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LIVE BLOG: Tesla Q1 2024 earnings call

Credit: Tesla

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Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) Q1 2024 earnings call comes on the heels of the company’s Q1 2024 Update Letter, which was released after the closing bell on Wednesday, April 23, 2024. 

Tesla posted total revenues of $21.3 billion, with automotive revenues at $17.3 billion for the first quarter of 2024. The company also posted non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.45 and GAAP EPS of $0.34 for Q1 2024. Tesla also posted $1.2 billion GAAP operating income in Q1, $1.1 billion GAAP net income in Q1, and $1.5 billion non-GAAP net income in Q1.

The following are live updates from Tesla’s Q1 2024 earnings call. I will be updating this article in real-time, so please keep refreshing the page to view the latest updates on this story. The first entry starts at the bottom of the page.

17:35 CDT – Martin Viecha announces that he is also leaving the company after seven years in the company. He thanks the company and his peers in the Tesla executive team for the experience. Elon Musk also personally thanks Viecha for his contributions to the company.

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17:31 CDT – Wolfe Research also asked about Tesla’s 4680 cells. Musk clarified that Tesla is now seeing a lot of competitive prices from its battery suppliers due to excess capacity. This was due to battery orders from other automakers declining dramatically. “There’s gonna be a boom and bust in battery supply,” Musk noted.

17:25 CDT – Collin Rusch from Oppenheimer asked about Tesla’s Robotaxi, as well as what is happening to the vehicle now. Tesla executives noted that while developing AI, the main question is what should Tesla do with “usable compute. The company’s vehicles are loaded with hardware designed for autonomous driving, so it only makes sense to use the vehicles for useful tasks.

Rusch’s follow-up question was focused on the 4680 ramp and how close Tesla is to its targets. Musk noted that it’s not super important in the near term, though the company estimates 4680 production will exceed the capacity of suppliers by the end of the year. The 4680 ramp is related to Cybertruck right now, as noted by Lars Moravy.

17:20 CDT – George Gianarikas from Canaccord asked about asked about FSD’s upcoming launch in China. “There are a bunch of markets we are not selling new cars and we are looking into accelerating that,” Musk said. He also noted that FSD works pretty well even without modification, so FSD’s rollout will likely be dependent on regulators. There are some subtleties that need to be worked on, of course, such as country-specific training for FSD.

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The analyst asked a follow-up question about Q1 deliveries being impacted by supply constraints. Tesla executives noted that many factors affect deliveries, such as seasonality and macroeconomic pressure. Musk noted that he thinks Tesla’s Q2 will be better. He also admitted that Tesla’s vehicle purchasing process has become overcomplicated. Tesla will aim to optimize its buying process for it would be possible to “buying a car in under a minute.”

17:15 CDT – Mark Delaney from Goldman Sachs asked about FSD licensing and how far the potential business has progressed. Musk noted that Tesla just has to prove that its FSD solution is the right approach. Low cost, simple, and it just works. “It just needs to be obvious that our approach is the right approach,” Musk said.

The Tesla CFO also clarified that OEMs take a long time, so a deal that’s signed for FSD licensing today will probably show up in cars three years from now, and that’s if the OEM is eager. Other automakers simply take a lot of time to put certain advancements into their vehicles.

Delaney asked a follow-up about Tesla’s pricing. Musk noted that Tesla could be free cash flow positive meaningfully. Other executives also noted that Tesla is offsetting its prices by reducing costs.

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17:10 CDT – Alex Potter from Piper Sandler noted that he agrees with Tesla’s focus on AI. He asked about Elon Musk’s desire to control 25% of Tesla, and if he has come up with a way to achieve that much voting control. Musk noted that no matter what, Tesla will solve autonomy. “Even if aliens kidnap me tomorrow, Tesla will solve autonomy,” Musk said, albeit a little slower. Elon Musk is more reticent with respect to Optimus, however. He feels that he needs to be able to make important decisions about a humanoid robot. Musk also mentioned that Tesla may buy back shares down the line.

The analyst asked a follow-up question, this time about Tesla’s recent workforce reductions. The CFO reiterated the company’s previous points that Tesla needs to be optimized for its next phase of growth. “Any tree that grows, it needs pruning. This is the pruning,” the executive said. “The future is really bright. We just need to get through this period to get there,” he said.

“We’re not giving up anything that is significant that I’m aware of,” Musk said. He also noted noted that Tesla had a long period of prosperity from 2019. “It is time to reorganize the company for the next phase of growth.”

17:05 CDT – Adam Jonas from Morgan Stanley asked about Telsa’s volume growth in 2024. Elon Musk noted that he believes Tesla will have higher sales this year compared to last year. The analyst asked a follow-up question about Chinese competitors, which could copy Tesla’s vehicles. Musk noted that he does not know what Tesla’s competitors can do, though he noted that Tesla is staying afloat in China. “I don’t know what our Chinese competitors can do,” he said.

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Musk also reiterated a comment from ARK Invest, which argued that Tesla must not be valued as an AI company. “Cathie Wood said it best. Tesla is an AI company.” Musk also noted that those who value Tesla only as an automaker will not understand the company well. “We’re putting the ‘auto’ in automobile,” Musk said.

17:01 CDT – Analyst questions begin. First up is Tony Sacconaghi from Bernstein, who asked about Tesla’s product pipeline. Musk refused to answer. The analyst asked Musk if he intends to take a step back from Tesla considering his involvement with numerous companies. “Tesla constitutes the majority of my work time,” Musk said. “I’m gonna make sure that Tesla is very prosperous.”

17:00 CDT – A question is asked about Tesla’s affordable car. Lars Moravy reiterated Elon Musk’s previous comments. He notes that Tesla is updating its future lineup launches to get cheaper EVs to customers faster.

A question was asked about the Cybertruck ramp. Execs noted that while Cybertruck production has reached 1,000 per week, challenges remain. Elon Musk also confirmed that Tesla is in discussion with one automaker for FSD licensing. “We’re in conversation with one automaker,” Musk said.

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When asked about the scaling of the Tesla Semi, executives noted that the vehicle’s facility in Reno, Nevada has started its construction. Tesla also expects Megapack run rate to hit 20 GWh to 40 GWh per year.

16:48 CDT – A question about FSD’s regulatory path is asked. Tesla notes that there are already a handful of states that are embracing autonomous vehicles. Musk noted that regulatory approvals should follow after it becomes undeniable that FSD is significantly safer than a human-driven car. For now, however, Musk noted that it is critical to provide conclusive data that autonomous cars are significantly safer than a human-driven car.

Musk also noted that “Tesla will be operating the fleet,” seemingly referring to the company’s Robotaxi network. He reiterates that the Tesla Robotaxi fleet will work like a combo of AirBnB and Uber.

Musk also noted that Tesla’s Hardware 5 should be in the company’s cars about the end of 2025. “Hardware 5 is pretty much designed and should be in cars by the end of next year,” he said.

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Elon Musk and other Tesla executives notes that the company has models that provide insights on how FSD will perform in later iterations. Those models are not released to the public. Tesla execs also noted that the company is more focused on autonomy. The Target is 5-7 million cars with autonomy.

Credit: Tesla

16:44 CDT – Tesla investor questions begin. The first question is about 4680 production. Tesla noted that 4680 production increased 18-20% compared to Q4 2023.

Another question was asked about Optimus and if the robot is being used in current operations. Musk noted that Optimus is able to perform simple tasks, and Tesla will attempt to do an initial production for Optimus for internal use this year.

“We are able to do simple factory tasks in the lab,” he said, adding that the humanoid robot may start limited production for external customers by the end of next year. “Optimus will be more valuable than anything else combined… Tesla AI inference technology is vastly different than any other company,” Musk noted.

16:41 CDT – The Tesla CFO noted that the company did see a decline in revenues quarter over quarter, from 18.9% to 18.5%, though this was mostly due to seasonality and some microeconomics. He also noted that the costs of Model Y production in Austin and Berlin are closing in on Fremont’s costs. The executive also noted that Tesla is lowering prices and “attractive financing” on vehicles and subscriptions, which could help boost demand.

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The CFO also noted that Tesla’s energy business continues to make meaningful progress. Margins for Tesla Energy hit a record 24.6%. “The future is extremely bright and the journey will be extremely rewarding,” he said.

16:36 CDT – Musk also reiterated the value of FSD V12 and its potential. He notes that Tesla’s $99 per month FSD subscription is a way for the company to make FSD more attainable to customers. He also stated that Tesla will be unveiling its purpose-built Robotaxi later this year, which he dubbed the “Cybercab.” Musk also mentioned that Tesla has roughly 35,000 H-100s.

“We’re really headed for an electric vehicle autonomous future. Gasoline cars will be like riding a horse and using a flip phone,” Musk said. He also thanked the Tesla team for their hard work.

16:31 CDT – Tesla VP of Investor Relations Martin Viecha opens the call. Elon Musk and a number of executives are present in the call.

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Elon Musk makes his opening remarks with a recap of the first quarter. He admits that the EV adoption rate is under pressure, and other automakers are turning to hybrids. Tesla will not be doing this. He notes that the launch of Tesla’s new models is being expedited, which includes a more affordable car. The vehicles will use aspects of current and new platforms and be produced in the company’s existing production lines. The new vehicles should allow Tesla to reach 3 million vehicles of capacity.

16:26 CDT – Hello, everyone, and welcome to our live blog of Tesla’s first-quarter 2024 earnings call. While Tesla did not exactly meet analyst expectations, the company’s first-quarter results were positively received by shareholders. As of writing, Tesla shares are trading up 8.14% in Wednesdaays’ after-hours. It’s been a while since TSLA shares saw such movement.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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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

SpaceX just filed for the IPO everyone was waiting for

SpaceX filed its public S-1, revealing $18.7 billion in revenue and billions in losses.

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SpaceX-Ax-4-mission-iss-launch-date

SpaceX publicly filed its S-1 registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 20, 2026, making its financial details available to the public for the first time ahead of what could be the largest IPO in history.

An S-1 is the formal document a company must submit to the SEC before going public. It includes audited financials, risk factors, business descriptions, and how the company plans to use the money it raises. Companies are required to file one before selling shares to the public, and it must be published at least 15 days before the investor roadshow begins. SpaceX had already submitted a confidential draft to the SEC in April, which allowed regulators to review the filing privately before it went public.

The S-1 reveals that SpaceX generated $18.7 billion in consolidated revenue in 2025, driven largely by its Starlink satellite internet division, which posted $11.4 billion in revenue, growing nearly 50% year over year. Despite that growth, the company lost about $4.9 billion in 2025 and has burned through more than $37 billion since its founding.

SpaceX just forced Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile to team up for the first time in history

A significant portion of those losses trace back to xAI, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, which was recently merged into SpaceX. SpaceX directed roughly 60% of its capital spending in 2025 to its AI division, totaling around $20 billion, yet that division lost billions and grew revenue by only about 22%.

SpaceX plans to list its Class A common stock on Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX, with Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America leading the offering. The dual-class share structure means going public will not meaningfully reduce Musk’s control, as Class B shares he holds carry 10 votes per share compared to one vote for public Class A shares.

The company is targeting a raise of around $75 billion at a valuation of roughly $1.75 trillion, which would make it the largest IPO ever. The investor roadshow is reportedly planned for June 5.

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Elon Musk

Tesla ditches India after years of broken promises

Tesla has ditched its plans to build a factory in India after years of failed negotiations.

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Tesla’s long-running effort to establish a manufacturing presence in India is officially over. India’s Minister of Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy confirmed on May 19, 2026 that Tesla has informed authorities it will not proceed with a manufacturing facility in the country.

Tesla first signaled serious interest in India around 2021, when it began hiring local staff and lobbying the Indian government for lower import tariffs. The ask was straightforward: reduce duties enough for Tesla to test the market with imported vehicles before committing capital to a local factory. India’s position was equally firm, with an ask of Tesla to commit to manufacturing first, then receive tariff relief. Neither side moved, and the talks quietly collapsed.

Tesla to open first India experience center in Mumbai on July 15

India had offered a policy that would reduce import duties from 110% down to 15% on EVs priced above $35,000, provided companies committed at least $500 million toward local manufacturing investment within three years. Tesla declined to participate. The tariff standoff was only part of the problem. Analysts pointed to significant gaps in India’s local supply chain, inadequate industrial infrastructure, and a mismatch between Tesla’s premium pricing and the purchasing power of India’s automotive market as additional factors that made the investment difficult to justify.

First signs of an unraveling relationship came in April 2024, when Musk abruptly cancelled a planned trip to India where he was set to meet Prime Minister Modi and announce Tesla’s market entry. By July 2024, Fortune reported that Tesla executives had stopped contacting Indian government officials entirely. The government at that point understood Tesla had capital constraints and no plans to invest.

The more fundamental issue is that Tesla’s existing factories are currently operating at approximately 60% capacity, making a commitment to building new manufacturing capacity in a new market difficult to defend to investors. Tesla will continue selling imported Model Y vehicles through its existing showrooms in Mumbai, Delhi, Gurugram, and Bengaluru, but local production is no longer part of the plan.

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Elon Musk

SpaceX just forced Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile to team up for the first time in history

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon just joined forces for one reason: Starlink is winning.

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Starlink D2D direct to device vs Verizon, AT&T (Concept render by Grok)

America’s three largest wireless carriers, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, announced on On May 14, 2026 that they had agreed in principle to form a joint venture aimed at pooling their spectrum resources to expand satellite-based direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity across the United States in what can be seen as a direct response to SpaceX’s Starlink initiative. D2D, in plain terms, is technology that lets a standard smartphone connect directly to a satellite in orbit, the same way it connects to a cell tower, with no extra hardware required.

The alliance is widely seen as a means to slow Starlink’s rapid expansion in the satellite internet and mobile markets. SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile service launched commercially in July 2025 through a partnership with T-Mobile, starting with messaging before expanding to broadband data. SpaceX secured access to valuable wireless spectrum through its $17 billion deal with EchoStar, paving the way for significantly faster satellite-to-phone speeds.

The FCC just said ‘No’ to SpaceX for now

SpaceX was not shy about its reaction. SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell responded on X: “Weeeelllll, I guess Starlink Mobile is doing something right! It’s David and Goliath (X3) all over again — I’m bettin’ on David.” SpaceX’s VP of Satellite Policy David Goldman went further, flagging potential antitrust concerns and asking whether the DOJ would even allow three dominant competitors to coordinate in a market where a new rival is actively entering.


Financial analysts at LightShed Partners were blunt, saying the announcement showed the three carriers are “nervous,” and pointed to the timing: “You announce an agreement in principle when the point is the announcement, not the deal. The timing, weeks ahead of the SpaceX roadshow, was the point.”

As Teslarati reported, SpaceX’s next generation Starlink V2 satellites will deliver up to 100 times the data density of the current system, with custom silicon and phased array antennas enabling around 20 times the throughput of the first generation. The carriers’ JV, which has no definitive agreement, no financial structure, and no deployment timeline yet, will need to move quickly to matter.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is targeting a Nasdaq listing as early as June 12, aiming for what would be the largest IPO in history. With Starlink now serving over 9 million subscribers across 155 countries, holding 59 carrier partnerships globally, and now powering Air Force One, the carriers’ joint venture announcement landed at exactly the wrong time to look like anything other than a defensive move.

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