Tesla Cybercab: hate it or love it, it is the most efficient EV ever

Tesla’s Cybercab has been certified at 165 Wh/mi, making it the most efficient electric vehicle ever produced — by a wide margin. The next most efficient EV on the market, the Lucid Air Pure, consumes 28% more energy per mile.

Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy confirmed the figure, which represents a certified rating — not a marketing claim or internal target. It’s an impressive achievement, but it comes with a massive asterisk: Tesla accomplished this by building a tiny two-seat robotaxi with no steering wheel, no pedals, and a sub-50 kWh battery pack.

How the Cybercab compares to every other EV

To put 165 Wh/mi in context, here’s how it stacks up against the most efficient EVs currently rated by the EPA:

• Tesla Cybercab: 165 Wh/mi
• Lucid Air Pure RWD (19″): 230 Wh/mi — 28% less efficient
• Tesla Model 3 RWD (18″): 240 Wh/mi — 31% less efficient
• Tesla Model Y RWD (18″): 240 Wh/mi — 31% less efficient
• Hyundai Ioniq 6 SE RWD (18″): 241 Wh/mi — 32% less efficient
• Toyota bZ3X XLE FWD: 260 Wh/mi — 37% less efficient
• Tesla Model S AWD (19″): 270 Wh/mi — 39% less efficient

The gap between the Cybercab and every other EV on the road is enormous. Even Tesla’s own Model 3 — one of the most efficient passenger EVs you can buy — needs nearly a third more energy to cover the same distance.