Elon Musk Tells Investors Cheaper Tesla Electric Cars Should Arrive Ahead of Schedule On an earnings call, Musk told shareholders that Tesla could start producing new, affordable electric cars earlier than expected.
By Sherin Shibu
Key Takeaways
- Tesla reported its biggest sales drop since 2012 on Tuesday.
- Musk said on the call that Tesla could start producing new, cheaper electric cars early next year if not late this year.
- The previous timeline had the cars slated to begin production later next year.
Tesla shared its first-quarter financial results with its stockholders on Tuesday and said that it has sped up the launch of new, more affordable electric cars.
Tesla reported its biggest revenue decline in 12 years, with a 9% drop from earnings last year. The company made $21.3 billion in Q1 2024, down from $23.3 billion at the same time last year and $25.2 billion last quarter.
On a Tuesday call announcing the earnings, Tesla CEO Elon Musk offset news of the decline with an update that the company will start producing new, more affordable electric cars in "early 2025 if not late this year." Tesla stock surged upon the news.
Related: Tesla Sales, Deliveries Drop for First Time Since 2020
Tesla's cheapest offering at the moment is its $38,990 Model 3. The company announced an upgraded Model 3 Performance starting at $52,990 ahead of its earnings call on Tuesday.
Tesla Model 3. Photo Credit: Na Bian/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The announcement accelerates the timeline to cheaper electric vehicles (EVs). Tesla previously stated that it would start producing more affordable EVs in the second half of 2025.
In a slide deck shared with investors, Tesla stated that the new EVs, including the cheaper models, will incorporate familiar Tesla features into a new, next-generation platform, but the company's overall growth rates could be "notably lower" this year compared to last year as its teams work on it.
Musk emphasized to shareholders that Tesla is more than just an auto company, arguing that it should be considered more like an AI tech company.
"The way to think of Tesla is almost entirely in terms of solving autonomy, and being able to turn on that autonomy for a gigantic fleet," Musk said.
Tesla has a humanoid robot in development, Musk told investors, and it could be able to help in Tesla factories by the end of this year.
Related: Elon Musk Reveals When Tesla Will Release Its First Robotaxi
Earlier this month, Musk posted on X that the Tesla robotaxi, a fully autonomous, self-driving electric car, will arrive this August.
Tesla also laid off at least 14,000 employees last week.
