Tesla Cybercab Official Specs Confirmed: 219 HP, 48 kWh Battery, and 293-Mile Real-World Range
5 min read read
For months, Tesla's Cybercab existed as a promise backed by renderings and executive quotes. That changed on June 15, 2026, when EPA certification documents gave the world its first complete technical picture of the autonomous robotaxi. The numbers are striking: at 3,113 pounds, the Cybercab is the lightest EV on the American market — lighter than a Honda Civic Touring and 700 lbs lighter than a Model 3.
The EPA's Certificate of Conformity, filed May 26 and certified May 26, 2026, with an introduction-to-commerce date of May 29, 2026, unlocks every key number Tesla had kept quiet: motor output, battery chemistry, payload, and range. What the filings show is a vehicle purpose-built for efficiency and scale, not performance or luxury.
The Numbers Behind the Cybercab
The EPA documents confirm the Cybercab runs a single front-mounted AC permanent magnet motor producing 163 kW (219 horsepower), paired with a front-wheel-drive single-speed transmission. For a vehicle that will spend most of its life in urban stop-and-go traffic, this is the right architecture — simpler, lighter, and more power-efficient than dual-motor setups.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Curb Weight | 3,113 lbs |
| GVWR | 3,730 lbs |
| Payload Capacity | 617 lbs |
| Motor Output | 163 kW / 219 HP |
| Drive Type | Front-wheel drive, single-speed |
| Battery Capacity | 47.6 kWh (146 Ah @ 326V) |
| EPA Test Range (unadjusted) | 418.2 miles |
| Estimated Real-World Range | ~293 miles |
| Energy Efficiency | 165 Wh/mile |
Range: Test Cycle vs. Reality
The EPA test cycle produced a raw figure of 418.2 miles combined — an eye-catching number, but one that needs context. EPA methodology applies a roughly 0.7 adjustment factor to unadjusted test results to produce the real-world estimate that appears on window stickers. That adjustment brings the Cybercab's practical range to approximately 293 miles, confirming what one Tesla executive had previously described as close to 300 miles of range.
Highway range, also unadjusted, came in at 375.4 miles. The efficiency figure — 165 Wh per mile — deserves particular attention. For reference, the current long-range Model 3 achieves roughly 240 Wh/mile. A vehicle consuming 165 Wh/mile from a 47.6 kWh pack is operating at a level of efficiency that no full-size EV has previously reached in production form.
The Cybercab is about 750 lbs lighter than a Tesla Model 3, despite the autonomous hardware adding substantial mass without a steering wheel or pedals. — Electrek, June 15, 2026
Why Weight Matters More Than Battery Size
The Cybercab achieves its range not through a large battery — 47.6 kWh is smaller than the Model 3 Standard Range pack — but through exceptional weight reduction. Every pound shed from the body and drivetrain reduces the energy needed to accelerate, brake, and cruise. Remove the steering column, brake pedals, transmission tunnel, and interior controls that a human driver requires, and you free up significant mass for battery cells to be distributed elsewhere in the structure.
Tesla has confirmed the Cybercab uses a structural battery pack — likely integrating 4680-format cells — that contributes to body rigidity rather than riding as dead weight. The result is a vehicle that weighs only 617 lbs more than its maximum payload, a ratio that underscores how aggressively Tesla optimized for efficiency over comfort.
Production Path and Pricing
The introduction-to-commerce date of May 29, 2026, suggests Tesla began placing Cybercabs in service or at minimum transferred title on production units before the end of May. Over 100 units have since been spotted at Giga Texas's outbound staging lot, with an additional 50+ units at a Dallas regional staging area, for a combined visible inventory of more than 150 vehicles.
Tesla has not formally announced a retail price, but the company previously set expectations below $30,000 for the Cybercab. At that price point, the combination of sub-$30K cost and 165 Wh/mile efficiency would make the Cybercab the lowest-cost-per-mile electric vehicle in the United States on both a capital and operating basis — the economic foundation Tesla needs to make its autonomous ride-hailing network commercially viable.
The Bottom Line for Tesla Watchers
The EPA certification data strips away speculation and replaces it with engineering fact. The Cybercab is genuinely lighter, more efficient, and better-ranged than almost anyone predicted for a sub-$30K vehicle. At 165 Wh/mile, it sets a new bar for EV efficiency in the U.S. market. The ~293-mile real-world estimate is the official agency's expectation of what drivers — or in this case, passengers — can count on. Combined with Tesla's staged Texas rollout and rapidly growing fleet inventory, the Cybercab is transitioning from concept to operational reality faster than its skeptics anticipated.
Photo: Tesla Cybercab autonomous robotaxi / Pexels