What to expect from Tesla in 2022, Tesla had a great year in 2021, but what’s next? It’s been a busy 12 months for Tesla, and it’s not all good. 2021 saw the launch of the performance-focused Tesla Model S and Model X Plaid, a new Full Self Driving Autopilot subscription, record earnings, and even more great stuff.
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| Image credit: Tesla |
The year also saw price increases, supply chain problems, delays, recalls, lots of negative publicity and more from CEO Elon Musk being his usual controversy. Still, with 2021 coming to a close, it’s time to stop looking back and start looking forward. So this is what you can probably expect from Tesla in the course of 2022.
The launch of the Cybertruck
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| Image credit: Tesla |
With models like the Rivian R1T and GMC Hummer electric Vehicles already on the road, the age of the electric truck is finally upon us. Tesla was scheduled to join them before the end of 2021, but the company’s penchant for delays means the Cybertruck won’t arrive until late 2022.
But the Cybertruck is no ordinary electric truck with a large battery and powerful motors. You have them, but you also have an angled steel exoskeleton in place of your usual car frame. The Cybertruck is not indestructible, but it does mean that it is much stronger than your normal car. Cheat-wise, the ability to hold 9mm rounds and mallets are pretty good.
Whether or not the Cybertruck succeeds is another question, and even Elon Musk has admitted that its crazy design could put people off. Still, with the cancellation of the Tesla Model S Plaid Plus and further delays in the second-generation Tesla Roadster, the Cybertruck appears to be Tesla’s only major launch in 2022.
A new age of electric hauling?
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| Image credit: Tesla |
Hit the roads and you are likely to see a host of electric cars. In any case, more than you’re used to, and Tesla will make a good percentage of those EVs. But all those semi-trailers that haul things across the country are still running on fossil fuels. 2022 appears to be the year Tesla will help change that.
The Tesla Semi was first announced in 2017, but so far it hasn’t hit the roads in any meaningful way. While Elon Musk says production of the Semi may now slide into 2023, PespiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta is a bit more optimistic, stating that the company would receive its first delivery of Tesla Semi before the end of 2021. The company too got permission to install the high. Tesla Megacharger powered at one of its facilities in Modesto, California.
It will be a while before electric semi-trailers really take off, and Tesla isn’t the only company with plans to make it happen. However, the fact that the Tesla Semi is one step away suggests that you may start to see them on the road next year. Especially if you live within 400 miles of Modesto.
New upgrades and more features
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| Image credit: Tesla |
While the Cybertruck is the only Tesla car currently scheduled to launch in the next 12 months, we can be confident that the automaker’s existing portfolio will get some significant updates throughout 2022; some of those updates, heading to the Model 3 and Model Y, have already been leaked.
The fact is, Tesla can’t afford to sit still. The company has a reputation for pushing boundaries and changing cars to deliver a unique Tesla experience, for better or for worse; whether it’s adding video games to the infotainment system or the infamous steering wheel yoke. Increased competition means it’s more important than ever for Tesla to keep digging deeper into innovations.
Chip shortage or not, we can reasonably expect Tesla to make some serious changes. That includes smaller performance tweaks, improvements to cars running the beta version of Full Self Driving Autopilot, and more significant updates for upcoming cars. It’s hard to say what they will be, especially on top-end Model S and Model X cars, but remember my words, they will come.
More delays and more price hikes
As unfortunate as it is to see, Tesla prices rose slowly during 2021. And we shouldn’t expect that to end in 2022. The tech industry is in a precarious position right now, thanks to global chip shortages and other factors influenced by COVID. delays in the supply chain. Tesla has shown that it is not immune to those problems, and that is a big part of why its prices have been climbing.
But the COVID-19 virus has shown it is going nowhere anytime soon, and the chip shortage is expected to last well into 2023. So the problems Tesla has already experienced are likely to continue, and possibly even worse.
How that problem will manifest itself is anyone’s guess, and everything will depend on Tesla. But we can reasonably expect the automaker to continue to raise prices to counter supply chain woes, with further delays from its next cars certainly not being written off. After all, Tesla has been famous for its delays even before the pandemic.
One feature that is already increasing in price is Tesla‘s Full Self Driving software. It ranges from $ 10,000 to $ 12,000, according to Elon Musk.
Let’s hope the automaker doesn’t continue to deliver cars without certain components, like USB ports and wireless chargers, before warning people first.
Increased competition
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| Image credit: Ford |
Ten years ago, Tesla was the only automaker that took electric cars seriously. These days, almost every automaker sells or plans to sell electric cars. Many of those cars expire in 2022, with luxury features that make Tesla run for its money. Whether it’s advancements in driver range, faster-recharging capabilities, or range that comes close to making the Model S run for your money.
Some of those cars are also proving to be incredibly popular, like the Ford F-150 Lightning. Ford got so many reservations for its electric truck that it had to stop taking them. 2022 will mark the year that Tesla will have to step up and start taking the rest of the electric car industry seriously.
As popular and attractive as Tesla cars are, they are not perfect. Tesla still has some issues with the build quality, prices continue to rise, and its reputation suffers from high-profile incidents involving the autopilot. Not to mention the controversial design choices that seemingly come from CEO Elon Musk, like the yoke steering of the Model S and X.
Reputation and brand recognition can go a long way when there is little or no competition. But that’s no longer the case for electric vehicles. Therefore, Tesla must make sure not to ignore the problem until it is too late.
Even more car announcements
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| Image credit: Tesla |
As far as we know, Tesla only has one car that will launch in 2022. That doesn’t mean it won’t have much more to announce during the year, though, especially as competition from other automakers increases.
Earlier this year, we got the announcement that Tesla was developing a smaller hatchback car and was targeting a price tag of $ 25,000. While that EV won’t arrive until 2023 at the earliest, it does mean Tesla could have more surprise announcements in preparation for 2022.
We could possibly see more powerful versions of the Model 3 and Model Y in the near future. Both the Model S and Model X have ‘Plaid’ powertrains, and it’s not unreasonable to suggest that something similar could happen with cheaper Tesla cars. But perhaps not quite on the same level, considering how expensive the Plaid variants are.
It would be nice to see the return of the standard-range Model Y, after it was unceremoniously scrapped for having less than 250 miles of range. A drop in the price of the crossover SUV from the $ 58,990 it now has would also be appreciated. Or it could be something else entirely.
But with the growth of the electric car industry, especially in the US, we’d be surprised if Tesla would go another 12 months without announcing anything new, delayed or not.
