Tesla’s stock freefall has spooked investors, and CEO Elon Musk knows it. In a late-night all-hands meeting, he tried to steady the shipaddressing the growing backlash from his political ties and violent protests targeting Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) showrooms. Sales are sliding in the U.S., China, and Europe, and while the updated Model Y should help, it’s clear the brand is under pressure. Musk didn’t dodge the controversy, instead doubling down: I get it if you don’t want to buy our product, but you don’t have to burn it down. Despite the noise, he urged employees and shareholders to stay the course.
Musk’s bigger message? The best is yet to come. Tesla’s bet on full autonomy and robotics is moving forward, with the Cybercab robotaxi in pre-production and internal trials for ride-hailing in California now underway. Production of the Optimus humanoid robot has also kicked off in Fremont, with 5,000 units targeted this year and plans to scale to 50,000 in 2026. Musk described Tesla’s next-gen assembly line as faster than anyone can get close toa complete rethink of how cars, and soon robots, are built. For investors, these projects are the high-risk, high-reward levers that could define Tesla’s next decade.
Wall Street isn’t ignoring the chaos, but Musk’s return to center stage is seen as a step in the right direction. Wedbush’s Dan Ives called it the first step in addressing what he labeled a brand crisis. With TSLA down roughly 50% from its peak, the pressure’s on. But if Musk’s vision plays out10 million autonomous vehicles and a robot workforce in the pipelinethis may be one of those rare moments where holding through the storm could actually pay off.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
