Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the Cybercab’s electric motor uses no rare earth metals while preserving the vehicle’s range. Tesla investor and influencer Sawyer Merritt said the motor was 18% smaller and 25% lighter, as well as more efficient, than comparable motors. The design could reduce Tesla’s exposure to supply-chain risks because China dominates rare-earth processing and permanent-magnet production, while the President Donald Trump administration has taken uncertain positions on tariffs affecting China. Investor Gary Black, The Future Fund LLC co-founder, criticized the Cybercab event for providing too little information, including how many vehicles Tesla plans to deploy. He also highlighted regulatory uncertainty surrounding the vehicle’s non-traditional controls, which lack a steering wheel and pedals. Musk described the launch as marking a golden era in transportation and said the Cybercab was more efficient than Alphabet’s sixth-generation Waymo Robotaxis. Tesla shares fell 1.64% to $370.19 in overnight trading on Thursday.