Elon Musk Fuels Dogecoin Frenzy With Shiba Inu Mascot In New Cybercab

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and a well-known advocate for Dogecoin, has once again ignited excitement within the DOGE community. During the unveiling of Tesla’s new autonomous vehicle, the “Cybercab,” a Shiba Inu—the breed synonymous with Dogecoin—was prominently featured, sending DOGE enthusiasts into a frenzy.

Dogecoin Community Reacts

The official Dogecoin account on X (formerly Twitter) directly addressed Musk, referring to the appearance as “a Shiba Inu taxi.” This subtle inclusion has sparked widespread speculation about Tesla’s potential plans to integrate Dogecoin into its payment systems.

Hey @elonmusk is that a Shiba Inur taxi? pic.twitter.com/ihfktgc4ds

— Dogecoin (@dogecoin) October 11, 2024

Prominent members of the Dogecoin community took to X to express their excitement. DogeDesigner (@cb_doge), with whom Musk frequently interacts, exclaimed: “Wait, did Elon just say we can buy a Tesla Cybercab with Dogecoin? He dropped ‘You’ll be able to buy one’ right when Doge appeared riding in the Cybercab!”

Another influential figure in the DOGE community, Sir Doge of the Coin (@dogeofficialceo), noted the significance of the moment: “Tesla featured a Shiba Inu Doge in their Robotaxi unveiling video.” Community member Đoge420 (@dogecoine420) echoed the speculation, questioning whether DOGE would be accepted as payment for the new vehicle. “Wait, did Elon just say we can buy a Tesla Cybercab with Dogecoin? He dropped “You’ll be able to buy one” right when Doge appeared riding in the Cybercab!” she wrote.

Nevertheless, Astro (@Astro1062) highlighted the enigmatic nature of Tesla’s announcements: “Zero information from Tesla regarding how you will pay for Cybercab rides because it just might be available in 2026. Zero information from X regarding XPayments and zero information from Starlink regarding their collaboration with Dogecoin. It’s too quiet.”

The New Tesla Cybercab

Elon Musk showcased the Cybercab during a presentation on a Hollywood film set, arriving in the vehicle himself. He argued that most of the time, cars “just do nothing,” but if they are autonomous, they could be used five times more, maybe ten times more.

The Cybercab is a two-seater vehicle with scissor doors, devoid of a steering wheel and accelerator pedal, emphasizing its fully autonomous capabilities. The interior mirrors the minimalist design of Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y, featuring a large central touchscreen. Notably, the Cybercab is designed for inductive, wireless charging, eliminating the need for a traditional charging connection.

While specific technical details such as range, battery size, or charging speed were not disclosed, Musk hinted at an ambitious production timeline. Manufacturing is slated to begin in 2026, with the vehicles expected to cost less than $30,000. Musk envisions operating a fleet of self-driving Tesla cabs accessible via a dedicated app, aiming to reduce transportation costs to $0.20 per mile—significantly lower than the $1 per mile average for city buses.

In addition to the Cybercab, Musk unveiled the “Robovan,” an autonomous minibus capable of carrying up to 20 passengers. The event also highlighted progress in Tesla’s humanoid robot project, Optimus. A group of these human-like robots made an appearance, demonstrating their capabilities. According to Musk, his company made a lot of progress with Optimus. He envisions these robots becoming integral to society, with an anticipated cost between $20,000 and $30,000.

Musk has long touted autonomous vehicles as a cornerstone of Tesla’s future, previously suggesting that Tesla owners could deploy their cars as part of a robotaxi network to generate income.

While no official announcements have been made regarding Tesla accepting Dogecoin as payment for the Cybercab or other services, the inclusion of the Shiba Inu mascot has reignited discussions about potential integrations between Tesla and the cryptocurrency. Musk’s history of influencing Dogecoin’s value through social media hints and endorsements adds weight to the community’s speculation.

However, the DOGE hasn’t shown any meaningful reaction. DOGE is up 1.4% over the last 24 hours, mostly in line with the general crypto market sentiment. At press time, Dogecoin traded at $0.10845.