Tesla Opens Cybercab Orders at $29,900, Invite-Only and $299 a Month

Tesla officially launched Cybercab sales, and the starting price is listed at $29,900 — rounded to $30,000. There's a catch before the car: only people who have been invited can order one right now, and there is no public ordering page. Buyers put down a $1,000 non-refundable deposit, with estimated delivery set for December of this year.

The bigger asterisk sits on top of the purchase price. Anyone who orders a Cybercab also has to pay for Full Self Driving, listed as Autonomy on Tesla's website at $299 a month. Stretch that across five years, assuming the rate holds, and you're looking at another $17,940 — bringing the total to $47,840, per CleanTechnica.

The car doesn't come with a steering wheel or pedals, according to the outlet. That means once it's in your driveway, you're tied to Tesla's monthly Autonomy fee. If the company pushes it to $499 a month, owners either pay it, sell the car, or leave it parked and out of service.

So is nearly $50,000 over five years worth it for a two-seater? CleanTechnica argues the math hinges on the autonomy itself — a car that drives you while you work or sleep, or one you can send out for taxi duty, is worth more than an ordinary vehicle. The outlet also notes the five-year Autonomy bill alone tops the price of a used BMW i3 it recently bought, which carries more passengers. How many people or companies agree that's a good deal should become clear soon.