Latest news with #ModelYs
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Veteran analyst drops jaw-dropping Tesla stock target
Veteran analyst drops jaw-dropping Tesla stock target originally appeared on TheStreet. Say what you want about Tesla () , but every move kicks off a fresh debate. Hence, it was a given that its Robotaxis would fire things up even more. And they have. 💵💰💰💵 Though the bears had plenty to say about the Robotaxis, we now see the bulls step up, betting it could spark something massive. It comes at a time when Tesla's footing in Europe is slipping, deliveries are underwhelming, and its stock trades deep in the red for the better part of the year. However, with a pat on the shoulder from some of Wall Street's finest, it could spark the kind of run Tesla stock investors have been craving. Tesla's hotly anticipated Robotaxi finally hit the streets on June 22, in a rather hush-hush, invite-only pilot in Austin, Texas. Close to a dozen Model Ys cruised through a geofenced zone, each packing a front-seat safety monitor just in videos spread like wildfire, showing relatively smooth $4.20 rides. The bulls and Tesla die-hards were quick to label it as 'the future of transport,'. Moreover, the stock popped as much as 11% a day later. Fans say Tesla's camera-only setup, which sidesteps the need for pricey lidar and radar, is the most cost-effective way to scale robotaxis for the masses. Nevertheless, the skeptics kept circling as well. Bears warned that if the pilot failed, it could significantly impact Tesla's brand equity. More importantly, the regulators didn't miss the messy bits. Clips of wrong-way turns, speeding through school zones, and sudden stops put it on the radar of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. At the same time, the bigger picture is far from rosy on the operational side of things for Tesla. More Tech Stock News: Circle's stock price surges after stunning CEO comment Robotaxi rivalry heats up as new cities come online Analyst reboots AMD stock price target on chip update Europe deliveries fell for a fifth consecutive month in May, down nearly 28% year-over-year, squeezed by local and Chinese rivals like BYD. Benchmark just gave Tesla a fresh shot of Wall Street love. In bumping its rating back up to 'Buy', the research firm has hiked its price target from $350 to an eye-catching $475. That represents almost a 47% increase from Tesla's Friday closing price of $ analyst Mickey Legg feels that Tesla's cautious, safety-first Robotaxi pilot in Austin is exactly what the bulls needed to see. For Legg, those Model Y rides show that Tesla's camera-only approach could help scale where LiDAR-heavy rivals can't. Additionally, with Texas's new self-driving rules on September 1, things could get a lot smoother for Robotaxis to scale up quickly. Layer in a stock that's up more than 50% off April's lows, and Benchmark feels the upside could be massive. Also, Benchmark says Tesla's got a serious shot at becoming a full-on robotics powerhouse. The firm believes that the Optimus humanoid robot and next-gen energy play are huge bets, and one that could potentially take the stock to fresh highs. On a similar note, long-time Tesla bull Wedbush's Daniel Ives says the Austin Robotaxi pilot was the opening shot in what he calls a 'golden era of autonomy.' After sampling the geofenced Model Y fleet, Ives stuck with his Outperform rating, bumping his price target to a whopping $500. In a similar vein to Legg, he feels that Tesla's camera-only system can scale in ways that rivals with pricey sensors just can't match. However, Ive's real kicker is the upside potential. If Tesla pulls off the leap, it could unlock a staggering $1 trillion new market value. That hinges on the dream of turning virtually every parked Tesla into a round-the-clock money-minting machine. Adding to the hype, Tesla confirmed that a Model Y just delivered itself from the Austin Gigafactory straight to a customer's driveway. The delivery involved no human, no remote backup, reaching as high as 72 mph on local streets and analyst drops jaw-dropping Tesla stock target first appeared on TheStreet on Jun 30, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla initiates temporary shutdown that will impact 2 popular models — here's what's happening
Tesla is pausing Model Y and Cybertruck production at its Austin, Texas, facility. This is the automaker's third shutdown, and it will begin the first week of July. Observers are noting the potential impact on customers awaiting vehicles. According to Business Insider, Tesla's weeklong shutdown is for production line maintenance. The company intends to ramp up production in the future. It did not specify which lines would increase output. During the pause, employees can use paid time off or opt for training and cleaning tasks. The halt aligns with its robotaxi launch, which kicked off June 22, as CEO Elon Musk stated that the first rides will be in Model Ys. For customers, production pauses can lead to delayed vehicle deliveries or vehicle unavailability. Common auto industry concerns include parts shortages and inventory management. Tesla paused Cybertruck production for three days in December and reduced production in April because of a battery supply issue. While perhaps necessary for long-term efficiency, pauses can create short-term uncertainty. Downturns in manufacturing may create environmental risks, too, including with e-waste disposal, metal contamination, and chemical runoff. Consistent, growing production of electric vehicles is accelerating the transition from gas-powered cars. Significant shutdowns in EV manufacturing could impede this shift, which reduces transportation-based pollution. Though Tesla reported a 13% year-over-year drop in deliveries in the first quarter, it will continue to play a major part in EV adoption. The automotive giant's goal is to improve production lines and increase output. Automakers such as Ford and GM have also paused production, a standard industry practice. Still, under the Inflation Reduction Act, manufacturers are incentivized to produce clean-energy EVs, batteries, and solar panels. EV consumers should always research availability and wait times of different brands. The market is evolving as manufacturers offer competing products. If you were to install home solar panels, which of these factors would be your primary motivation? Energy independence Lower power bills Helping the planet No chance I ever go solar Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Veteran analyst drops jaw-dropping Tesla stock target
Say what you want about Tesla (TSLA) , but every move kicks off a fresh debate. Hence, it was a given that its Robotaxis would fire things up even more. And they have. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Though the bears had plenty to say about the Robotaxis, we now see the bulls step up, betting it could spark something massive. It comes at a time when Tesla's footing in Europe is slipping, deliveries are underwhelming, and its stock trades deep in the red for the better part of the year. However, with a pat on the shoulder from some of Wall Street's finest, it could spark the kind of run Tesla stock investors have been craving. Tesla's hotly anticipated Robotaxi finally hit the streets on June 22, in a rather hush-hush, invite-only pilot in Austin, Texas. Related: Veteran Tesla bull drops surprising 3-word verdict on robotaxi ride Close to a dozen Model Ys cruised through a geofenced zone, each packing a front-seat safety monitor just in case. Early videos spread like wildfire, showing relatively smooth $4.20 rides. The bulls and Tesla die-hards were quick to label it as "the future of transport,". Moreover, the stock popped as much as 11% a day later. Fans say Tesla's camera-only setup, which sidesteps the need for pricey lidar and radar, is the most cost-effective way to scale robotaxis for the masses. Nevertheless, the skeptics kept circling as well. Bears warned that if the pilot failed, it could significantly impact Tesla's brand equity. More importantly, the regulators didn't miss the messy bits. Clips of wrong-way turns, speeding through school zones, and sudden stops put it on the radar of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. At the same time, the bigger picture is far from rosy on the operational side of things for Tesla. More Tech Stock News: Circle's stock price surges after stunning CEO commentRobotaxi rivalry heats up as new cities come onlineAnalyst reboots AMD stock price target on chip update Europe deliveries fell for a fifth consecutive month in May, down nearly 28% year-over-year, squeezed by local and Chinese rivals like BYD. Benchmark just gave Tesla a fresh shot of Wall Street love. In bumping its rating back up to "Buy", the research firm has hiked its price target from $350 to an eye-catching $475. That represents almost a 47% increase from Tesla's Friday closing price of $323.79. Related: Veteran analyst drops bold new call on Nvidia stock Benchmark analyst Mickey Legg feels that Tesla's cautious, safety-first Robotaxi pilot in Austin is exactly what the bulls needed to see. For Legg, those Model Y rides show that Tesla's camera-only approach could help scale where LiDAR-heavy rivals can't. Additionally, with Texas's new self-driving rules on September 1, things could get a lot smoother for Robotaxis to scale up quickly. Layer in a stock that's up more than 50% off April's lows, and Benchmark feels the upside could be massive. Also, Benchmark says Tesla's got a serious shot at becoming a full-on robotics powerhouse. The firm believes that the Optimus humanoid robot and next-gen energy play are huge bets, and one that could potentially take the stock to fresh highs. On a similar note, long-time Tesla bull Wedbush's Daniel Ives says the Austin Robotaxi pilot was the opening shot in what he calls a "golden era of autonomy." After sampling the geofenced Model Y fleet, Ives stuck with his Outperform rating, bumping his price target to a whopping $500. In a similar vein to Legg, he feels that Tesla's camera-only system can scale in ways that rivals with pricey sensors just can't match. However, Ive's real kicker is the upside potential. If Tesla pulls off the leap, it could unlock a staggering $1 trillion new market value. That hinges on the dream of turning virtually every parked Tesla into a round-the-clock money-minting machine. Adding to the hype, Tesla confirmed that a Model Y just delivered itself from the Austin Gigafactory straight to a customer's driveway. The delivery involved no human, no remote backup, reaching as high as 72 mph on local streets and highways. Related: Veteran Tesla analyst makes boldest robotaxi call yet The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
Tesla's primitive robotaxis are driving in Texas. Will they come to San Francisco next?
When Tesla rolled out a primitive robotaxi service Sunday in Austin, Texas, it took the reverse approach of its competitors. While other companies, such as Waymo, highlight their time-intensive engineering and heavy investments in safety and reliability, experts have marveled at Tesla's more radical philosophy: Scrap the sophisticated hardware, put full faith in AI, deploy in places that don't have a lot of rules. It all seemed very seat-of-the-pants, befitting Tesla's brash chief executive, Elon Musk. And the first days were messy. Viral videos of the robotaxis depict basic fumbles, like the car pulling up nearly a block away from its pickup spot. Though the erratic behavior echoed early phases of Waymo and General Motors' self-driving subsidiary, Cruise, Tesla's mishaps drew immediate derision. By Wednesday, commenters on the social media site Reddit had put together a list of captured-on-video mishaps in Austin, where at least one robotaxi had dropped its passenger off in the middle of an intersection. Such scenes have raised doubts about Tesla's ability to expand its business to California, a more tightly regulated state with tantalizing urban markets, including San Francisco, the epicenter of autonomous car technology. Industry watchers are now divided over whether Tesla needs to crack those markets if it aims to be a player in the driverless taxi sector. 'They have a very long road before they can even consider California,' said University of San Francisco engineering professor William Riggs. He characterized Musk's style as bullish, and grounded in 'a really bold prediction.' It just might work, he said. Clearly, Tesla had eyed the populous West Coast state long before the company sent its tiny fleet of modified, self-driving, electric Model Ys to pick up passengers in Austin. In a sign of ambition, Tesla obtained a permit with California's Department of Motor Vehicles to test autonomous automobiles in 2015. This year the company secured a separate permit from the California Public Utilities Commission to serve as a charter party carrier, or taxi. Yet, even with those initial steps locked down, Tesla is following a jagged path from Austin's scrappy Silicon Hills to the original Silicon Valley. And some observers are puzzled by the company's new way of doing business. As a titan of electric cars, Tesla initially focused on high-performance luxury models before shifting to mass-market products. But as a robotaxi venture, Tesla did the opposite: The company took its most recent suburban utility vehicle, upgraded the software and slapped a flashy logo on the side. Thus, a new ride-hail service was born. 'Everybody else's plan is, make it work first, then make it cheap,' said Brad Templeton, a Sunnyvale-based self-driving car consultant. 'Tesla is saying, 'It's gotta be cheap on Day One. We gotta make it work with the cheapest hardware.'' From Templeton's perspective, Tesla made a big gamble with cars that operate chiefly on 'computer vision,' combining cameras with machine-learning. Lacking the intricate LiDAR sensors and high-definition maps on which Waymo vehicles are trained, Teslas instead build maps on the go. Tesla robotaxis might drive up to an intersection in Austin and 'feel out' where the lanes are, Templeton said. Waymos, by contrast, 'know' every crack in the road. Tesla's methodology wouldn't fly in a state with complicated policies and politics and road conditions. But it might fit well in suburbs and rural areas that are less penetrated by technology, particularly if the people there are car-dependent and lack adequate public transit, Riggs said. 'There's too much regulatory friction in California,' Riggs conceded. 'Tesla doesn't have to come.' During an earnings call in April, Musk touted the shrewdness of his strategy. 'Generalized' artificial intelligence would be more adaptable, and easier to scale, he said, than 'very expensive sensors and high precision maps' developed for specific areas. 'Once we can make it work in a few cities in America, we can make it work anywhere in America,' Musk said. 'Once we can make it work in a few cities in China, we can make it work anywhere in China. Likewise in Europe, limited only by regulatory approvals.' (To date, Tesla has not announced any robotaxi testing outside Texas.) After the call, Tesla saw a fleeting rise in share values. Austin's robotaxi debut had a frat party vibe. A fleet of roughly a dozen vehicles provided rides to an invite-only group of influencers and Tesla enthusiasts. Trips cost a flat rate of $4.20, a reference either to marijuana or 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.' The videos posted online show passengers galloping up to the electric SUVs, craning cellphones to film steering wheels that turned by themselves. But Musk had failed to deliver on some of the promises he'd made in the earnings call. He had hyped the modified Model Y taxis as 'fully autonomous,' meaning they don't need human intervention. He had even claimed that with a software update, regular Model Y owners could convert their cars into robotaxis. In reality, the robots that cruised Austin streets this week came with with babysitters: Tesla had assigned safety monitors to sit in the front passenger seats. These shotgun riders are not compelled by Texas regulators, and have led to confusion over whether they are needed for emergencies, or merely there for optics. The company's push to full autonomy will face challenges in September, when a new Texas law takes effect, requiring a state permit for self-driving vehicles, and mandating that they comply with traffic laws. With the new oversight, it appears Tesla's wings 'were clipped significantly,' said Cameron Gieda, a mobility executive who specializes in autonomous vehicles. For all of Musk's daunting ideas, the real 'moon shot,' as Templeton sees it, is a commercial ride service that doesn't need human supervision. Other companies are far ahead: By next year, Waymo will operate driverless taxis in at least seven U.S. cities, while Amazon's Zoox, which just opened a second Bay Area factory, will soon offer rides in San Francisco, Las Vegas, Austin and Miami. Ultimately, Musk's chance of success depends on whether he can move beyond Austin to dense areas of California or New York, Gieda said. Getting there won't be easy. Whereas Texas is just starting to clamp down on self-driving operators, California has two agencies that regulate them — the Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Public Utilities Commission — and requires six permits to run a passenger service in fully autonomous vehicles. The two that Tesla has obtained from the DMV and CPUC do not authorize its vehicles to drive without a human. And then there's the political climate. Long a polarizing figure, Musk recently faced an intense backlash in California and other blue states for being an erstwhile adviser to President Donald Trump. As the Tesla CEO installed himself in the White House and led an aggressive campaign to torch federal programs and agencies, owners of Teslas began putting anti-Elon stickers on their bumpers. Some traded their cars in for other brands. Sales of what had once been a pioneering electric vehicle plummeted. Though Musk's relationship with Trump has since unraveled, it doesn't mean disenchanted consumers will forgive him. Tesla's brand identity is particularly shaky in metropolitan regions anchored by San Francisco and Los Angeles. The company will have to saturate those areas with robotaxis if it seeks to challenge Waymo, which now logs more than 250,000 fares each week. Tesla is 'under a microscope' in a way that Waymo and other companies never were, wrote Phil Koopman, an associate professor of engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, in a post on his personal Substack. Koopman expressed concern about some of the errors: In one video, for instance, a Tesla robotaxi wobbles on a left-hand turn before bailing, then briefly veers into a lane of oncoming traffic. So far none of these errors has caused a collision or serious injury, and taken together, they aren't necessarily an indictment of Tesla, in Koopman's view. Nonetheless, he urged the company to 'get its house in order' before one of the vehicles crashes — and takes Musk's world-conquering plans down with it.
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Veteran Tesla bull drops surprising 3-word verdict on robotaxi ride
Well, Tesla (TSLA) and its robotaxi saga just got even more interesting. For what felt like forever, Elon Musk's been banging the drum on Tesla's ride-or-die robotaxi plan, the next big moneymaker. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter We finally got the big reveal on Sunday, bringing much-needed relief for Tesla bulls. So far, the reaction has been mostly mixed, with both Wall Street and early users split on what to make of it. Nevertheless, a veteran Tesla bull says Wall Street's got it all wrong, potentially setting it up for a major spark that sends the stock soaring. After years of Musk promising a self-driving future, the robotaxi finally hit the streets of Austin on Sunday. Well, sort of. The service is live only in a small, geofenced slice of Austin during set hours. That's far from the 24/7, coast-to-coast network Musk has long hyped. On top of that, each Model Y had a Tesla safety driver onboard, ready to take over in a jiffy. Nonetheless, early riders were mostly impressed. They said the cabin felt chill and the rides were smooth, despite the testing turns and rough patches. Also, they praised the app, which made it super easy to book, track, and hop out. Related: Tesla's robotaxi finally launches, but there's a twist Most folks felt the experience was "normal," with the car navigating similarly to a human driver. It's far from the robotaxi revolution Musk promised, but a working step in that direction. Musk has long hyped robotaxis as Tesla's next cash cow. The goal is to turn idle Tesla cars into money-minting machines with a city-wide self-driving fleet. Behind the curtain, Musk is talking "thousands" of robotaxis in months and a million by 2026. Still, there have been multiple tough moments since the launch. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating clips showing one robotaxi drifting into oncoming traffic with its blinker on. Another froze in the middle of an intersection, and one slammed on the brakes out of nowhere. At this point, though, Tesla says it's testing just 10–20 Model Ys in a small geofenced zone while it irons out the bugs. That hasn't slowed down Google parent Alphabet's Waymo, which continues to turn heads with its latest strides in the robotaxi space. More Tech Stock News: Struggling EV semiconductor company files for bankruptcyVeteran analyst drops bold new call on Nvidia stockAnalyst reboots AMD stock price target on chip update Waymo got a major boost from Uber, as driverless Jaguars roll out in Atlanta with zero extra fees. Meanwhile, Uber looks to cash in on Waymo's reach, and Tesla scrambles to fix glitches as the robotaxi wars kick into high gear. Tesla's hyped-up robotaxi launch got a thumbs-up from longtime Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives. Invited to test Austin's autonomous Model Y fleet, Ives was impressed, calling the roughly 15-minute trips "comfortable, safe, and personalized." He said it surpassed his expectations, a spark that could finally push autonomous driving into high gear. Related: Veteran Tesla analyst makes boldest robotaxi call yet That said, the longtime Tesla bull's comments contrast sharply with the viral clips making the rounds, raising questions over the robotaxi's safety. As mentioned earlier, the NHTSA is also involved, which complicates matters. Just before the launch, Ives hailed the Austin robotaxi rollout as the start of a "golden era of autonomous." He stuck with an outperform rating and a bold $500 price target, close to a 50% upside from Tesla's current price. Moreover, he feels that if Tesla pulls off full-scale robotaxi deployment, it could unlock a $1 trillion bump in valuation. Following the reveal on Sunday, Tesla stock surged on June 23, opening at $348.68, up sharply from Friday's close of $322.16. However, the excitement didn't last. By June 25, shares had pulled back to $327.55, giving up a lot of those gains as the hype cooled off and traders reassessed the long-term impact. Related: Veteran analyst drops bold new call on Nvidia stock The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
