EVwire brief: Tesla says a new manufacturing process for Cybercab cuts emissions from painted parts by 35% and eliminates paint VOC emissions entirely.
The process, called reaction injection molding (RIM), injects paint directly during the molding step instead of running parts through a separate paint shop, shrinking cycle times from hours to minutes.
Cybercab is a contender for the most sustainable Tesla ever.
"Our new reaction injection molding (RIM) process reduces manufacturing cycle times from hours to just minutes with paint injected during the molding process. This leap in efficiency and sustainability underscores our commitment to scalable, low-impact innovation."
It's one piece of a broader manufacturing push for the two-seat robotaxi: the Cybercab also uses Tesla's 4680 battery cells, steer-by-wire controls, and a 48-volt architecture, built on Tesla's "unboxed" assembly process that needs less factory space per vehicle.
Tesla designed the Cybercab to be as cost-efficient as possible, and that extends to everything, from its production to its operation.
Context:
The paint-shop overhaul feeds into Cybercab's headline sustainability pitch. With full autonomy and maximized ride-hailing, Tesla projects Cybercab will avoid nearly twice the GHG emissions per mile of a Model 3 or Model Y, a claim we broke down in more depth in our look at Tesla's full 2025 Impact Report.
Design followed the data here too. Tesla says 85% of ride-hailing trips carry only one or two passengers, which is why Cybercab shipped as a compact two-seater instead of a scaled-down five-seater.
Tesla also expects the Cybercab to have one of the biggest environmental impacts among the vehicles on its fleet.
Eliminating a steering wheel, pedals, and mirrors also frees up cabin space and cuts weight, part of why Tesla's own VP of vehicle engineering has called Cybercab the most efficient production EV it has certified.
A 35% emissions cut on painted parts alone won't make or break Cybercab's math, but stacked with steer-by-wire, 4680 cells, and unboxed assembly, it's a reminder that Tesla is trying to win this one on manufacturing cost as much as on software.
Source: Tesla 2025 Impact Report and Tesla on X
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