Ready for the next ride
Planned cleaning, cabin checks, charging coordination, and maintenance routines to keep vehicles ready for service.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA / IN DEVELOPMENT
Your time.
Your space.
Beyond the wheel.
A new chapter in local transportation. Beyond Helm by S&L is preparing an autonomous fleet designed around the people inside.
Explore the vision01 / THE PASSENGER EXPERIENCE
A little more
room to be you.
A ride without a driver in the cabin. Time to talk, recharge, or simply watch your city go by.
We’re planning for the next era of autonomous travel in the Charlotte metro. Our proposed fleet would operate through Tesla’s Robotaxi network, subject to acceptance, vehicle availability, and authorization in our market.
Personal space describes the cabin experience. Vehicle cameras, monitoring, and data practices would remain subject to the technology provider’s policies.
OUR PLANNED HOME MARKET
Charlotte.
Forward from here.
Local knowledge. Transportation experience.
A long-term commitment to the place we serve.
02 / THE WORK BEHIND THE RIDE
Autonomous travel.
Hands-on care.
Accountable locally
A local operating team responsible for vehicle care, service coordination, and responding when a vehicle needs attention.
Built to grow carefully
A small initial fleet, measured operating performance, and expansion when demand and service quality support it.
03 / FOUNDED ON EXPERIENCE
A new direction.
A familiar commitment.
Founded by Shaquan Ussery, owner of S&L Transportation Services.
Beyond Helm carries forward an operator’s perspective: care for the vehicles, plan the work, and take responsibility for the passenger experience. The proposed venture builds on Shaquan’s experience running a transportation business.
04 / FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
Understand the costs.
Test the possibilities.
A founder-funded plan with $120,000 that could be ready as early as December 2026, subject to confirmation. These examples explore what a small fleet could require and earn under different assumptions.
Purchases or down payments
Operating buffer at launch
Deposits, infrastructure, and administration
Planned founder contribution. December 2026 is an earliest funding readiness target, not a launch date or money currently held by the venture.
What is included in the setup allowance?
| Item | Placeholder allowance |
|---|---|
| Legal and accounting setup | $2,500 |
| Insurance deposits | $4,000 |
| Depot deposits and charging setup | $6,500 |
| Website and launch administration | $2,000 |
| Total | $15,000 |
These allowances subdivide the existing $15,000 setup budget. Actual quotes may be higher, particularly if electrical upgrades or new charging infrastructure are needed.
How fleet size changes the starting capital
Assumes a $40,000 all-in cost per vehicle. Both paths include the $15,000 setup allowance and $30,000 cash reserve.
| Initial fleet | Buy outright | Finance with 20% down | Debt balance | Monthly debt payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 vehicles | $165,000 | $69,000 | $96,000 | $1,947 |
| 5 vehicles | $245,000 | $85,000 | $160,000 | $3,245 |
| 10 vehicles | $445,000 | $125,000 | $320,000 | $6,490 |
Financing assumes 8% APR over 60 months, approximately $649 per vehicle monthly, rounded for this model. Financing and commercial-use eligibility are unconfirmed. Fees and costs a lender will not finance are additional. At the assumed $40,000 price, two vehicles bought outright plus setup and reserve require $125,000.
Three vehicles. Three monthly outcomes.
The same financed fleet, with different paid mileage and unit economics. Paid miles are miles generating fares; empty travel must also be covered by the cost allowances.
| Monthly model | Downside | Base illustration | Higher utilization |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid miles per vehicle per day | 40 | 80 | 120 |
| Gross revenue per paid mile | $1.25 | $1.50 | $1.50 |
| Network deduction | 30% | 20% | 20% |
| Variable cost per paid mile | $0.40 | $0.30 | $0.30 |
| Gross fare revenue | $4,500 | $10,800 | $16,200 |
| Network deductions | −$1,350 | −$2,160 | −$3,240 |
| Electricity and usage-related costs | −$1,440 | −$2,160 | −$3,240 |
| Fixed vehicle operating costs | −$2,700 | −$2,700 | −$2,700 |
| Shared fleet overhead | −$1,600 | −$1,600 | −$1,600 |
| Loan payments | −$1,947 | −$1,947 | −$1,947 |
| Cash remaining / (shortfall) | −$4,537 | $233 | $3,473 |
30-day month. Cash remaining is before income taxes, founder distributions, extraordinary repairs, and vehicle replacement reserves. It is not accounting profit or money promised to investors. Fixed allowances may increase with utilization; results can be worse than the downside example.
How are operating costs and break-even calculated?
The $900 monthly fixed allowance per vehicle is provisionally split into insurance ($450), parking ($150), routine cleaning and checks ($200), and subscriptions or other fixed costs ($100). Shared overhead is $1,600 per month for management and administration. These are budget placeholders, not market quotes.
Variable costs cover charging, tires, and usage-related maintenance, including the effect of empty miles. The assumptions need to be rebuilt from actual total mileage and supplier quotes, without counting the same expense twice.
Base contribution per paid mile: $1.50 × 80% − $0.30 = $0.90.
Three-vehicle fixed cash requirement: $2,700 + $1,600 + $1,947 = $6,247 per month.
Base cash break-even: approximately 78 paid miles per vehicle per day. With downside unit economics, that rises to approximately 147 miles.
The $30,000 reserve covers about 4.8 months of this fixed cash requirement at zero revenue, excluding extraordinary expenses. Extra launch cash left after financing is not assumed spent; keeping it available would extend the buffer.
Future capital participation
The current plan prioritizes founder ownership. Outside capital may be considered after vehicle access, operating terms, and economics are verified. No equity percentages, preferred returns, distributions, or exit terms have been set.
For planning discussions only. No securities are offered and no investment funds or commitments are being accepted through this site. Any future investment could lose some or all of its value. Distributions would depend on actual results, reserves, and definitive agreements.
05 / THE ROAD TO LAUNCH
Preparation comes first.
We are in the planning stage. Passenger service is not available, and no launch date has been set.
- IN PROGRESS
Business and operating plan
Define the fleet, local support model, and launch resources. Founder capital could be ready as early as December 2026.
- TO BE CONFIRMED
Network and market readiness
Confirm Tesla terms, vehicle access, insurance, and local operating requirements.
- FUTURE MILESTONE
Initial fleet launch
Begin service only after the operating and financial requirements are met.
A few things to know.
Can I book a ride now?
No. Beyond Helm is a proposed fleet operation. Booking arrangements would depend on an approved operating agreement and launch in our market.
Is Beyond Helm affiliated with Tesla?
No partnership, endorsement, or third-party operating approval has been confirmed. Tesla and Cybercab are trademarks of Tesla, Inc. Beyond Helm is an independent proposed venture.
Where would the fleet operate?
Charlotte metro is the intended launch market. The actual service area would depend on network availability, operating approvals, and vehicle capabilities.