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Elon Musk rallies Tesla community to help with Q3 2018 deliveries

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It is difficult to deny that Tesla is a company with a dedicated following. Over the years, its electric cars and energy storage products, together with Elon Musk’s rockstar CEO status, allowed Tesla to become one of the most recognizable brands in the automotive industry. This has also allowed the company to garner a strong consumer base that is willing to pay it forward.

Tesla is facing what Elon Musk dubs as “delivery logistics hell” due to the sheer number of customer deliveries that need to be done before the end of Q3 2018. Tesla has stepped up to the challenge, reportedly conducting deliveries in its centers until 10 p.m. and adopting processes such as a 5-Minute Sign & Drive system to expedite the handover process. As the end of the third quarter nears, though, it has become evident that the company could use a helping hand.

A suggestion for a solution to help Tesla’s Q3 deliveries was suggested by IGN journalist and Ride the Lightning podcast host Ryan McAffrey on Twitter, who noted that he and a lot of Tesla owners would be willing to volunteer their time to help out with deliveries. While Tesla owners cannot help with the paperwork, they could help orient newcomers about the functions and features of their new electric car. Elon Musk loved the idea, stating that any help would be appreciated.

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All across the social media sphere, the Tesla community immediately came alive. In Twitter alone, several owners volunteered to help out, from those who have driven the company’s vehicles since the days of the original Roadster, to those who have just received their Model 3 recently. Influencers who command a strong following in social media, as well as members of dedicated Tesla clubs, announced that they would pitch in as well. Some even noted that they would be bringing food and drinks

It is rare to see a car company command such a dedicated following, but considering Tesla’s place in the auto industry today, the strong brand loyalty exhibited by its consumer base is not very surprising. Over the years, Tesla has pretty much transformed itself into an entity that is more than a regular car company or an energy storage provider. In a way, Tesla has become a movement of sorts, a brand that symbolizes a few embers of optimism in a world that is growing more disillusioned by the day. It would be rather easy to criticize Elon Musk for being a leader that still shows a degree of naivette from time to time, but in the case of Tesla, his leadership is arguably one of the reasons why regular electric car owners are willing to spend their personal time to help out the company. 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen conducting Model 3 deliveries. 

While aggressive critics of Tesla would be quick to state that the company commands a “cult” following, it’s not like its customers’ loyalty is misplaced. In the electric car market alone, it is starting to become evident that Tesla, a young carmaker that has only been around for 15 years, holds a significant lead in the EV market. Toni Sacconaghi of Bernstein, an analyst who quite literally incited Elon Musk’s frustration in an earnings call, recently pointed out that contrary to a persistent bear thesis, there is “no actual flood of competition coming” for Tesla’s vehicles, even from established legacy carmakers.

Tesla’s strength and its strong consumer loyalty are reflected in the company’s Net Promoter Score (NPS), which stands as among the highest in the auto industry. Last year alone, Tesla earned a 97 in its NPS, the highest score among automakers currently active in the US. As noted by ConsumerGauge in its analysis of Tesla’s rating back in 2017, the company’s industry-leading NPS seems to be influenced by the company’s radical approach to vehicles and the car buying experience, as well as Elon Musk’s bold, hands-on approach to the company. 

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Elon Musk

Tesla analysts believe Musk and Trump feud will pass

Tesla CEO Elon Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump’s feud shall pass, several bulls say.

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The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
President Donald J. Trump purchases a Tesla on the South Lawn, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

Tesla analysts are breaking down the current feud between CEO Elon Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump, as the two continue to disagree on the “Big Beautiful Bill” and its impact on the country’s national debt.

Musk, who headed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump Administration, left his post in May. Soon thereafter, he and President Trump entered a very public and verbal disagreement, where things turned sour. They reconciled to an extent, and things seemed to be in the past.

However, the second disagreement between the two started on Monday, as Musk continued to push back on the “Big Beautiful Bill” that the Trump administration is attempting to sign into law. It would, by Musk’s estimation, increase spending and reverse the work DOGE did to trim the deficit.

President Trump has hinted that DOGE could be “the monster” that “eats Elon,” threatening to end the subsidies that SpaceX and Tesla receive. Musk has not been opposed to ending government subsidies for companies, including his own, as long as they are all abolished.

How Tesla could benefit from the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ that axes EV subsidies

Despite this contentious back-and-forth between the two, analysts are sharing their opinions now, and a few of the more bullish Tesla observers are convinced that this feud will pass, Trump and Musk will resolve their differences as they have before, and things will return to normal.

ARK Invest’s Cathie Wood said this morning that the feud between Musk and Trump is another example of “this too shall pass:”

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Additionally, Wedbush’s Dan Ives, in a note to investors this morning, said that the situation “will settle:”

“We believe this situation will settle and at the end of the day Musk needs Trump and Trump needs Musk given the AI Arms Race going on between the US and China. The jabs between Musk and Trump will continue as the Budget rolls through Congress but Tesla investors want Musk to focus on driving Tesla and stop this political angle…which has turned into a life of its own in a roller coaster ride since the November elections.”

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Tesla shares are down about 5 percent at 3:10 p.m. on the East Coast.

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Tesla investors will be shocked by Jim Cramer’s latest assessment

Jim Cramer is now speaking positively about Tesla, especially in terms of its Robotaxi performance and its perception as a company.

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Credit: CNBC Television/YouTube

Tesla investors will be shocked by analyst Jim Cramer’s latest assessment of the company.

When it comes to Tesla analysts, many of them are consistent. The bulls usually stay the bulls, and the bears usually stay the bears. The notable analysts on each side are Dan Ives and Adam Jonas for the bulls, and Gordon Johnson for the bears.

Jim Cramer is one analyst who does not necessarily fit this mold. Cramer, who hosts CNBC’s Mad Money, has switched his opinion on Tesla stock (NASDAQ: TSLA) many times.

He has been bullish, like he was when he said the stock was a “sleeping giant” two years ago, and he has been bearish, like he was when he said there was “nothing magnificent” about the company just a few months ago.

Now, he is back to being a bull.

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Cramer’s comments were related to two key points: how NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang describes Tesla after working closely with the Company through their transactions, and how it is not a car company, as well as the recent launch of the Robotaxi fleet.

Jensen Huang’s Tesla Narrative

Cramer says that the narrative on quarterly and annual deliveries is overblown, and those who continue to worry about Tesla’s performance on that metric are misled.

“It’s not a car company,” he said.

He went on to say that people like Huang speak highly of Tesla, and that should be enough to deter any true skepticism:

“I believe what Musk says cause Musk is working with Jensen and Jensen’s telling me what’s happening on the other side is pretty amazing.”

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Tesla self-driving development gets huge compliment from NVIDIA CEO

Robotaxi Launch

Many media outlets are being extremely negative regarding the early rollout of Tesla’s Robotaxi platform in Austin, Texas.

There have been a handful of small issues, but nothing significant. Cramer says that humans make mistakes in vehicles too, yet, when Tesla’s test phase of the Robotaxi does it, it’s front page news and needs to be magnified.

He said:

“Look, I mean, drivers make mistakes all the time. Why should we hold Tesla to a standard where there can be no mistakes?”

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It’s refreshing to hear Cramer speak logically about the Robotaxi fleet, as Tesla has taken every measure to ensure there are no mishaps. There are safety monitors in the passenger seat, and the area of travel is limited, confined to a small number of people.

Tesla is still improving and hopes to remove teleoperators and safety monitors slowly, as CEO Elon Musk said more freedom could be granted within one or two months.

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Investor's Corner

Tesla gets $475 price target from Benchmark amid initial Robotaxi rollout

Tesla’s limited rollout of its Robotaxi service in Austin is already catching the eye of Wall Street.

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Credit: Tesla

Venture capital firm Benchmark recently reiterated its “Buy” rating and raised its price target on Tesla stock (NASDAQ: TSLA) from $350 to $475 per share, citing the company’s initial Robotaxi service deployment as a sign of future growth potential.

Benchmark analyst Mickey Legg praised the Robotaxi service pilot’s “controlled and safety-first approach,” adding that it could help Tesla earn the trust of regulators and the general public.

Confidence in camera-based autonomy

Legg reiterated Benchmark’s belief in Tesla’s vision-only approach to autonomous driving. “We are a believer in Tesla’s camera-focused approach that is not only cost effective but also scalable,” he noted. 

The analyst contrasted Tesla’s simple setup with the more expensive hardware stacks used by competitors like Waymo, which use various sophisticated sensors that hike up costs, as noted in an Investing.com report. Compared to Tesla’s Model Y Robotaxis, Waymo’s self-driving cars are significantly more expensive.

He also pointed to upcoming Texas regulations set to take effect in September, suggesting they could help create a regulatory framework favorable to autonomous services in other cities.

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“New regulations for autonomous vehicles are set to go into place on Sept. 1 in TX that we believe will further help win trust and pave the way for expansion to additional cities,” the analyst wrote.

https://twitter.com/herbertong/status/1938287117441855616?s=10

Tesla as a robotics powerhouse

Beyond robotaxis, Legg sees Tesla evolving beyond its roots as an electric vehicle maker. He noted that Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, could be a long-term growth driver alongside new vehicle programs and other future initiatives.

“In our view, the company is undergoing an evolution from a trailblazing vehicle OEM to a high-tech automation and robotics company with unmatched domestic manufacturing scale,” he wrote.

Benchmark noted that Tesla stock had rebounded over 50% from its April lows, driven in part by easing tariff concerns and growing momentum around autonomy. With its initial Robotaxi rollout now underway, the firm has returned to its previous $475 per share target and reaffirmed TSLA as a Benchmark Top Pick for 2025.

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