It's been a busy 12 months for Tesla, but it hasn't all been good

2021 brought the launch of the performance-centric Tesla Model S and Model X Plaid, new fully automated Autopilot subscriptions, record profits, and more great things

It also saw price increases, supply chain issues, delays, recalls, lots of negative publicity, and the usual controversial appearance of CEO Elon Musk Still, as 2021 comes to a close, it is time to stop looking back and start looking forward; here is what we can expect from Tesla in 2022

With the Rivian R1T and GMC Hummer EV already on the road, the age of the electric truck has finally arrived Tesla was expected to join the ranks by the end of 2021, but the company's delaying habits mean that cybertrucks will likely not arrive until late 2022

But the Cybertruck is no ordinary electric truck with a big battery and a powerful motor It is, but it has an angled steel exoskeleton instead of a normal automobile frame That's not to say that cybertrucks are indestructible, but they are much stronger than ordinary cars As a gimmick, its ability to withstand 9mm rounds and sledgehammers is quite good

Whether the Cybertruck will be successful is another matter, and even Elon Musk admits that its bonkers design might put people off Still, with the cancellation of the Tesla Model S Plaid Plus and the further delay of the second-generation Tesla Roadster, the Cybertruck is likely to be Tesla's only major announcement for 2022

If you take to the road, you will see quite a few electric vehicles A significant percentage of them will be made by Tesla But the semi-trucks that carry goods across the country still run on fossil fuels, and 2022 is going to be the year that Tesla helps change that

The Tesla Semi was first announced in 2017, but so far has not actually hit the road in any meaningful way Elon Musk has said that semi production could be delayed to 2023, but Ramon Laguarta, CEO of PespiCo, is a bit more optimistic that the company will take delivery of its first Tesla Semi by the end of 2021 The company also received permission to install a high-power Tesla megacharger at one of its facilities in Modesto, California

It will be a while before electric semi-trucks really take off, and Tesla is not the only company planning to do so But the fact that Tesla Semi is just one step away suggests that we may start seeing Tesla Semis on the road next year Especially if you live within 400 miles of Modesto

The Cybertruck is currently the only Tesla vehicle scheduled for release within the next 12 months, but Tesla's existing portfolio will undoubtedly see significant upgrades throughout 2022

In fact, Tesla cannot afford to stand still The company has a reputation for pushing boundaries and changing its vehicles to provide a unique Tesla experience, for better or worse, whether it is adding video games to its infotainment system or the infamous yoke steering wheel Increased competition means it is more important than ever for Tesla to continue to dig deep into innovation

Chip shortages or not, it is entirely predictable that Tesla will make significant changes These include small tweaks to performance, improvements to vehicles running the fully automated Autopilot beta, and more significant upgrades to upcoming vehicles It's hard to say what that will look like, especially for the high-end Model S and Model X, but take my word for it

I'm sorry to witness, but Tesla prices will gradually increase over the course of 2021 And we should not expect that to end in 2022 Thanks to the global chip shortage and supply chain delays caused by COVID, the high-tech industry is now in a precarious situation Tesla has proven that it is not immune to these problems, which is a big part of the reason prices are rising

However, the COVID-19 virus is proving to be going nowhere soon, and the chip shortage is expected to last until 2023 Therefore, the problems Tesla is already experiencing are likely to continue and may even get worse

No one knows how those problems will manifest themselves, and it is all up to Tesla However, it is quite predictable that Tesla will continue to raise prices to solve its supply chain problems After all, Tesla was notorious for its delays even before the pandemic

One feature that has already been slated for a price hike is Tesla's fully automated driving software According to Elon Musk, it will cost between $10,000 and $12,000

Let's hope automakers don't continue to deliver cars without certain components like USB ports and wireless chargers before warning people

Ten years ago, Tesla was the only automaker serious about electric cars These days, nearly every automaker sells or plans to sell an electric car, and by 2022, there will be a number of luxuriously equipped electric cars that will rival Tesla's These include advances in driver autonomy, faster charging capabilities, and a range approaching that of the Model S

Some of those vehicles, like the Ford F-150 Lightning, have been incredibly popular Ford received so many reservations for this electric truck that it had to stop taking reservations; 2022 will be the year that Tesla will have to step up and start taking the rest of the electric car industry seriously

Tesla's cars may be popular and attractive, but they are not perfect Tesla still has manufacturing quality issues, prices continue to rise, and its reputation has been tarnished by a well-known incident involving Autopilot Not to mention controversial design choices such as the yoke steering of the Model S and X, which seem to be at the behest of CEO Elon Musk

Reputation and brand recognition can go a long way when there is little competition But that is no longer the case with EVs So Tesla needs to make sure it does not ignore the problem until it is too late

As far as we know, Tesla only has one car scheduled for release in 2022 However, that does not mean that the company will not have something to announce throughout the year, as competition from other automakers intensifies

Earlier this year, there was an announcement that Tesla is working on a small hatchback car, with a $25,000 price tag That EV will not be available until 2023 at the earliest, but Tesla could make more surprise announcements for 2022

More powerful versions of the Model 3 and Model Y could appear in the near future Both the Model S and Model X have "plaid" powertrains, and it is not unreasonable to suggest that the same could happen with Tesla's lower-priced vehicles However, given how expensive the Plaid variant is, it probably will not be at the same level

It would be nice to see the standard-range Model Y resurrected after it was unceremoniously discontinued for having less than 250 miles of range It would also be nice to see the price of the crossover SUV reduced from its current $58,990 Or it could be something completely different

But as the electric car industry grows, especially in the US, we would be shocked if Tesla goes another 12 months without announcing something new - delay or not