Tesla Robotaxi in focus, but $25k EV details are wanted: Goldman Sachs


Tesla’s Robotaxi event is coming up soon, and some investors at Goldman Sachs are wondering if the company could provide more details about the $25,000 EV that has been rumored for some time.

The Robotaxi event already has massive implications for Tesla and its forecast moving forward. Tesla has the potential to set the tone for major growth with the event.

Firms have been stating that the Robotaxi concept would put Tesla at the front of the self-driving race, one that the company has been competing with Waymo and others to solve.

Last week, Bank of America analysts said the event presents a massive upside for Tesla stock, especially if it can be done correctly. A solid timeline, a plan of attack, a dedicated Robotaxi vehicle, and safety compared to human driving are just a few things that need to be addressed to ensure a “successful” event.

Now, Goldman Sachs analyst Mark Delaney is stating the Robotaxi event will lean on CEO Elon Musk and what he can reveal through the event, especially how fast Tesla can get the commercial operation of the Robotaxi fleet going, is what investors will look to hear:

“The timeline to begin commercial operations in robotaxis (including technology readiness and operational/regulatory/logistical considerations) and the business outlook (including how Tesla’s cost structure may compare to competitors) will be key areas of focus for investors.”

Delaney also said in the note that Tesla investor discussions have frequently brought up potential details about the $25,000 EV, as some believe more information about plans for the car would be a big plus:

“Whether Tesla provides more details or unveils the new lower-cost model at the 10/10 event has also been a frequent topic in our investor discussions.”

Tesla $25k car is a ‘2027 story’ after Giga Texas tour, analysts say

Tesla has been discussing a low-cost EV for a long time, but every time investors bring it up during earnings calls, the company has declined to shed any light on it.

Earlier this year, Reuters suggested Tesla had scrapped the project altogether, a claim that Elon Musk denied:

It is tough to think that Tesla would veer away from the central focus, which is the Robotaxi platform and its plans to roll it out as a commercial ride-sharing service.

However, the event was delayed, and Musk did say that “a few other things” would be shown off. He was not specific about what those were in specific.

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Tesla’s $25k car sneaks into discussions about Robotaxi Event, firm says





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Tesla launching Autopark for wider group of Cybertruck owners


Tesla will soon begin rolling out Autopark to a wider group of Cybertruck owners, after the company initially began releasing the feature to a select few earlier this month.

In the past few weeks, Tesla has rolled out two initial builds of Autopark for the Cybertruck to special testers, as Teslascope reports. However, on early Saturday morning, the outlet spotted an update deploying Autopark on Tesla Vision more widely to regular Cybertruck customers for the first time, and it’s expected to go out “shortly.”

Teslascope reports on its website that the aforementioned software update, version 2024.32.5.3, has only been spotted on four vehicles at the time of writing. As for when it will go out, it’s not yet entirely clear, though Cybertruck who have purchased or subscribed to Full Self-Driving (FSD) (Supervised) owners could see it in the next few days.

Autopark lets users perform automatic parking and parallel parking maneuvers in certain parking lot areas, simply by stopping near a spot and selecting one of the highlighted spaces. Tesla also warns that drivers must “continue to pay attention and be ready to take immediate action” when using this and other Autopilot features.

While Tesla hasn’t rolled out FSD Supervised for the Cybertruck just yet, the company said last month that it would be debuting parking assistance features for the electric vehicle (EV) first. Earlier this month, the Tesla AI account went on to share a larger roadmap for FSD Supervised, including the fact that the team expects to launch the software on the Cybertruck sometime this month.

Over the past few weeks, Tesla has also been rolling out its Actually Smart Summon (ASS) feature, which lets drivers remotely summon their vehicles from parking spaces using the mobile app. Early reviews for the long-anticipated ASS feature have already been surfacing, with many showing some pretty impressive results.

Teslas with Hardware 3 are getting the new Actually Smart Summon feature

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

Tesla launching Autopark for wider group of Cybertruck owners





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Tesla highlights the Megapack site replacing Hawaii’s last coal plant


Tesla has highlighted a Megapack project that went live in Hawaii earlier this year, which is effectively replacing the state’s last coal plant.

On Thursday, the Tesla Megapack account on X shared a video featuring interviews with employees and partners involved in Oahu’s Kapolei Energy Storage (KES) system. The site, which went live earlier this year, features 158 Megapack 2XL units for 185MW / 565 MWh, and Tesla Residential Energy Director Colby Hastings says it’s roughly the equivalent of the nearby coal plant that was retired.

The battery energy storage system (BESS) is being operated in partnership with Plus Power, and the project has been considered a success in helping to stabilize the grid in preparation for Hawaii’s upcoming climate goals.

Nearby Chairman Anthony Makana says that the BESS project allowed for the “sunsetting of one of the dirtiest polluters in our community,” referring to the coal plant. The site also comes ahead of Hawaiian Electric’s goal of reaching 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.

The features multiple short interview moments, including a few words from Plus Power CEO Brandon Keefe, who notes that the renewable provider first started working on the project in 2018. You can watch the full video below.

The Oahu KES site first went operational in January, and Tesla Senior VP of Powertrain and Energy Engineering Drew Baglino visited the BESS to celebrate its Comercial Operation Date (COD).

“Stopped by to congratulate the local team on the successful COD of the 185MW Hawaiian Electric Tesla Megapack installation on Oahu today,” Baglino wrote in a post on X.

The final shipment of coal to the Oahu coal plant took place in September 2022, as was highlighted in a post from Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

The video also comes as the latest of Tesla’s efforts to create educational advertising material it shares on its various social media platforms. Although much of the company’s advertising team was reportedly affected by widespread layoffs in April, Tesla has continued to roll out educational ads both for its energy products and its electric vehicles (EVs).

Tesla Energy highlights its ‘Charge on Solar’ feature in latest ad

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

Tesla highlights the Megapack site replacing Hawaii’s last coal plant





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