the Lexus NX. In 2025, Lexus sold 37,211 NX hybrids and plug-in hybrids alone. That's 37,211 more than Acura sold RDXs.

Ford is starting the year off strong, having already issued three recalls in the first three weeks of 2026. The latest impacts about 119,000 vehicles with engine block heaters that seem to work too well. What I mean is that they're increasing the risk of a fire breaking out, so while the engine might be hot, it's not the right type of hot. I don't know. I'm a beggars can't be choosers type of guy, but I guess the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration doesn't see it that way. From CBS News:

The recall involves some 2016-2018 Focus, 2019 Explorer and 2024 Explorer vehicles as well as certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engines.

The NHTSA says the vehicles' engine block heaters may crack and develop coolant leaks, causing them to short circuit when the block heaters are plugged in.

[...]

Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be in the mail Feb. 13, and more letters will be sent once the final repair is available, which the NHTSA expects will be in April. 

Until Ford can come up with a fix, there's a pretty simple solution for avoiding a fire: don't plug it in. Eventually, when a solution is sorted out, dealers will replace the block heaters for free.

History.com

It's hard to believe that it has already been nine years since Trump's first inauguration and the Women's March in Washington, D.C. I was actually there for my college newspaper, embedded with a group that traveled from Penn State to participate. Who could have known what would come next? Everybody. Everybody knew what was coming next. Anyway, if you want to learn more about the Women's March, head over to History.com.

I don't know, man. If you ask me, nobody does pure pop better than Carley Rae Jepsen. Sure, there are plenty of people more successful than her, but she's been operating at a higher level than just about anyone for over a decade at this point. "Run Away With Me" is a certified banger and always will be. This music video is also soooo aggressively 2016. I love it.