
Tesla EV sales plunge again after Elon Musk backlash
Why it matters: EVs are an essential source of cash flow for Tesla as it pursues ambitious projects like self-driving cars and humanoid robots.
Driving the news: Tesla's EV deliveries — a close proxy for sales — fell 13.5% to 384,122 in Q2, compared with a year earlier.
Sellside analysts had projected a range of 380,000 to 390,000, though "online trackers" expected 345,000 to 360,000, according to Evercore ISI.
Tesla shares rose 4.8% in pre-market trading to $315.06.
Zoom in: Deliveries of the Model Y crossover and Model 3 sedan fell 11.5%.
Deliveries of other vehicles — the category that includes the Cybertruck — plunged 51.8%.

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Newsweek
28 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Millennials Are More Patriotic Than Boomers In Car-Buying Habits: Study
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Millennials are surprisingly more patriotic than their baby boomer counterparts—at least when it comes to their car-buying habits, according to a new study. In the report from 65 percent of millennials were willing to pay more for a vehicle if it created more U.S. jobs, whereas just 37 percent of boomers said the same. Why It Matters Baby boomers have garnered a reputation for being more traditional and patriotic in nature, but their actual spending habits may reflect different priorities. Millennials, known to be more critical of traditions and patriotism, actually want to create more U.S. jobs through their vehicle purchases, the study found. On average, Americans spent $12,078 on car ownership costs in 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A Tesla charges up in the Silicon Valley town of Mountain View, California, on August 24, 2016. A Tesla charges up in the Silicon Valley town of Mountain View, California, on August 24, 2016. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images What To Know Millennials were by far the most patriotic car buyers, scoring 65 percent, with Gen X finishing second at 50 percent, Gen Z coming in third at 48 percent and boomers finishing last with 37 percent, according to the generational study. "The generation that gets labeled as unpatriotic snowflakes is actually the one putting their money where their mouth is," Michael Ryan, finance expert and founder of told Newsweek. "Meanwhile, Boomers, who'll lecture you about supporting America all day long. They balk at paying an extra $50 for something made here." President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs have impacted car manufacturing, especially as many Americans historically purchase vehicles built by non-U.S. companies. More than half of those surveyed said they've accelerated their vehicle purchase timeline to avoid tariff-driven price hikes, and 73 percent of shoppers would consider an American-built vehicle to avoid added tariff costs. When it comes to which vehicles and car brands contribute the most to the U.S. economy through manufacturing, parts sourcing and employment, Texas-based Tesla claimed the top four spots, with its Model 3 topping the list. The Jeep Gladiator and Kia EV6 also ranked high, while Honda vehicles took three spots in the top 10 list. What People Are Saying Patrick Masterson, lead researcher for American-Made Index, said in the report: "As import tariffs shake up the auto industry and influence consumer priorities, our 2025 American-Made Index [AMI] offers a timely snapshot of which vehicles and automakers are truly driving U.S. economic impact. Tesla continues to lead, claiming the top four spots and showcasing its commitment to domestic production. About 25 percent of the more than 400 vehicles on sale in the U.S. made this year's AMI, and whether a vehicle is No. 1 or No. 99, it contributes to the U.S. economy." Ryan added to Newsweek: "Millennials aren't being patriotic in the flag waving, anthem singing way their grandparents were. They're being patriotic with their wallets. That's way more practical. Millennials came of age watching factories close, friends struggle with student debt, and entire communities devastated by job losses. "So when a millennial pays extra for an American made car, they're not thinking 'America, hell yeah!' They're thinking 'Maybe this keeps someone's dad employed' or 'Maybe this helps my town stay alive.'" Alex Beene, financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "While I'm sure there are some millennials willing to pay more for vehicles out of a genuine feeling the action would be patriotic, the reality is many millennials - particularly those on the older side of the spectrum for their generation - are entering years of their working life that result in higher pay. Financially, they may feel they can handle these price bumps at their elevated salaries and support workers in America." What Happens Next Millennials choosing to buy from brands that support American workers could have broader effects on the economy. "What this really reflects is that millennials understand something their elders missed: it's about action," Ryan said. "And when you're facing a housing crisis, climate change, and an economy that feels rigged against you ... They're not buying American cars to make America great again. They're buying them to make America work again."


Gizmodo
2 hours ago
- Gizmodo
Sam Altman Feels ‘Politically Homeless' As Frenemy Musk Proposes Third Party
Sam Altman is grappling with his political alignment. The 40-year-old CEO of OpenAI, like many of his fellow tech executives in recent years, has expressed that he does not feel at home in the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. In an extended post on X, Altman lamented the fact that he's now 'politically homeless' and yearns for a technocratic utopia—something his once friend and current rival Elon Musk has also been calling for with his push to form a third party. Hmm…interesting timing, yeah? Altman, who claimed in his post that he's 'not big on identities,' mapped his political evolution over the last couple decades—or rather, how political parties have evolved to move away from him. 'The world should get richer every year through science and technology, but everyone has to be in the 'up elevator,'' he wrote. He also articulated his beliefs that free markets are more efficient than government, that innovation and entrepreneurship are important, and that education is key to America maintaining its edge. Pretty traditional libertarian fare, frankly. 'I believed this when I was 20, when I was 30, and now I am 40 and still believe it. The Democratic party seemed reasonably aligned with it when I was 20, losing the plot when I was 30, and completely to have moved somewhere else at this point. So now I am politically homeless. But that's fine; I care much, much more about being American than any political party,' Altman wrote. I'm not big on identities, but I am extremely proud to be American. This is true every day, but especially today—I firmly believe this is the greatest country ever on Earth. The American miracle stands alone in world history. I believe in techno-capitalism. We should encourage… — Sam Altman (@sama) July 4, 2025Altman, a billionaire, said that he's more interested in candidates who want to 'make everyone have the stuff billionaires have instead of how they are going to eliminate billionaires.' And it's clear that he thinks the route to that outcome is techno-capitalism, an ideology that he explicitly endorses in the post. 'We should encourage people to make tons of money and then also find ways to widely distribute wealth and share the compounding magic of capitalism.' As Altman seeks a home for his capitalist utopia, a vision where markets purportedly redistribute wealth rather than allowing a select few like Altman to hoard it (he does know he can just give his away if he wants, right?), his former OpenAI co-founder Elon Musk has returned to dabbling with the formation of a third party. This push is spurred by Musk's ongoing opposition to President Donald Trump's 'One Big, Beautiful Bill,' which he argues will add to the deficit. 'Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system! Should we create the America Party?' Musk asked on X. He's been kicking around this 'America Party' idea for about a month now, claiming that it will represent the '80 percent in the middle' whom he believes are currently without sufficient representation from Republicans or Democrats. The origin of that 80% figure is unclear. A Pew Research poll, for example, found that 25% of people say neither party represents them, 37% wished there were more political parties to choose from, and 26% believed more parties would help solve the country's problems. Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system! Should we create the America Party? — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 4, 2025It's also worth noting that while Musk claims his 'America Party' would represent a majority of people, he hasn't really issued any policy positions or founding principles for the party. Presumably, it'd have a fair amount of overlap with Altman's general libertarian-leaning beliefs, which often framed as 'common sense' ideologies. According to Politico, fellow tech bro Andrew Yang has reached out to Musk to push a third-party collaboration, potentially using his 'non-partisan' Forward Party as a model. Frankly, you'd be hard pressed to find a single issue that 80% of Americans all agree on, let alone enough of them to serve as the foundation of a political party. But having a party of their own would certainly make it more straightforward for the Musks and Altmans of the world to push their preferred interests. Of course, they'd have to settle their own disagreements first.


Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
Elon Musk Suggests His New Political Party Will Target Key Senate, House Seats
Elon Musk suggested a third political party, which he's floated as the 'America Party,' will hold significant sway in the Senate and House under slim Republican margins, as he aspires to form a competing party after breaking with the GOP over President Donald Trump's signature policy bill. Elon Musk during a news conference with President Donald Trump on May 30, 2025 inside the Oval ... More Office at the White House in Washington. (Photo by Tom Brenner For The Washington Post via Getty Images) The Washington Post via Getty Images Musk tweeted a poll to his X followers Friday asking if they want 'independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system.' In a subsequent tweet, he said 'one way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts,' noting the party could have significant sway under a slim majority that 'would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring that they serve the true will of the people.' Friday's tweets are the latest threats from Musk this week to form a new political party, as he feuded with Republicans over Trump's signature policy bill that passed the House Thursday: 'If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day,' he wrote Monday. 55%. That's the share of Americans who have an unfavorable view of Musk, compared to 37% who hold a positive opinion, according to a dashboard from statistician Nate Silver's Silver Bulletin aggregating hundreds of polls on Musk. Key Background Musk and Trump have engaged in a heated back-and-forth over Musk's criticism of what's known as the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act that passed the House Thursday and now heads to Trump's desk for signage. Musk—who spearheaded cost-cutting measures at the Department of Government Efficiency—took issue with the bill over the estimated $3.3 trillion it would add to the deficit over the next 10 years. Trump has responded to Musk's threats by making veiled threats to revoke the government subsidies his companies receive and to 'look into' deporting him. House Passes Trump's Signature Spending Bill, Meeting July 4 Deadline (Forbes) Elon Musk (And Tesla) Became Much More Unpopular —As Unfavorability Soars To 55% (Forbes) Musk-Trump Feud Timeline: Trump Goes After Tesla CEO Over Bill Criticism (Forbes)