

Investor's Corner
Tesla Gigafactory 3 funding reportedly incites competition among Chinese banks: insider
Tesla has an aggressive timetable for Gigafactory 3. During the facility’s groundbreaking event, Elon Musk mentioned that he is hoping for Model 3 production to begin before the end of 2019. That’s a very ambitious goal, even for a company as daring as Tesla. For the project to move on as scheduled, after all, Tesla would have to acquire enough funding for the massive facility — a feat widely considered challenging by the company’s critics.
Last year, reports emerged from local Chinese media hinting that Tesla was receiving assistance in receiving low-interest loans from local Shanghai banks to fund part of Gigafactory 3’s construction. If a recent report is any indication, though, it appears that the upcoming battery and electric car factory is attracting the interest of quite a few financial institutions willing to loan money for the project. An insider, who asked to remain anonymous, reportedly revealed to Chinese news agency NBD that several financial firms are actually competing to give loans to the carmaker.
“I heard that many banks are fighting for this. There are local banks in Shanghai, state-owned banks, and foreign banks,” the insider said, according to Hexun News.
The insider further noted that Tesla would be allowed to use its property rights and patents as collateral for the facility’s funding. Apart from this, the insiders also mentioned that under normal circumstances, it usually takes 4-6 months for companies to iron out details about the financing of large-scale projects. In the case of the Silicon Valley-based carmaker, though, the local government has reportedly set up a special team to endorse Tesla’s financing loans after just two months.
These recent reports all but highlight the Chinese government’s favor for Tesla and its support for Elon Musk’s vision. While Elon Musk and Tesla continue to incite an equal amount of admiration and criticism in the United States, after all, the company and its CEO appear to be widely respected in China. After the groundbreaking ceremony at the Gigafactory 3 site in Shanghai, for example, Elon Musk met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing’s Tower of Violet Light — a place usually reserved for foreign dignitaries, not automotive CEOs.
During their meeting, Li proved supportive of Musk’s plans for Tesla’s expansion in the country, as well as his ideas for Gigafactory 3’s automation. Even when Elon Musk described his vision of a factory that behaves like a “living being,” Li was not dismissive. At one point in their conversation, Li even suggested that China can just issue a “Chinese Green Card” to the Tesla CEO, so that Musk can explore his ideas freely.
Chinese media reported that many banks are now striving to make loans for Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory, including local banks in Shanghai, state-owned banks, and foreign banks. $TSLA #Tesla #China #GF3 #TeslaChina https://t.co/BXu3ydQzLx pic.twitter.com/GjjeRnQlSy
— vincent (@vincent13031925) January 11, 2019
Considering the treatment that Musk received in China during his visit, as well as the recent reports of banks competing to give funding for Gigafactory 3, it appears safe to state that Tesla is favored by the country’s government. And it’s not just Elon Musk’s treatment or support from financial institutions either. As revealed in previous reports, the government’s support for Tesla and Gigafactory 3 has been pretty evident for a while now.
Last year, the country all but changed its strict rules when it allowed Tesla to become the sole owner of the upcoming battery and electric car factory. The government’s hand also seemed evident when Tesla placed its bid for the 864,885-square meter plot of land in Shanghai’s Lingang Industrial Zone, as the electric car maker’s bid went completely unchallenged. Earlier this month, it was also revealed that the contractor for the construction of Gigafactory 3 is a subsidiary of China Construction, a firm owned by the government.
With such a notable level of support from the country’s officials and institutions, there is a very good chance that Gigafactory 3 would be completed well within Tesla’s projected timetable. What remains to be seen, though, is if the electric car maker can set up its production lines in Shanghai at the same pace. With things now in motion, the ball now appears to be in Tesla’s court.
Investor's Corner
Tesla Board member and Airbnb co-founder loads up on TSLA ahead of robotaxi launch
Tesla CEO Elon Musk gave a nod of appreciation for the Tesla Board member’s purchase.

Tesla Board member and Airbnb Co-Founder Joe Gebbia has loaded up on TSLA stock (NASDAQ:TSLA). The Board member’s purchase comes just over a month before Tesla is expected to launch an initial robotaxi service in Austin, Texas.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk gave a nod of appreciation for the Tesla Board member in a post on social media.
The TSLA Purchase
As could be seen in a Form 4 submitted to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday, Gebbia purchased about $1.02 million worth of TSLA stock. This was comprised of 4,000 TSLA shares at an average price of $256.308 per share.
Interestingly enough, Gebbia’s purchase represents the first time an insider has purchased TSLA stock in about five years. CEO Elon Musk, in response to a post on social media platform X about the Tesla Board member’s TSLA purchase, gave a nod of appreciation for Gebbia. “Joe rocks,” Musk wrote in his post on X.
Gebbia has served on Tesla’s Board as an independent director since 2022, and he is also a known friend of Elon Musk. He even joined the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to help the government optimize its processes.

Just a Few Weeks Before Robotaxi
The timing of Gebbia’s TSLA stock purchase is quite interesting as the company is expected to launch a dedicated roboatxi service this June in Austin. A recent report from Insider, citing sources reportedly familiar with the matter, claimed that Tesla currently has 300 test operators driving robotaxis around Austin city streets. The publication’s sources also noted that Tesla has an internal deadline of June 1 for the robotaxi service’s rollout, but even a launch near the end of the month would be impressive.
During the Q1 2025 earnings call, Elon Musk explained that the robotaxi service that would be launched in June will feature autonomous rides in Model Y units. He also noted that the robotaxi service would see an expansion to other cities by the end of 2025. “The Teslas that will be fully autonomous in June in Austin are probably Model Ys. So, that is currently on track to be able to do paid rides fully autonomously in Austin in June and then to be in many other cities in the US by the end of this year,” Musk stated.
Investor's Corner
Tesla hints at ‘Model 2’ & next-gen EV designs
Tesla’s Q1 2025 update confirms new models this year, with production tied to existing factory lines. Could it be time for the Model 2 debut?

During its Q1 2025 earnings call, Tesla executives hinted at the much-rumored “Model 2” and other next-gen EV designs.
Tesla slightly addressed whether or not it will be pushing forward with the debut of new models later this year in its latest earnings call. The company’s product development executive, Lars Moravy, shared some details about Tesla’s design process and the upcoming affordable models.
“We’re still planning to release models this year. As with all launches, we’re working through, like, the last minute issues that pop up. We’re knocking them down one by one. At this point, I would say that the ramp might be a little slower than we had hoped initially…But there’s nothing that’s blocking us from starting production within the next, within the timeline laid out in the opening remarks.
“And I will say it’s important to emphasize that, as we’ve said all along, the full utilization of our factories is the primary goal for these new products. And so the flexibility of what we can do within the form factor and, you know, the design of it is really limited to what we can do on our existing lines rather than building new ones. But we’ve been targeting the low cost of ownership. Monthly payment is the biggest differentiator for our vehicles, and that’s why we’re focused on bringing these new models with the, you know, the lowest price, to the market, within the constraints I just highlighted.”
The Model 3 is a hell of a deal, ngl. With the federal tax credit, it'd be silly to get a comparably priced combustion-powered car.
Now for the big question. Is the Model 3 currently the best-looking Tesla? https://t.co/5E37J9OKhU— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) April 24, 2025
In January, Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja teased several new product introductions for this year. There is at least one product that most Tesla supporters and investors are hoping to see: the company’s affordable vehicles, which have been dubbed by the EV community as the “Model 2” or “Model Q.”
Before Tesla’s Robotaxi event last year, many speculated that the company would also unveil its affordable next-gen vehicle. Gene Munster from Deepwater had expected Tesla to release a stripped-down version of the Model 3 as its affordable vehicle during the Robotaxi event. In the end, Tesla unveiled its Robotaxi vehicle and its Robovan design.
It’s been a while since the Robotaxi event, and Tesla has kept mum about its affordable vehicle. Considering its Q1 2025 performance, TSLA investors look forward to catalysts that could boost the stock.
The “Model 2” has been labeled a potential catalyst for Tesla. As such, TSLA investors and supporters have been itching for news about the new affordable vehicle. The main questions surrounding the “Model 2” revolve around its design and price. Based on Moravy’s statement, the “Model 2’s” design will heavily depend on Tesla’s current assembly lines and supply chain structures.
Elon Musk
Tesla regains Piper Sandler’s confidence with Robotaxi plans & Q1 Results
Piper Sandler says Tesla delivered the best-case scenario for bulls. $TSLA has catalysts ahead to silence the bears.

Tesla gained Piper Sandler analyst Alexander Potter’s confidence following its Q1 2025 earnings call. Piper Sandler reaffirmed its Overweight rating and $400 TSLA price target, signaling optimism for the company’s robotaxi and affordable vehicle launches expected this year. The firm’s stance reflects Tesla’s resilience amid market challenges.
Despite expectations of weak Q1 financials, Tesla’s stock edged up in after-hours trading, defying skepticism. Piper Sandler’s Alexander Potter noted that the results met the hopes of Tesla supporters, particularly as the company held firm on its timelines. Potter emphasized that anticipation for robotaxi details and new vehicle launches should keep critics at bay, supporting the $400 target.
“In our preview last week, we predicted that (at best) Q1 would be a non-event. With the stock trading up slightly in the after-hours session, it appears our best-case scenario has materialized. Considering generally weak Q1 financials, we think this is the best result that TSLA bulls could’ve reasonably hoped for.
“In our view, the most important Q1 takeaway is this: Tesla didn’t hedge expectations re: launching Robotaxis or lower-priced vehicles in 1H25. With <2 months until the end of June, investors can look forward to some interesting catalysts in the weeks ahead. In our view, this alone should be enough to keep the bears at bay, at least until we have a better idea re: the details of Tesla’s new products, as well as the scale/scope of the Robotaxi launch,” wrote Potter.
Wedbush Securities’ Dan Ives, a longtime TSLA bull, echoed Potter’s optimism for Tesla. Ives raised his price target for Tesla stock from $315 to $350 with a BUY rating. His Tesla upgrade came after Elon Musk’s announcement during the Q1 earnings call that he would reduce his involvement with DOGE, signaling a sharper focus on Tesla.
Tesla’s steady Q1 performance and unwavering commitment to its 2025 roadmap, including the Robotaxi launch and lower-priced models, bolster investor confidence. Piper Sandler’s analysis underscores Tesla’s ability to navigate a competitive electric vehicle market while advancing its technological edge. The upcoming Robotaxi launch and affordable vehicle introductions are pivotal, with analysts expecting these initiatives to drive stock value through 2025.
As Tesla prepares for these milestones, its stock movement reflects market trust in Musk’s vision. With Piper Sandler and Wedbush reaffirming bullish outlooks, Tesla’s strategic moves will remain under close scrutiny, positioning the company to capitalize on its innovation pipeline in a dynamic industry landscape.
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