The recently introduced Cybercub autonomous taxi predictably caused a wave of discussion on the web. However, the public's enthusiasm quickly cooled after car fans began to notice similarities between Tesla's new product and other well-known projects.
As Carscoops reports, netizens are quick to notice that the Cybercub strongly resembles the Volkswagen XL1 concept. While Tesla's latest creation wants to revolutionize urban mobility with full autonomy and mass-market ambitions, the XL1 was a hyper-efficient, extremely limited experiment in fuel-saving technology.
However, the cars are really quite similar. The first thing that is visible to the naked eye is the silhouette of the model. Of course, this similarity is dictated by aerodynamic efficiency, as a droplet is the natural form of least drag. The XL1 has an extended tail and enclosed rear wheels designed for minimal drag.
At the same time, the Cybercab has straighter lines and a simpler design. However, both models have gullwing type doors. Such a door opening mechanism not only makes it more efficient, but also makes it easier to get in and out of the car. In addition, both projects do not have a rear window, and the lights have a similar LED strip along the entire width of the cabin.
The lack of a rear window on the XL1 can probably be attributed to aerodynamic efficiency. For the Cybercab, fully autonomous driving eliminates the need for rear visibility. Interestingly, other new models such as the Avatr 12 and Polestar 4 also lack a rear window, marking a new trend in modern car design.
Obviously the Tesla and VW models have a two-seater interior, but the autonomous module and lack of controls allow the Cybercub to fit one more passenger, while the XL1 should have room for a steering wheel and instruments dedicated to the driver. The cargo space in the cars of the American manufacturer is also larger, since Volkswagen has a 0.8-liter diesel engine that is part of the hybrid installation at the back, and this reduces the cargo volume.
