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Tesla: Driving the Future

Tesla is redefining industries with innovations in electric vehicles, AI, robotics, and energy

NASDAQ:TSLA
$470.81+0.11%
Updated: Nov 25, 2025
Industrials
megausa

Bull & Bear Case

An overview of the main reasons to invest and the key risks involved.

Bull Case

Huge live-driving data advantage

Millions of Tesla  cars send back real-world data, improving self-driving faster than rivals.

One car, many future payments

Every Tesla can bring extra income after sale from subscriptions and upgrades.

Tied to three big transitions

Growth in EVs, clean energy, and automation all benefit Tesla’s core business.

Bear Case

Price pressure from China

Lower-cost Chinese EV makers force Tesla  to cut prices, slowing sales growth and squeezing car profits.

Self-driving and safety uncertainty

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving still faces legal, safety, and approval hurdles, so any delay or incident could slow adoption and hit future earnings.

Big future projects must deliver

Optimism for robots, Robotaxi, and big energy bets is already baked in, so any slip or weak demand can trigger a sharp stock drop.

Executive Summary

Beyond EVs: Tesla’s Bold Expansion into AI, Robotics, and Energy

Tesla is widely recognized for revolutionizing the electric vehicle (EV) market, but the company is also pushing boundaries in other areas, from AI-driven full-self-driving (FSD) technology to humanoid robots and energy storage solutions. Tesla's expansive portfolio and innovative approach have cemented its position as a key player in the green tech and transportation sectors.

Tesla's growth story continues, with expansion beyond EVs into robotics, AI, and energy systems. However, risks from increasing competition, regulatory hurdles, and ambitious ventures like Optimus robots require careful monitoring. Tesla's future hinges on successfully executing its vision for AI and energy solutions, maintaining leadership in EVs, and navigating challenges posed by growing competition from both traditional automakers and new startups.

Investment Thesis

Overview of buy and sell case of the business.

Why Invest?

Key pieces of information about the business that you need to know about.

Huge live-driving data advantage

Tesla has millions of cars on the road sending back real driving data every day, helping its software learn faster than Western rivals and improving self‑driving with every mile driven.

One car, many future payments

Each Tesla sold can later bring in extra money from monthly self‑driving fees, connectivity, and in‑car upgrades, so a single car is not just a one‑off sale but a long-term customer.

Tied to three big transitions

Tesla sits in the middle of three big global shifts, electric cars, cleaner power grids, and robots doing more work, so progress in any one of these areas can boost its overall value.

Catalysts

The key events that could drive investment opportunities and shift markets.

Near term
  • Self-driving subscription: Tesla owners can add Full Self-Driving, a software upgrade that lets the car steer, park, and help with traffic, by paying a monthly fee. If more drivers choose this upgrade, Tesla makes more recurring profit, boosting results even if no new cars are sold.

Medium term
  • Expansion of Robotaxi and Full Self-Driving rollout: Monitor concrete Robotaxi launch timelines, regulatory approvals in Europe and key U.S. states, and any disclosed targets for active FSD subscribers; visible progress here would shift the market from modelling optionality to valuing a real, growing autonomy revenue stream.

Long term
  • Optimus and factory automation: Watch for real deployments of Optimus robots inside Tesla factories and then at external customers, plus any early unit or revenue disclosures; moving from demos to production use would start to price in “labour as software” rather than viewing robotics as an expensive experiment.

  • Autonomy, AI, and policy shifts: Track global regulations on autonomous driving, industrial robotics, and clean-energy incentives; a friendlier framework for self-driving fleets, factory automation, and energy storage would expand Tesla’s addressable market and lengthen the growth runway across autonomy, robotics, and grid optimisation.

Key Risks

Key pieces of information about the business risks that you need to know about.

Price pressure from China

Lower-cost electric car makers in China are cutting prices and gaining share, which can force Tesla to discount more, slow its sales growth, and reduce the profit made on each car.

Self-driving and safety uncertainty

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system is still being checked by regulators and linked to safety concerns, so delays, new rules, or a serious accident could slow customer adoption and push expected future profits further out in time.

Big future projects must deliver

Robotaxis, factory robots, and large energy projects are still early and unproven, yet the share price already assumes big long-term success, so any stumble, delay, or weak demand here could cause a sharp drop in the stock

Follow the Experts

Quickly navigate key insights from industry experts and leverage their knowledge and market intelligence.

Dan Ives profile

Dan Ives

Global Head of Technology Research at Wedbush Securities

175k audience

Expert Insights

youtube
“90% of Tesla's story is about AI and autonomous driving”
youtube
“I believe Tesla will be a leader in broader autonomous”
Gene Munster profile

Gene Munster

Managing Partner at Deepwater Asset Management

86k audience

Expert Insights

article
“I was shocked to see the stock up…Tesla's a cult stock, the numbers were pretty choppy”
@WholeMarsBlog profile

@WholeMarsBlog

EV Influencer

585k audience

Expert Insights

x
“Imagine selling Tesla as unsupervised FSD begins to roll out”
x
“Just got back from my first drives…not quite ready to go wide, a few rough edges, but it’s the biggest improvement yet. Bravo Tesla team. Another masterpiece. Tastes like robotaxi”
Electrek profile

Electrek

Publication covering Tesla, electric vehicles and green energy

191k audience

Expert Insights

article
“Tesla as a company has overcome quite a few obstacles to get where it stands today as the most valuable automaker by market cap.”
article
“Tesla is guiding a return to growth in 2025 thanks to new models and self-driving”
Pierre Ferragu profile

Pierre Ferragu

Managing Partner at New Street Research

112k audience

Expert Insights

youtube
“This vision where Tesla becomes a company that can deploy millions of Robotaxi’s every year is still a multi-year vision, but it’s going to get more and more tangible this year”

Investor Materials

Access the most recent investor updates published by the company.

Key Resources

Tesla Fourth Quarter 2024 Production, Deliveries & Deployments | Tesla Investor Relations

Article

AUSTIN, Texas, January 2, 2025 – In the fourth quarter, we produced approximately 459,000 vehicles, delivered over 495,000 vehicles and deployed 11.0 GWh of energy storage products – a record for both deliveries and deployments.

2024 Annual Shareholder meeting

PDF

External Insights

A curated collection of third-party content relevant to the company and sector to help inform your investment decision.

TSLA stock

Can Tesla stock grow any more?

Article

Christopher Ruane sees a trio of potential reasons Tesla stock could end up selling for a higher price than today. But is that enough for him to invest?

FSD's & Robotaxis

Tesla investors want answers about Optimus and robotaxis — and whether Elon Musk's push into politics will hurt the EV giant

Article

In an online forum for shareholders ahead of Tesla's fourth-quarter earnings, investors clamored for details about Elon Musk's robotaxi rollout.

Research

Wall Street bets Tesla’s 2025 sales will miss Elon Musk’s target

Electric-car maker expected to take hit from Trump’s bid to dismantle Biden-era climate initiative

Tesla’s Profit Fell Sharply Last Year

The electric car company run by Elon Musk is facing increasing competition, but investors have focused mostly on the prospects for Tesla’s self-driving technology.

Tesla’s departure from reality, in one chart

Earnings don’t matter when Trump is your friend

Tesla results disappoint but Musk touts coming robots and ‘cybercabs’

Optimism contrasts with disclosure of its first annual decline in EV sales in more than a decade

Team

Meet the experienced professionals leading our organization

Elon Musk - undefined

Elon Musk

Tom Zhu - undefined

Tom Zhu

What the Pro's Are Asking

Here are the questions that professional investors are asking before making an investment decision.

When Will Tesla Release More Affordable Models?

Investors are keen to know when Tesla will deliver on its promise to launch more affordable electric vehicles, particularly the much-anticipated $25,000 model. Tesla confirmed that it is on track to introduce lower-cost models starting in 2025, with Robotaxis potentially lowering the initial cost of entry into EV ownership. As Elon Musk emphasized, the focus will be on autonomous and electric vehicles, which will eventually become the standard in the automotive industry. This could lead to 20%-30% vehicle growth in the coming years.

What Is Tesla’s Plan for Autonomous Vehicles and Robotaxi Deployment?

Elon Musk reiterated that Cybercab, Tesla's autonomous ride-sharing fleet, will enter volume production in 2026, with a goal of 2 million units per year. The broader focus is on improving Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology, which is already being tested in Tesla’s FSD Beta program. The Cybertruck and Robotaxis are expected to make full autonomy a reality, eliminating the need for manual driving controls, which will lower the cost per mile and significantly impact the market.

What is Tesla's P/E valuation and how can it be justified when compared to other car makers?

Tesla’s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio has often been a point of discussion among investors. As of recent, Tesla’s P/E has been significantly higher than traditional automakers, which may raise questions about its valuation. However, Tesla is not just an automaker—it’s a technology and energy company with diverse business models spanning electric vehicles, autonomous driving, and renewable energy solutions.

Unlike traditional car manufacturers, Tesla’s growth prospects are amplified by its leadership in energy storage, solar technology, and AI-powered autonomous vehicles. Tesla’s ability to scale and innovate in multiple industries, combined with its potential to dominate in autonomous ride-sharing and global energy storage, justifies its higher P/E.

What Is Tesla’s Strategy for the Semi and FSD Rollout?

Investors are particularly interested in the future of Tesla’s Semi Truck and its integration with Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities. Tesla is progressing with the construction of its semi-factory in Reno, with pilot builds expected in 2025 and full production beginning in 2026. With FSD hardware already installed on the Semi trucks, the focus is now on training the system with the goal of achieving full autonomy. This move is crucial for the trucking industry, where cost-per-mile efficiency and driver safety will give Tesla a competitive edge.

How Will Tesla Leverage AI for Future Growth?

Tesla's approach to AI is another area of investor interest. With AI compute becoming more critical for autonomous driving and manufacturing, Tesla plans to utilise its in-house AI hardware for FSD, robotics, and energy solutions. Tesla has a significant AI compute infrastructure, with 50,000 GPUs expected to be deployed by the end of the year. Investors are eager to understand how this AI capability will scale to meet demand and accelerate FSD development. The ongoing work with xAI, Elon Musk’s AI venture, is expected to further enhance Tesla’s real-world AI capabilities, giving it an edge over other automakers.