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Polestar adopts conservative delivery and gross margin estimates for 2023

Credit: Polestar

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Electric vehicle maker Polestar has adopted a conservative estimate for its vehicle delivery and gross margin targets for 2023. The company now intends to deliver around 60,000 vehicles this year. It also expects to achieve a gross margin of just 2%. 

Prior to its update, Polestar stated that it intends to deliver between 60,000 to 70,000 vehicles this year. The company previously reiterated this forecast after adjusting the target in May from the 80,000 it had estimated earlier. 

Polestar also noted that it expects to attain a 2% gross margin this year. Previously, the company forecasted that it could achieve a 4% gross margin for 2023.

Despite its conservative stance, Polestar stated that it intends to double down on its cost-cutting efforts. This way, the company could boost its margins. Polestar has also secured additional loans from Volvo and Geely totaling $450 million. 

In a comment to Reuters, Polestar Chief Financial Officer Johan Malmqvist stated that the company’s conservative estimates were announced in the context of the market’s current state. “These actions and these initiatives are done in the context of what is currently a more challenging market environment and that’s reflected in our volume aspirations,” Malmqvist said. 

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Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath also noted that the company is focusing on achieving profitability instead of volumes, as the company’s vehicles are more premium than mass-market. With this in mind, it would not be surprising if Polestar avoids price cuts that have so far been adopted by companies like Tesla. 

Overall, Polestar estimates that it would require external funding of about $1.3 billion in debt and equity financing to achieve cash flow break-even by 2025. The company still estimates that it could hit a total annual vehicle production of about 155,000 to 165,000 units by 2025.

The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via X @Writer_01001101.

Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Elon Musk

Tesla engineer explains why Elon Musk deserves new pay package

“When Elon is motivated, it also motivates us, especially in this fork of humanity. I would not be staying in Tesla this long unless he is still leading.”

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Elon Musk giving YouTube tech reviewer Marques Brownlee a tour of the Fremont factory. (Credit: MKBHD/YouTube)

A Tesla engineer took to X to explain why he believes Elon Musk deserved the new 96 million share, $29 billion pay package that the company awarded to him yesterday.

Yun-Ta Tsai, a Senior Staff Engineer in the Autopilot program at Tesla, has worked at the company for five years. He has been in his current position for two years and three months.

Tesla rewards CEO Elon Musk with massive, restricted stock package

Tsai posted a lengthy statement in response to Tesla announcing its new pay package for Musk, which the company’s Board of Directors announced yesterday. He was fully in support of his boss getting paid, especially considering Musk “came to work every day” without being paid for eight years.

Tsai said:

“8 years without pay, but Elon still came to work everyday despite hitting all the milestones.

Most founders, even being paid much better, would simply abandon ships or being “zucked”.

I often joked my annual comp was higher than Elon but it was true.

When Elon is motivated, it also motivates us, especially in this fork of humanity. I would not be staying in Tesla this long unless he is still leading.

Hopefully Elon gets his first paycheck soon after 8 years of grinding in hell. It is time.”
It’s no secret that Musk has the reputation of someone who is incredibly driven, motivated, and determined to come through on his personal and professional goals. In times of need at the company, Musk sleeps at the office and works seven days a week.

Recently, it came to the surface that he nearly missed his brother’s wedding years ago because of work.

Musk’s attitude toward work is what has made Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and other entities so successful.

Musk’s new pay package

Tesla announced the new pay package for Musk yesterday, under the following terms:

  • 96 million restricted shares of stock, subject to Elon paying a purchase price upon meeting a two-year vesting term, to be delivered after receipt of antitrust regulatory approval
  • The purchase price will be equal to the split-adjusted exercise price of the stock options awarded to Elon under the 2018 CEO Performance Award ($23.34 per share)
  • A requirement that Elon serve continuously in a senior leadership role at Tesla during the two-year vesting term
  • A pledging allowance to cover tax payments or the purchase price
  • A mandatory holding period of five years from the grant date, except to cover tax payments or the purchase price (with any sales for such purposes to be conducted through an orderly disposition in coordination with Tesla); and
  • If the Delaware courts fully reinstate the 2018 CEO Performance Award, this interim award will be forfeited or returned or a portion of the 2018 CEO Performance Award will be forfeited. To put it simply, there cannot be any “double dip.” Elon will not be able to keep this new award in addition to the options he will be awarded under the 2018 CEO Performance Award, should the courts rule in our favor

The board added a statement that said it believed now would be an ideal time “to take decisive action to recognize the extraordinary value that Elon created for Tesla shareholders.”

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Tesla Cybertruck leftovers are the main course at the Supercharger Diner

Tesla is using recycled steel from Cybertruck manufacturing for the Supercharger Diner in Los Angeles.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Cybertruck panels that are leftover from manufacturing became the main course at the Supercharger Diner, contributing to the futuristic restaurant’s unique exterior design.

The Supercharger Diner was an idea of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s in 2018, and in July 2025, it officially opened for business, serving a variety of interesting dishes in a futuristic setting that pays homage to the 1950s restaurant experience.

The design of the Diner is what truly sets it apart: it is reminiscent of the stainless exterior that Tesla used for the Cybertruck. It turns out that’s exactly what it is.

tesla diner supercharger in los angeles california at night

Credit: Tesla

Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen revealed in an interview with Tesla Owners Club Austria that the company used recycled panels from Cybertruck manufacturing as siding on the epic diner.

Here’s what he said:

Tesla sourced its stainless steel for the exoskeleton of the Cybertruck from Steel Dynamics Inc. and its plant in Sinton, Texas. The company confirmed this through various outlets, including exhibit descriptions at the Petersen Automotive Museum. The steel is refined through a third party before it is used.

Credit: Cybertruck Owners Club

It also uses the same steel for SpaceX Starship.

It’s pretty interesting that Tesla chose to use the stainless steel for the exterior of the diner in Los Angeles, but it also makes sense considering how durable it has proven to be.

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Elon Musk

Tesla ‘activist shareholders’ sue company and Elon Musk for Robotaxi rollout

Tesla’s activist shareholders are coming after the company, claiming it misled investors about the Robotaxi rollout.

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla’s “activist shareholders” seem to be one of the biggest threats to the company and its CEO, Elon Musk, who has spoken extensively about them in recent times. They’re up to their latest bit of work against the company, suing both Tesla and Musk, accusing them of securities fraud by alleging they concealed “significant risk” over the Robotaxi launch in Austin, Texas.

On Monday night, a group of shareholders sued Tesla and Musk in a proposed class action lawsuit in Texas federal court. They claim Tesla misled investors about the safety of the vehicles used in the Robotaxi rollout in Austin, which started on June 22.

The suit indicates that videos show the vehicles “speeding, exhibiting sudden braking, driving over a curb, entering the wrong lane, and dropping passengers off in the middle of multilane roads.” Reuters first reported on the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs are seeking damages for shareholders between April 19, 2023, and June 22, 2025.

Tesla’s Robotaxi platform has been operating for less than two months, and the company has already expanded its geofence in Austin twice.

In the roughly six weeks that Robotaxi has been operational, Tesla has only had one incident reported to the Austin Government, and it was a “Safety Concern” in June 2025. Since July 2023, which is when autonomous vehicle operation began in Austin, 130 incidents have been reported. AV Ride, Cruise, Waymo, and Zoox also operate in Austin.

Waymo has the most incidents with 73. Its first was in June 2024 when a unit blocked traffic.

Activist Shareholders

Musk has warned that activist shareholders are potentially dangerous to both Tesla and his position as CEO. He recently spoke about them during the Q2 Earnings Call regarding his stake in the company:

“That is a major concern for me, as I’ve mentioned in the past. I hope that is addressed at the upcoming shareholders meeting. But, yeah, it is a big deal. I want to find that I’ve got so little control that I can easily be ousted by activist shareholders after having built this army of humanoid robots. I think my control over Tesla, Inc. should be enough to ensure that it goes in a good direction, but not so much control that I can’t be thrown out if I go crazy.”

Tesla’s Board yesterday made an attempt to help secure Musk’s stake by offering him a massive 96 million share pay package of restricted stock. It will only help his stake in the company bump up slightly to 14.6 percent from 12.9 percent.

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