Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm has issued a letter to shareholders celebrating what she described as “overwhelming support” at this year’s Annual Meeting, framing the approval of Elon Musk’s trillion-dollar pay plan as a defining moment in Tesla’s mission. 

Denholm stated that the vote highlighted TSLA investors’ continued confidence in both Musk’s leadership and Tesla’s vision for an autonomous, AI-driven future.

Denholm hails shareholder confidence

In her letter, which was posted by the electric vehicle maker on X through Tesla’s official handle, Denholm thanked investors for backing Proposals One, Three, and Four, items she said reaffirm Tesla’s “Master Plan Part IV” and its broader mission to accelerate sustainable prosperity. She characterized the shareholder vote as “a vote of confidence in our visionary leader, Elon,” crediting Musk with transforming Tesla into one of the most valuable companies in history.

“In a year when many tried to sow doubt and negativity, you chose a better future,” Denholm wrote. “You chose ambition. You chose to see what is possible. You chose to back the people who have been in the room since the earliest days, fighting for the mission that first brought us all together—a better world for humanity,” she wrote in her letter. 

Her comments framed Musk’s pay package approval not only as a governance milestone but as a symbolic endorsement of Tesla’s long-term trajectory across autonomy, AI, and energy innovation.

“A whole new book” of innovation

Denholm highlighted Tesla’s push toward autonomy as the company’s next major growth phase, citing the Robotaxi program and Optimus humanoid robot as examples of bringing artificial intelligence “into the physical world.” She described this period as potentially “the largest value-creation event in Tesla’s history, and quite possibly in the history of humanity.”

The letter reaffirmed the board’s commitment to direct engagement with shareholders through Tesla’s online platform and live events. Denholm emphasized that feedback from investors “informs our strategy and strengthens us” as Tesla prepares for new technology rollouts and expanded AI capabilities.

“You, our shareholders, have given us the mandate and the runway to execute. We are humbled, and rest assured that we do not take that responsibility lightly… Thank you for believing in Tesla. Thank you for standing with us. We look forward to years of bold leadership and pioneering innovation, fueled by our commitment to creating a better future for all,” she wrote.

A coalition of activists has announced a coordinated “Tesla Takedown” Day of Action on November 15, urging participants worldwide to protest Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s newly approved 2025 performance award. 

Organizers described the movement as a peaceful protest against what they view as excessive corporate power and wealth concentration in the hands of one individual.

Activists try again

Tesla Takedown organizers said their November 15 protests will coincide with the nine-month anniversary of their first weekend of action. In a public statement, the group called on supporters to “host or join an action in your community” under the banner #NoTrillionaires, framing the event as a stand against billionaire influence in politics and technology.

“Fascism is on the march in America and around the world. Institutions and elites are caving. We’re fighting back. No one is doing more to fuel the rise of fascism than Elon Musk. Now, Tesla shareholders want to supercharge his assault on democracy by making him a trillionaire. Yes, with a T. That will make him even more dangerous. The good news is, we CAN stop him. His insane trillion-dollar incentive package depends on hitting huge benchmarks. That’s where all of us come in,” the group wrote.

Organizers also emphasized that “Tesla Takedown is a peaceful protest movement. We oppose violence, vandalism and destruction of property. This protest is a lawful exercise of our First Amendment right to peaceful assembly.”

The group’s emphasis on opposing violence and vandalism is a welcome statement considering that previous Tesla Takedown protests have resulted in arrests and chaos in the past. Earlier this year, anti-Tesla individuals vandalized, firebombed, and shot at several Tesla locations in protest of Elon Musk.

Musk’s pay package

The planned demonstrations follow Tesla shareholders’ recent approval of CEO Elon Musk’s 2025 performance award, a landmark pay plan that could make him the world’s first trillionaire if key performance and valuation goals are achieved. Over 75% of shareholders voted in favor of the award during Tesla’s 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, where Musk appeared on stage to thank investors alongside the company’s humanoid robot, Optimus.

The pay plan links Musk’s compensation to ambitious operational and stock price milestones that could see Tesla become the world’s most valuable company by a wide margin with a market cap of $8.5 trillion. Musk is also required to hit several product targets for the electric vehicle maker. These include the delivery of 20 million Tesla vehicles cumulatively, 10 million active FSD subscriptions, 1 million Tesla bots delivered, and 1 million Robotaxis in operation.

The Tesla Model Y and Model 3 are still the best-selling electric vehicles in the world in September, a remarkable achievement given that both EVs are premium models that typically command higher prices than their competitors.

The two vehicles’ feat was highlighted recently by CEO Elon Musk in a post on X.

Still best-selling

As observed by tech watcher @XFreeze, the Model Y and Model 3 were the world’s #1 and #2 best-selling electric vehicles in the world in September 2025. Interestingly enough, the list includes both battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric cars. 

During the month, Tesla was able to sell 140,904 Model Y crossovers and 67,374 Model 3 sedans across the globe. This is quite impressive considering that the Model Y and Model 3 have been around for several years now, and they are still premium-priced.

Staying power

The Model Y and Model 3’s stellar staying power may be due to a variety of factors, including the vehicles’ bang-for-the-buck nature. The Model 3, for example, is quite a bit closer to the price of a Toyota Camry or Honda Civic, but its amenities are closer to those of the BMW 3 Series. The same is true for the Model Y.

Despite their relatively mainstream price, the Model 3 and Model Y offer a ton of tech features that are only available in Teslas. These include Full Self-Driving, which is steadily becoming a huge selling point in territories where it is available, and the company’s vast suite of tech-centric convenience features. The fact that the Model 3 and Model Y are among the safest vehicles in their respective classes doesn’t hurt either.