Did you know · Production
No Rare Earths: Cybercab Motor Is Smaller, Lighter, and Cleaner
Musk said the front-drive unit uses zero rare earth metals while holding range, and is 18 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter.

The Cybercab's motor is a supply-chain story as much as a powertrain story.
Elon Musk said the unit uses zero rare earth metals while maintaining range, a combination he called extremely difficult. Reporting around the launch put the motor 18 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter than Tesla's recent drive units.
The car is front-wheel drive, another first. One motor, 219 horsepower, no rear unit to pack, cool, or pay for. For a two-seat cab that is supposed to run cheap miles, that is the point.
ARK's Keeney folded the rare-earth design into this week's fleet-buyer note, alongside Unboxed production and brake-by-wire. The hardware is what makes a 25-cent mile a number she is willing to put on a page.
James Okonkwo covers Gigafactory Texas, Unboxed production, and the hardware that makes a cheap mile.

